The Beginning

Bonnie and Hero.  You might be wondering why I decided that should be the name of my blog.  In truth, I wonder why I even have a blog.  So, we'll have to work our way through the events of the past week to really understand why I'm taking up space in the blogosphere.

There is this book.  Well, there are a couple of books.  The first one for me was CS Lewis's 'The Great Divorce.'  Most people like CS Lewis- I mean, this guy gave us Aslan and Narnia, right?  Well, in 'The Great Divorce,' he postulates, via allegory, about Heaven and Hell. At its most simple (and this is a really stripped down version), Lewis says something to the effect that Heaven and Hell are a choice, and the people in Hell are free to leave, and are only still there because they choose to stay.  Now, there is a lot to that.  Lewis is not negating the power of the Cross, nor is he negating the real need to become a new creature in Christ.  The real magic of the book is the idea that the power of the Cross does not end at death.

Very short sum-up.

Ok.  So, this week.  There is this book.  It's called 'Love Wins: Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Everyone Who Ever Lived.'  It's written by a guy named Rob Bell, who happens to be a heck of a teacher and a controversial one at that.  I like him.  He challenging.  Well, before this book came out, a friend of mine started posting things about how this proved that Rob Bell was a false teacher and a universalist (all roads lead to God).  Before the book came out.  Based entirely on reviews and blogs by people who hadn't read the book.

Now, I'm the kind of person who always wants to defend, even if I don't like what I'm defending, so of course I took issue with that.  To call someone a false teacher is a BIG DEAL.  Huge.  Gigantic.  To do so with no basis and with some kind of glee is... tragic.

Fast forward to March 15- the release of the book.  Of course I bought it.  I would have gotten it anyway- I have all of his other books.

It rocked my world.

To the core.

And when I say it rocked my world, I'm talking major worldview shift.

Does that mean I agreed with everything he said?  No.  I need to do my own research and check things out.  But I prayed the whole week before I read the book and while I read the book and the only thing I felt?  Excitement.  This book- the ideas inside- are exciting.


What if going to Heaven isn't the point?


What if the new and eternal life we are promised, the Heaven that we're promised, started right NOW?


What if the power of the Cross has power... even after death?


This book is not a book of universalism.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

This is not a 'Man-Centered' theology.  That's too small.  Too... well, not enough.

It's a 'God Centered' theology.  God does what He does because of who He is, not because of who we are or what we do.  It's ALL about Him.

But we can still choose.  It's not real love if we don't.  So we can have all the hell we want, and it starts here, not there.  And God will give us all the hell we want, until we're ready and able to accept His love and His grace and allow Him to make us new creations.

I'm probably not doing it justice, but that's kind of the gist.  It's exciting.

But it's not... traditional.

And therein lies the problem.  Some people are frighted of something this life altering.  Others claim that all they need is the Bible for solid theology (as though it were written outside of the matrix of time and culture), so what it says is what it says is what it says.  Some people are so convinced of their rightness, that they are immediately irate at the idea that someone would propose something else.  As if anyone had the corner on the 'right' market.

So the same people who revere Lewis are crucifying Bell.  Does anyone else see the contradiction here?

Don't get me wrong- it's ok to not agree.  VERY OK.  And here we come to the inspiration for this blog.     I got into some rather heated discussions with people whom I know love Jesus that ended with my basically being called a moron and being told I have a 'man-centered' theology and don't adhere to Scripture.  Of course, this was extremely hurtful because I have based everything I am and believe on what I understand Scripture to say.  I went to college to learn more about it and do my best to truly read what the Text is saying.  The thing was, these people weren't even really listening to me.  They just wanted to be angry and to cling to what they KNEW was truth.

Now again, these people love Jesus and I know that.  They are just passionate, and sometimes passion gets the better of us.  Can make us a little ungracious.

Anyway- the blog.  The idea here is to create a place where I can write out what I'm processing and place it before you so that we can discuss.  There is wisdom in a multitude of counselors- maybe you will think of something that I will not.  Maybe I'll come up with an idea that is so wide of the mark it's funny, and you can call me on it.  Or maybe I will think of something you won't.  The idea is to grow, and to do so with friends.

And so here are the rules for the blog:

Feel free to disagree.  But please, be nice.

If you are not a follower of the Way, please, feel free to enjoy, interact, and engage.

Why Bonnie and Hero?  When Justin and I first started dating, I wrote him stories.  The characters' names were Bonnie and Hero.  Those stories were about a great journey- an adventure.  They're also the reason he fell in love with me.

Let this adventure begin.  (And no, I don't expect you to fall in love with me:)