The Doctrine of Hell
Obviously, Hell is not a popular topic in our day and age. Yet, the man of God must be committed to preaching the whole scope of biblical revelation. How then is the Christian minister to do so? Is he to stutter and stammer and dance around the hard truth, like a popular preacher did so recently on a major primetime talk show? Or is he to adopt a "grip it and rip it" approach, and let the chips fall where they may? Or perhaps there is a third way.
Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, wrote an insightful article called Preaching Hell in a Tolerant Age. I think that he has much to say to us as we consider how to minister in a culture that rejects the doctrine. To read his article click here.
posted by Anonymous at 10:47 AM
7 Comments:
Good article. It's good to see that pastors are thinking critically and anticipating arguments.
I laughed at first because I thought that was a picture of Dick Cheney. it seemed so...fitting?... hahahahaha
Hey Lauren! Welcome to the "second" blog!
I think that Dick Cheney would be booed from the pulpit in any church in NYC.
I enjoyed the article as well Drew. I do find it interesting that Keller wants to do his best to understand Hell in a way that is rationally defensiable. I think that his approach is much better than Jonathan Edwards approach in "Sinners in the Hands..."
I've found Lewis understanding of Hell as a helpful paradigm for thinking about eternal punishment, although I'm frankly surprised that a conservative Presbyterian minister would do the same, since Lewis's understanding of hell is based on an understanding of free will that is libertarian and not compatibalistic.
Ben,
"Thus, if what I'm saying sounds good to them it's probably not truth."
That's a good point...which is why almost all non-Christians dismiss the notion of a literal Hell.
Gentlemen, I am enjoying your comments very much. Thank you for your insightful dialogue.
Ben, I am afraid that I differ with you in your assessment of Keller's methodology (rather than his message). I am not sure how familiar all of you gentlemen are with his ministry, but essentially he is a fully-Reformed minister laboring primarily with young, secular professionals in Manhattan. The point of this article is not how to make Hell more palatable, but to explain it in ways that shows how the wisdom of the Gospel destroys all secular presuppositions. True, he does use unbiblical metaphor, but that is obviously used as an explanatory teaching tool, not a definition in itself (I am referring to the Lewis image). I believe that instead of being "seeker-friendly," as some may charge Keller of being, he in actuality is lifting high the Gospel in such a manner that secular, non-churched people can appreciate its wisdom and logic, even if they disbelieve. Take this quote from the article. Is there anything unorthdox in it?
"Modern people struggle with the idea of God thinking up punishments to inflict on disobedient people. When sin is seen as slavery, and hell as the freely chosen, eternal skid row of the universe, hell becomes much more comprehensible."
I believe that the work of Redeemer Presbyterian Church embodies Paul's missionary task as outlined in 2 Cor. 10: 3-5:
"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according ot the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have dinvine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ..."
Keller's ministry specializes in destroying "destroying arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God," and I personally hold Redeemer's efforts in high esteem. I do not believe that it is in contrast with a solidly Reformed soteriology.
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