For those of you who haven’t heard, Rob Bell is the charismatic pastor of a Michigan megachurch with a national following. Like most megachurches, it began as part of a conservative, evangelical tradition. Certainly, it appears that Bell was raised (theologically speaking)  in that tradition. But he now appears to be going the way of many religious minded young people, who take a far more progressive view of politics and religion (the best covered issue from this trend is the movement towards an evangelically oriented environmentalism – which is causing something of a schism with the older generation, who fear that an attachment with environmentalists will damage their close relationship to the Republican Party and the political right).

Rob Bell’s fame has skyrocketed with his latest book (due to be published in March 15), Love Wins: A Book About Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived. The book is accused of flirting with the concept of universalism – the idea that everyone will eventually be saved.

American evangelicals tend towards a far more limited and deterministic view of salvation.

Pope John Paul II once wrote that it is possible that there is no one in hell and that there is not necessarily a reason to believe that there is anyone there. This was no written ex cathedra (from the seat), so it does not carry the weight of papal infallibility. That said, when I read that, it was one the concepts that led me to the Roman Catholic Church.

The Church views hell not so much as a Dante-esque place, with fires and demons. Rather, hell is the state of being completely removed from God. Taken from this point, hell requires God to be willing to deny his light to one of his children. Personally, I have difficulty seeing a truly merciful and loving God being able to so deny his love to anyone. I base this on the belief that though I have no children, I also have trouble imagining anything my child could do that would cause me to stop loving him or her. I could be disappointed or angry. I could even hate would they had done and support their punishment (though I follow the Church’s teachings on capital punishment). But deny my child my love?

If you believe in God, do you believe he could deny his love to one his children.