Still hiding my true convictions from everyone. Last night I went to a dinner with some people from church. A few of them I had never met before, which reminded me of the sad state the Church is it. I can’t imagine a New Testament church filled with anonymous attendants. In any case, the conversation flitted about things that I could not care less about- accounting tactics, mortgages, previous places one has lived- until it struck home. I was asked my views on the nature of hell. Evangelicals all, they were disturbed that so many of their “brethren” were turning away from the traditional doctrine to other views. I proceeded to point out that many evangelicals had embraced this doctrine, including John Stott, Clark Pinnock, Edward Fudge and many others. Even their beloved C.S. Lewis adopted a non-traditional view of hell. But who can blame them? Christians have a whale to explain in hell, and I think their attempts to explain it away or soften it are noble.

Well, obviously my answer didn’t impress them, because I am supposed to be some kind of stalwart of “Biblical Theology”, and that this kind of lenience is the root of Christian compromise.  What can I say to that? I was thinking about:

“Sorry, but this whole thing really is ridiculous. I guarantee that none of you have even scratched the surface of this topic, and jump onto what is perceived the most literal/conservative/offensive without reference to what the text actually says.”

Rather, I smiled after my brief and uninformed rebuke and said that I will have to look into it more.

Me=chicken