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Greg and Kevin Miller

Hellbound? in the Washington Post

Kevin Miller, the writer/director of “Hellbound?” was featured in the Washington Post in an article titled “Hell is a reality distortion field.” He challenges us to consider that what we believe about hell or anything else is partially conditioned by many things other than just the Bible. This reality distortion field prevents us from considering other views seriously because we are so locked into our respective points of view. Greg often refers to this by saying “The map is not the territory” meaning that we often react to our ideas about things rather than the thing itself. Kevin’s article is a call to approach truth claims with humility, knowing that to some extent or another we are all unable to see the assumptions that keep us distanced from what is real.

Check out the film Hellbound? if you can. It’s a remarkable, thought-provoking look at the various views of hell (especially the traditional view of hell as eternal, conscious torment and the universalist view that all will eventually be saved) and the real-life consequences of those views, especially in terms of our willingness to participate in violence and our attitudes towards others.

Related Reading

Our Commitment to Love (and Avoiding Theological Idolatry)

Given that we have just launched ReKnew, I thought it would be helpful to spend a good portion of our initial blogs unpacking the theological vision of ReKnew. Our goal is to post content to the site at least three or four times a week, with two of these posts (on average) being fresh content from me addressing particular theological topics. The other posts will be things such as videos, quotes of the day, featured articles from elsewhere on the web questions from readers, and so on.

Before I begin unpacking ReKnew’s theological vision in subsequent posts, however, today I want to offer four preliminary words about the theological convictions I’ll be espousing.

What about the thief on the cross?

Question: You hold that most people who are saved will nevertheless have to go through a “purging fire” to have their character refined and fit for heaven. Whatever is unfinished in our “sanctification” in this epoch must be completed in the next. But how does this square with Jesus telling the thief on the cross,…

Podcast: Can Non-Believers Be Redeemed in Purgatory?

Greg considers whether the acceptance of purgatory opens the door for non-believers to be saved after death. http://traffic.libsyn.com/askgregboyd/Episode_0112.mp3

Sermon Clip: God In The Gallows

Greg has recently returned from a three week trip in Europe, and today he shares stories of how the Kingdom message of a Jesus-looking God, radical love and non-violence is truly spreading all over the world. You can view the full sermon here: http://whchurch.org/sermons-media/sermon/god-in-the-gallows

On Biblical Interpretation

chad via Compfight Today we’re linking to a blog post from Rachel Held Evans about Biblical interpretation. In her post, Rachel writes about the complexities Christians encounter when our scriptural interpretations differ (emphasis is Rachel’s): What is perhaps most frustrating about engaging in such conversations within the evangelical community in particular, however, is that differences…

Are Evangelicals an Endangered Species?

Joits via Compfight Tim Suttle offered some thoughts on the Huffington Post a few days ago about the state of evangelicalism and what is needed to keep it from going the way of the dinosaurs. In an atmosphere of increasing division and conflict, he offers mission as a unifying center that will keep evangelicalism vibrant.…