Dear Rob. . .An Open Letter to Rob Bell

Posted Apr 5 2011 by Spencer Burke with 33 Comments

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    b-Bell.jpg” alt=”" width=”153″ height=”211″ />Dear Rob,

    It was great being with you a couple of weeks ago – before the entire media stir. If it is not too presumptuous of me, I would like to encourage you with a few thoughts that have guided me through times of critique…

    As people voice their opinions, remember you can only control your own words. In the new media world there are no “take backs” and the permanent record stands forever. Our children’s children will know more about us by our Internet foot print than another generation’s “Kodak moments.”

    We also live in a very connected world, where those who have wielded power by control and intimidation are watching their empires crumble. An awareness of how big, diverse and beautiful our future really is has severely squelched those who limit others. To call another’s faith into question (you are unchristian or not biblical), just because it does not aligned with one particular dogma or hermeneutic, is to miss the amazing metaphor of the Body of Christ.

    I would like to pass along a life learning, it goes like this – “if I am not a little bit embarrassed about what I said yesterday, then I have probably not learned anything today…”

    With this in mind, I want to learn more about what it means that “God is Love;” that the greatest commandment is to “Love God and my neighbor as myself;” and that the mark of a Christ-follower is our “Love one for another.”

    If I speak in the tongues of popularity or of authority, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of speaking absolute Truth and can understand every secret God has concealed and conquer every doubt, and if I have a faith that can move trending topics on twitter, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I say I am only looking out for those who cannot look out for themselves and stake my reputation on the line that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

    Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

    Love never fails. But where there are absolute Truths, they will cease; where there are persuasive arguments, they will be stilled; where there is no doubt in any theological position I take, it will pass away. For we know in part and we try our best to make sense of our world, ourselves and God, but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away the childish thought that I could know as God. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

    And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

    Or as a friend of mine likes to say “Love Wins,”
    Spencer

    The italicized words are mine in 1 Cor. 13

    —-
    Spencer is the Founder and Editor of TheOoze.com – a trusted source of information and experiences regarding evolving spirituality that was relaunched in new and fantastic fashion in December 2010. He is the author of three books: Making Sense of Church, Out of TheOOZE, and A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity. Spencer is married to Lisa, his wife of 24 years, and has a son Alden who is 12 and a daughter Grace who is eight. They have lived in the same “beachshack” in Newport Beach, CA for the past 20 years.


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      About the Author

      Spencer BurkeSpencer is the Founder and Editor of TheOoze.com - a trusted source of information and experiences regarding evolving spirituality that was relaunched in new and fantastic fashion in December 2010. He is the author of three books: Making Sense of Church, Out of TheOOZE, and A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity. Spencer is married to Lisa, his wife of 24 years, and has a son Alden who is 12 and a daughter Grace who is eight. They have lived in the same “beachshack” in Newport Beach, CA for the past 20 years.View all posts by Spencer Burke →

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      • Rob

        Love it!

      • Randy

        Only part that I struggle with is “But where there are absolute Truths, they will cease”. Not sure why you made that a capital “T”, but Jesus’ words “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” is an absolute Truth. John 3:16 is an absolute Truth. The attack on Rob has been disappointing, to say the least. I am glad for those who are now searching the scriptures to “make sure what Paul (in this case Rob) is saying is true.” (Acts 17:11).
        Let’s be careful that in our defense that we remain true to scripture as well.
        Blessings!
        Randy

        • Jonathanstarkey

          I always struggle to love. When someone writes something from the heart, and then someone else feels the need to correct over semantics, context and grammar.

          Instead of listening to the heart, you looked for what was wrong with what was being said.

          Isn’t this the kind of stuff Rob is taking a stand against? Listening instead of correcting? Love over conflict?

          • LWell

            Jonathanstarkey,
            No one was criticizing this guy’s grammar or semantics. He was changing the words of the Bible to suit himself, and that is what people were addressing. It’s very possible to have compassion on someone, but still disagree with them and offer correction. In fact, sometimes offering correction is the most compassionate, loving thing you can do.

      • http://monotation.com Spencer Burke

        Randy,

        Your point is well taken. I was not trying to attack “Absolute Truth”, but I wanted to contextualize the passage to this current conversation. The interplay that Paul is using is the understanding of the limited human experience and the power of Love. I interchanged “Absolute Truth” for the word “Prophecy” – we know that for a prophet their words needed to be 100% true (or “Absolute Truth”) or they would be stoned to death and scripture tells us that prophecy will also pass.

        The focus is that Love remains. For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. I am looking forward to seeing in full, and I know I am in for a number of surprises…

        Spencer

        • James

          Is it absolutely true that love remains?

        • Dave

          (it’s an old post now, but I just found it!)
          I have to say, when I read “absolute truths” I paused a moment, then read it to mean “my belief that I have an absolutely perfect understanding of the truth”.  I think the whole context shows what you meant well.

        • LWell

          Spencer,
          The trouble with substituting “Absolute Truth” for the original word “Prophecy”, is that while prophecy had to be absolute truth, absolute truth encompasses WAY more than just prophecy. Therefore those two ideas are not truly interchangeable.
          As for the focus being love, God is love, so true love involves justice, something which Rob Bell has chosen to overlook.

      • Aubs

        Faith, Hope and Love. Wasn’t Love called Charity? How did we Humans change Charity to Love, or vice versa? Is that a Truth with a capital T?

        • Jennifer A. Nolan

          “Caritas,” from which the word “charity” springs, by way of the French “charite” is a Latin word for “love.” Burke is not getting his words mixed up.

          • tdub

            I had a Caritas Burrito for lunch today! Oh wait, that was Carnitas…never mind.

      • Steve

        You were doing great right up until you italicized the words,” absolute Truth”, rather than stick with scripture. They cannot cease or they could not be absolute. I realize that the current trend is to try to accept every belief system that exists in an effort to be “loving”, but please lets don’t assume that the Jesus who said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me”, would have anything but disdain and anger towards this new eclecticism.

      • Dave Wells

        “To call another’s faith into question (you are unchristian or not biblical), just because it does not aligned with one particular dogma or hermeneutic, is to miss the amazing metaphor of the Body of Christ.”

        Is it? If it doesn’t line up with the Bible, it’s a lie. There’s really no way to get around that.

        • http://twitter.com/nchoirnmind Lisa Danielle

          which part of the Bible?

      • Rneuman

        I am SO disappointed in an organization that specialized in the words of Jesus. To support a book that is far short of the same words, truly shocks me. One does not have to read far into the Red Letters in any Bible to see the folly of this book. Once again, popularity seems to rule.

      • Sue Hatcher

        God is Love; God is also Truth, and will not cease.

      • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1388514701 Greg Dill

        I normally take the side of Red Letter Christians in these articles and posts. But, I can’t agree with this one. “Absolute Truths will cease”? That’s pretty much making up your own truth then. Poor choice of words and an article that I cannot defend this time. I sincerely hope this does not reflect the words and thoughts of this ministry as a whole.

      • Ochieng

        He either is Lord of all not at all.I believe in the Absolute Truth, and dispensations or circumstances cannot alter that.
        I think we are becoming”too”trendy for God,and that my brethen is treading on very dangerous grounds.
        Ochieng-Dimba
        Kenya

        • Jennifer A. Nolan

          You have my sympathy, Dimba. I am especially irritated with some of the “advocacy” for low-income Americans, some of the most politically inactive people on Earth, being passed off as Gospel witness. We DO need the help, if you’re willing to believe me, but we also need a greater — much greater — sense of political accountability. Considering how long we have been suffering, there has really been NO meaningful action on our own part, a few glorious exceptions notwithstanding. Where is OUR witness??

          As for truth versus trendiness, I think what Burke meant was those beliefs and ideologies that are HELD UP as Absolute Truth, not necessarily the Truth of Jesus. All the same, he is stepping into quicksand with that remark. Fortunately, he also italicized his add-on words, to show us which ones Paul did NOT write himself. This he did in order to avoid rewriting Scripture. Not rewriting Scripture is hard work here in America; notwithstanding your higher illiteracy rate in Kenya, I would say your people may have the better-developed mentalities.

          But beware. I’m pretty sure that in many parts of your country, and certainly your home continent, Christianity itself is “trendy,” having only recently, and rather violently, displaced older religious traditions. This poses dangers to the soul much like ours in the States. Good luck and God be with you!

          • http://twitter.com/nchoirnmind Lisa Danielle

            learn some history, and look around you, before you dismiss poor Americans as “politically inactive” and therefore undeserving of christian compassion. clearly you are far too comfortable.

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      • DanD

        I’m surprised that Bell is surprised by the response he got from the right-wing Evangelicals. (Not all Evangelicals are alike.)

      • Brcolorblind17

        I’m praying for you if you think this book is anything but a way to lead people to hell. Jesus is the only way to know the Father. It’s scary how this guy is considered a Christian leader. No, he’s a feel good about everyone leader. We’re all sinners. We all deserve hell. By his grace he sent Jesus so that all who believe in him will be saved. That doesn’t make Christians heartless. It should give us a heart to tell everyone the Gospel because we love them so much an want them to know Jesus. Trying to make people feel good about themselves and eternity is not what we’re here for. We’re here to preach the Gospel so that it would work in peoples’ hearts so they don’t go to hell and waste their lives chasing earthly things that don’t satisfy. Yes Love wins, but so does justice. God paid his children’s punishment through Jesus’s death and resurrection. Though he does still love people that deny his Son, God would be unjust not to punish Them. Much love and I’m praying God convicts your heart so that you realize that faith in Jesus is the only way to God. If you believe Rob Bell you’re convinced of something that is completely unbiblical. I’m all about challenging the status quo but not when it goes against Gods Holy Word.

        • DKL

          It seems helpful to preface my comments by declaring that my theological home is one inclined toward suspicion about ‘evangelicals’ (read: ‘fundamentalist’ or ‘conservative’ and ‘liberals’ alike). In addition, I’m only 2/3 through Love Wins…and loving it for the opportunity to use it as a check of my understanding of Scripture.

          It is curious to me how powerfully compelling is the need for folks to remind others that “we all deserve hell.” A Christian group (I have to assume; there is no identifier) in my area recently erected a highway billboard that launches this warm (pun intended) reminder. And I wonder why…

          I have never been compelled by this notion. It has done nothing to draw me into the body of Christ. Except when Pharisees were attempting to trap Jesus, I don’t read this notion in Jesus’ conversation with people.

          On the other hand, I have been drawn into the love of Christ by those who live out a vital expression of Christ’s love for humanity; who show compassion; who love mercy and walk humbly. Christ caught me that way.

          I’m not interested in robbing you of your pathway to Christ, nor your story of that journey. However, I would say that if you need to tell me that we all deserve hell, I’m probably not going to hear it… I’m too busy trying to respond to Christ’s love and pass it along to others…rather than yield to my fallen inclination to give ‘em hell.

          Oh. One more thing. Yeah, I realize the irony of this posting in view of the last paragraph. May we all find Christ Brother Color Blind.

      • Jim

        Curious that you’d defend Rob Bell here, but criticize him on your own web site [http://theooze.com/theology/rob-bell-poked-wolverine-ate-baby/]. Seems pretty incongruous.

        • http://twitter.com/nchoirnmind Lisa Danielle

          Can a friend not disagree with a friend?

      • James

        Love how this letters condemns and judges, masking it,  in the form of ‘love’ for Rob Bell.
        C’mon.. if you really believe in love and a big tent Christianity, you’d even love the people you’re condemning who are you perceive are condemning Rob Bell. 

        Anyway, love in Christ. 

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      • An Onymous

        relativism unleashed! if there is no absolute truth then there is no truth; If Christ’s body was a metaphor then we are deluded or mad or both; if He didn’t die on the Cross and Rise from the grave then we are still condemned sinners and as apart from Him as ever.

      • Jshouts

        The problem with today’s spineless ministers is they don’t know the truth and if they do, they twist it, because to claim absolute truth is arrogance. Well, it’s not. The Holy Spirit does give us truth and God’s Word never fails. All absolutes begin with God. Take God out of the mix and you have chaos, anything goes, and worse. That which was good, becomes evil and evil becomes good.

        About God’s love. Do I have to read passages from Paul, Jude, Peter and others who warn against false teachers. Those who twist the Word. When Paul encountered false teachers, he was so pleasant, he wished he could castrate them. Such kindness and thoughtfulness.

        Really, it sickens me to see what God’s love means today. It means we have this tolerant God that loves, loves loves…as if God’s love is all about anything goes, and everything is accepted. It’s not. Love without moving believers to righteousness is no love at all. It’s like a parent that is not a parent, but wants to be the child’s friend. It’s a disastrous relationship. Remember, for Jesus to call us friends takes obedience to Him and His Word. Without obedience, there is no relationship going on.

        If we are going to give in to every desire and do it in love, then why do we have Christ. Why stand for anything. When we stand, the world will hate us, unfortunately, we have too many ministers who love the praises of the world.

        I feel sorry for false teachers…there is a reason Jesus will judge them harsher. When I teach the Word, I don’t look to compromise with the world. I look to raise the standard – Christ crucified and His holiness.

        It’s time to take stands…raising questions about sound doctrine for the sake of raising them is what we have to deal with today. It’s no wonder the body of Christ is in chaos…it’s as if we’re building on sifting sand.

        JShouts

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