First it was Brian McLaren and now Spencer Burke, founder of The Ooze are forcing the debate on what eternity and salvation are really about. 

I expect a great deal of conflict to develop over some of their ideas with people eventually coming to our churches, asking us where our church stands on these books and theories.  Much like how people might come asking about women in leadership.

To give you an idea what this controversy is about, here is a quote from an interview with him regarding his new book, linked below.

Spencer: I think people ask, "How could a loving God send someone to Hell?" "Or does Hell exist?" For me, I think that Grace says we are in. We are all beloved children of God, all bought by the blood of Christ, all connected in relation together. There’s nothing you can do to earn it, buy it, get it or grab it, it’s yours, you are here, you are in. Just as with one man’s sin, sin entered into the world, in the story of the creation, Adam and Eve screwed up, so sin entered in. Then death entered in. You have no choice in that. You have death. That’s the way the story goes.

But Jesus was the second Adam. He comes and brings life, and everyone gets life. You don’t have a choice in that either. That’s up to God. God gives you Grace. Not because of what you have done, but because of what Jesus has done. So if we are all in, then that’s what Grace is. But then I started to think about God’s love and the question, "Can a loving God send someone to hell." I thought about it as a parent. I don’t think it’s love that sends people to Hell. I think it’s God’s love that gives us the choice to choose, to opt-out.

Link: Next-Wave Ezine > church & culture.

Buy the book from Amazon.com

Or from Barnes and Noble Online

A Heretic's Guide to Eternity
A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity