Deconstructing Doctrine 11: Heaven and Hell

Christ our Judge via photopin (license)

This is the concluding blog post of my deconstruction of the Eleven Doctrines of The Salvation Army.

Rob Bell and Love Wins

In 2011, the pastor and speaker, Rob Bell, published his book, Love Wins, which dared to question our beliefs on Heaven and Hell. The backlash was immediate and fierce from the Evangelical Church. He was condemned as a heretic. He stepped away from his congregation, and people stopped coming to his events. The whole idea of even questioning whether or not there is a hell seemed too much for Evangelical Christians to accept. They disowned him.

Interestingly enough, he gained even more followers. He borrowed his son's microphone and began recording his thoughts in a podcast he called, The Robcast. I can't recommend this podcast enough.

I am cognizant that my own discussion of Heaven and Hell will lead to many people questioning who I am and whether or not I can still label myself a Christian.

This brings us to the final doctrine of The Salvation Army, #11:

We believe in the immortality of the soul; in the resurrection of the body; in the general judgment at the end of the world; in the eternal happiness of the righteous; and in the endless punishment of the wicked.

Squirrel Nut Zippers

In the 1990's, a jazz band from Georgia had a one-hit wonder with a calypso beat, called "Hell." I loved this song. It personified most of the preconceived notions we have of Hell.

It's irreverent, to say the least. I like it, even as I disagree with it.

So you're probably all wondering:  Do I believe in a literal Heaven and Hell? The question feels both important and at the same time irrelevant. Let me try to explain.

What did Jesus believe?

Jesus was a Jew. He wasn't a Christian. Nowhere in Hebrew Scriptures (Tanakh) is Hell EVER mentioned. Not once. For such an important concept in Christianity, one would think there should be some correlation in what Christians call the Old Testament. Judgment is mentioned in several places, but never a concept of Hell.

What is mentioned instead is an abode of the dead, called Sheol. English has a hard time translating this word. It is sometimes rendered as "the grave." Basically, it was an abode of the dead where everyone went, whether they were righteous or not.

Jesus' view on this is best exemplified in the parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In this view of the afterlife, the rich man who perished was in a punishment side of Sheol, but was also able to talk to Abraham, despite being separated by a huge crevasse. Most modern Christians reject this idea of an afterlife. People who are in Hell can't talk to people who are in Heaven, but here it seems that this is the case.

In other passages, where "hell" is used in English, the Greek equivalent is often Gehenna, which was an actual place outside of Jerusalem, used to burn refuse.

Now Jesus did preach about resurrection and judgment, but what does that all mean? These are questions that I am still exploring.

I believe in Hell

But it's probably not what you're thinking. I have seen Hell. More often than not, we humans are the best stewards of Hell. I saw Hell on the news when I saw a Hutu murder a Tutsi with a machete on a news footage on CNN. I saw Hell in the Churches of Rwanda, where the decomposed bodies, skulls and clothes were left to rot for a reminder for future generations.

I saw Hell in the eyes of released Kosovar Albanian men, who described how their sisters and daughters (who were Muslim) were raped by Christian men and had crosses sliced into their breasts.

I felt Hell in the tears of my children as they went through the pain of my divorce, not knowing exactly what was happening.

I experienced Hell when my corps officers (pastors) told me I was not welcome to be a member of their congregation.

I heard Hell as I listened to the desperate pleas on 911 of a boyfriend trying to take away the knives from his girlfriend, who had already slit her wrists and ankles.

More often than not, Hell is of our own making. We all suffer when we show or allow this cruelty to continue.

I believe in Heaven

But it's probably not what you're thinking.

I heard Heaven when my sons first told me that they love me.

I tasted Heaven when a poor Albanian family slaughtered a lamb and roasted it for me and my friend to welcome us to his home.

I experienced Heaven when I meditated and experienced the presence of God through centered prayer.

I felt Heaven when my pastor placed ashes on my forehead for Ash Wednesday.

I swam in Heaven when my pastor baptized me and welcomed me into the Church, with no thoughts about my orientation. I cried when the congregation applauded, validating that my journey had not been in vain.

I believe in the Realm of Heaven, which Jesus described to those he taught. The Realm of Heaven is like a parent, who welcomes back their long lost child (The Prodigal Son). The Realm of Heaven is like a heretic, who helps out the true believer, despite their differences in theology (The Good Samaritan). The Realm of Heaven is loving your neighbor, no matter who they are or what they have done.

The Realm of Heaven is therefore our responsibility to bring about here on Earth, not something for us to wait for when we die. By then it's too late.

What happens when I die?

I don't know for certain, but certainty is not part of my faith, or else it wouldn't be faith, just certainty.

Do I believe there is a place of Eternal Conscious Torment, a true Hell, which has been distorted by modern Christians by their perverted reading and understanding of Scripture? Absolutely not.

Am I going to a nebulous place in the clouds, guarded by a pearly gate and having streets of gold to walk on? I don't think so, either.

However, I do believe that God is in all and above all, a concept called panentheism. So when I die, I am still with God and God is with me. That gives me great comfort.

What if I'm wrong?

For my loved ones, this is probably the part that concerns them the most. I haven't given up on God. I still follow Jesus. I know the way I follow God is not like many people do and that's ok. Christianity is ever-evolving and changing. The way we worship is certainly not like Christians of the First Century worshipped. There's nothing wrong with that either.

Just because I don't believe in a fiery Hell doesn't mean I'm going to go there. I think that's the part that flusters most traditional Christians.

In the end, it doesn't matter and it's a waste of time worrying about it. Instead, our efforts should be concentrated on loving God by helping others, bringing about God's Realm on Earth.

The Eleventh Doctrine, reworded:

I believe that it's our responsibility to conquer the Hell we humans have made on Earth, by loving God and others, bringing about Heaven to Earth. God, who is with us, will never forsake us as we live and die.