Rob Bell, MSNBC Interview: Love Wins

[chris1000bc]

Martin Bashir of MSNBC interviews Rob Bell regarding briefly the disaster in Japan and in more depth his new book "Love Wins."

Here is a link to the youtube video.

Bashir does a surprisingly (I have not watched him before) good job of challenging Bell with every question. I don't say this because I want to see Rob Bell "beaten up" but because it's nice to see any interviewer challenge his interviewee.

My favorite part of this somewhat hostile interview is between 4:26-4:36.

I am into the third chapter of the book, and I am enjoying it so far by the way.

[Tooktheredpill]

Quote:I don't say this because I want to see Rob Bell "beaten up" but because it's nice to see any interviewer challenge his interviewee.

Yeah, yeah we all know how you calvinists feel about Rob Bell.

Quote:I am into the third chapter of the book, and I am enjoying it so far by the way.

I'll be waiting to get the book until I can get it for a buck or less on Amazon.

Btw, I did enjoy the interview. You might like this, if you haven't seen it already: http://www.livestream.com/lovewins/video...m=ui-thumb

[chris1000bc]

(03-15-2011 10:35 PM)Tooktheredpill Wrote:  Yeah, yeah we all know how you calvinists feel about Rob Bell.

A Calvinist friend already called me a name for reading Bell, and I being the mature one called her other names. I will check out the link.

[Tooktheredpill]

Here's probably the best review I've read: http://www.netbloghost.com/mouw/

Also, just wanted to add that I don't believe Bell's book is necessarily the best book on the topic. Bell asks questions better than he answers them.

These books would probably be better for those looking for a more theologically robust inclusivist/universalist position:
1. The Evangelical Universalist by Gregory MacDonald
2. A Wideness in God’s Mercy by Clark Pinnock
3. The Inescapable Love of God by T. Talbott

[chris1000bc]

(03-16-2011 09:46 AM)Donb123 Wrote:  Chris, what do you think of this statement by Mohler?

But there is a second problem, and it is one we might think would have been learned by now. Liberalism just does not work. Bell wants to argue that the love of God is so powerful that “God gets what God wants.” So, God desires the salvation of all, he argues, so all will eventually be saved — some even after death, even long after death. But he cannot maintain that account for long because of his absolute affirmation of human autonomy. Even God cannot or will not prevent someone from going to hell who is determined to go there. So, if Bell is taken on his own terms, even he does not believe that “God gets what God wants.”

Which statement by Mohler? I heard he said some negative things about Bell's book.

I have not finished listening to the book yet, so I am not sure what all of Bell's conclusions are. You do seem to have captured his view of man's freedom. I am wondering how he is going to wrap everything up.

[chris1000bc]

(03-16-2011 01:29 AM)Tooktheredpill Wrote:  Here's probably the best review I've read: http://www.netbloghost.com/mouw/

Also, just wanted to add that I don't believe Bell's book is necessarily the best book on the topic. Bell asks questions better than he answers them.

These books would probably be better for those looking for a more theologically robust inclusivist/universalist position:
1. The Evangelical Universalist by Gregory MacDonald
2. A Wideness in God’s Mercy by Clark Pinnock
3. The Inescapable Love of God by T. Talbott

I have read Pinnock giving his view in this book and this one. Talbott is one of the contributers to the second book I linked to. I think Pinnock does as well as job as anyone could defending his position. I just do not think his position takes into account all of Scripture. I understand that you think there are verses that seem to contradict everyone's view. I would agree that some verses seem to, but that working through various verses we can see a view that takes all of the verses into account. I just don't see Pinnock's view doing that very well. Still, I have only read two chapters by him and his responses to several opposing views in these two books.

I have heard of MacDonald but have not read anything by him yet.

[chris1000bc]

(03-16-2011 10:30 AM)Donb123 Wrote:  The statement I just quote above.

Ah, I thought that was your insightful statement.

I think Mohler is right. I haven't finished the book yet, but from what Bell has said so far and from what he was saying in that interview on MSNBC, it seems like in the end Bell will have to say that God's love wins by bringing as many people to Christ as are willing to come and that God can do no more than that. And he may leave it open for people to have a second chance after death. But it seems as if he believes that people choose hell in this life, and do not automatically become different people after death, and therefore, many people will continue to choose some sort of hell after death.

[Ricardo]

What I totally object to is the vitriol coming out against Rob Bell. As if any of us had it all figured out perfectly.

The best each one of us can do is "This little light of mine, I'm going to make it shine."

There is some light in Rob Bell, as well as in those who criticize him. I wish we could see that light, without all the hate.

[chris1000bc]

(03-16-2011 09:52 PM)Ricardo Wrote:  What I totally object to is the vitriol coming out against Rob Bell. As if any of us had it all figured out perfectly.

The best each one of us can do is "This little light of mine, I'm going to make it shine."

There is some light in Rob Bell, as well as in those who criticize him. I wish we could see that light, without all the hate.

Most of the negative reviews or negative comments I have seen from Piper, Doug Wilson, Justin Taylor, and a few others have not been hateful towards Rob Bell. It's not like they are hoping he gets hit by a car. They are just expressing disagreement.

I believe the negative reviewers would agree with you that they do not have it all figured out, but they would say that there is more light on these matters than Bell is willing to admit.

[Ricardo]

Very early in my path out of Fundyland, I attended a few interdenominational services. When you see a catholic nun praising the Lord in tongues, and you have a Protestant interpreting, a Lutheran prophet, and confirming testimonies from a Baptist and a Presbiterian, you begin feeeling humbled by a God who ALSO uses people from churches you thought were completely wrong...

Very few of the reviews I have read about Rob Bell deal directly with what he is writing. Instead you see people grab onto one sentence, build a straw man argument and go to town with it.

They don't care about Rob Bell saying "God Wins." They want to make sure their congregations know that THEIR views win over Rob Bell's emergent, universalist, commie views.