Rob Bell: Hippier-Than-Thou Pastor
Creative title huh? Well I can't take credit for it...Time Magazine released an article by the same title that is all about the culturally-savvy, megachurch pastor, Rob Bell. There is much discussion these days on the blogosphere concerning Rob Bell--1/3 love him, 1/3 hate him, and 1/3 can't decide what to think. I had the joy of hearing Rob speak at a conference several years ago and I will have to say that he is one of the best communicators I have ever heard. The message he delivered that day is one of the best sermons I have ever heard on many different levels. He hopped around the stage like a rapper with the mic, who was laying down a hot track, yet in the same manner he was able to passionately explain the Gospel message. If any one person fits all of the Evangelical "buzz words," (Emergent, Creative, Relevant, Emerging, Missional) that person would be Rob Bell. Some have claimed him as the heir to Billy Graham, while others have claimed him as a heretic. Love him or hate him, call him a hippy, a heretic, a genius, a geek, or a saint, Rob Bell is here to stay and is having a huge influence on the Church in America.
Check out the Time Magazine article: The Hippier-Than-Thou Pastor
Has anyone ever heard Rob Bell in person, read his books, listened to a podcast, or watched a NOOMA video? If so any, any discussion on the topic?
5 comments:
Ah, Rob Bell, where to begin. I will have to go ahead and admit that Bell is definitely an extremely gifted speaker, teacher, and writer. He seems like a really genuine and honest person and has an engaging speaking style that really connects with people. I think he is a lot smarter when it comes to theological issues than people give him credit for. Bell has reached a sort of superstar status (if there is such a thing in Christianity), and it is easy to see why. I have read both of his books, seen him live, watched a few Noomas, and listened to a dozen or so sermons. When someone has reached the level of influence that Bell has, I think as Christians we are required to step back and test his teachings to see if they hold up against Scripture.
Even though there are many positive things about Bell, I have to talk about some of my problems with him also. On a lot of issues, especially theological issues, I recognize and accept that I am usually the minority view. The same goes with Rob Bell, most people are enamored with him, but I am becoming increasingly frustrated with him. It would probably take two or three post for me to list all of the problems I have with Rob Bell (maybe I’ll do that one day). I’ll just mention one for right now.
1. His Jewish Understanding
My first problem is with Bell coming off as a sort of Jewish expert. He tries to paint Jesus as being a rabbi in the later Mishnaic and Talmudic sense and that didn’t develop until many years after Jesus time. Judaism during the time of Jesus was a lot different than the later rabbinical Judaism that Bell uses to describe Jesus. Ben Witherington comes down really hard on Bell’s Jewish understanding, saying that he doesn’t really understand Judaism during the time of Jesus and critiques his sources saying he relies on dated works and teachers who don’t have a good understanding either.
http://benwitherington.blogspot.com/2007/02/
rob-bell-hits-lexington-and-packed-out.html
This means that “The Velvet Elvis”, which almost entirely relies on this view of Jesus, is based on an incorrect understanding of Jewish culture. This is a really big problem because a lot of the scripture passages in “The Velvet Elvis” are interpreted through his understanding of Jewish culture and that causes some problems. The premise of “The Velvet Elvis” is that we have the ability to “bind and loose” and repaint the Christian faith. His whole talk about doctrines being like springs of a trampoline instead of a brick wall just makes me cringe. He describes “old Christianity as having a brick wall of doctrines that can’t bend, and if you take out one brick (doctrine) then the whole thing crumbles. He then explains that the Christian faith should be like a trampoline with the springs representing doctrine. The springs (doctrine) should be able to bend with each new generation’s version or painting of Christianity without breaking. Mark Driscoll made the point that every trampoline has to have a good sturdy frame; there are certain doctrines of the Christian faith can’t be removed or bent. Christianity has to have some bricks that can’t be removed, the trampoline has to have a frame, or it would just be a piece of fabric not able to hold anyone up. Bell then goes to use the virgin birth as an example. He gives the “what if” story of us one day finding out that Jesus had an earthly father. He states that with “old Christianity” the faith would crumble by removing the virgin birth and that we should be able to repaint the faith from generation to generation.
Other stories such as rabbis picking the best of the best was true in later Judaism but not during the time of Jesus. The fact that Jesus was picking fisherman and teaching women just showed how counter-cultural he was. Jesus was not a rabbi in the way that Bell describes him.
I have listened to his sermons over the web. I have seen his NOOMA's and read both of his books. I got on a plane and flew a thousand miles to Grand Rapids to meet him. Rob Bell gets it.
Its so refreshing after all the sanctimonious garbage passing itself off as Christianity these days.
One problem... does "hippier" = "hipper" ? NO ... FYI.
I don't know Rob Bell, but his heart seems to be in the right place. what I do know is if he can deliver the gospel to people who wouldn't have heard it otherwise and they develop a relationship with Christ because of it, then he is doing God's work. None of us are perfect, and I'm sure if I had the spotlight Rob Bell has then people would blog about my shortcomings and things I don't understand fully - even though I'm just trying to talk to people about God's perfect love.
well said N8!!
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