Rob Bell & “The Heretic”

It was half way through the new Andrew Morgan documentary film The Heretic that I realised why many evangelical pastors and leaders often tend to wrent their garments and gnash their teeth when the name Rob Bell is uttered.

It’s not because Bell challenges traditional evangelical positions on hell, Biblical inerrancy, atonement, or even LGBT inclusion (which he does)

No, it’s instead simply because Rob Bell is FREE!

He is free in a way their derivative of Christianity and understanding of God always promises but never quite delivers on!

And like the Pharisees and leaders of Christ’s time, obtaining that real freedom by circumventing the religious gates they so vigorously guard really, really pisses them off.

Rob Bell

In fact the underlying theme of The Heretic seeks to explain why so many people resonate with Bell’s message despite it often being at odds with the Christian structure they had been formed in.

My own take on that explanation is simple; Rob Bell’s faith trajectory follows in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.

Think about it:

• both became top leaders within their individual religious traditions.  Jesus becoming a Jewish rabbi and Bell an evangelical megachurch pastor

• both were considered a rising star within their religious cultures with high expectations of the impact they would have 

• both taught a message of God’s unconditional love and compassion that called into question previous understandings of the Bible

• both proclaimed a message of inclusion to the marginalized people on the fringes of society 

• both chafed at the nationalistic tendencies their religious traditions often fell into

• both had many previously enthusiastic followers depart and follow no longer

• both were eventually crucified for their blasphemy (Bell metaphorically after the publication of Love Wins)

• both refused to stay dead and instead came back to life freed from the religious constraints that previously bound them and proclaiming that same promised freedom awaits those that follow the “narrow path” of self emptying love!

But here of course the  comparison ends.  Bell is not Christ but  a “little Christ”.  Which is what the word Christian originally meant when it was first pejoratively hurled at followers of the Way nearly two thousand years ago.  Ironically in the end, The Heretic is, in point of fact, The (real) Christian.

Jesus Movement

Bell states at the start of the documentary, “Somewhere along the way the Jesus Movement got hijacked”.  At first I mistakenly thought Bell was referring to the late 60’s and ’70s Jesus Movement that breathed a fresh vitality into Christianity and saw thousands and thousands of young people across America and Europe become enthusiastic followers of Christ.  As a product of that movement I have been pondering for years how those same young, energized,  and progressively minded hippies who had turned the world upside down for Jesus had morphed into the crusty, Calvinistic, Christo-Nationalistic Trump supporters who tend to dismiss Bell and folk like him with a disdainful, “Ugh“.

Jesus Movement
But alas no, Bell is referring to the JESUS Movement.  Like, the whole Christian thing from the first Easter till today; and accusing that movement of going off the rails at some point is a pretty tough nut for a lot of Christians to swallow.  As evangelical Christianity in particular has positioned itself with having “the Answer” and knowing ” the Truth” to be suddenly told you’ve actually got it mostly wrong is not going to make you the most popular guy at some parties.  Indeed The Heretic highlights a number of Christians, including guys like Franklin Graham, who feel it their duty to expose false teachers like Rob Bell.  Of course in today’s polarized political climate being condemned by Graham can be seen as a pretty good thing.

Abundant Life

Viewers of The Heretic will indeed come away understanding that Rob Bell loves LIFE.   He practically oozes LIFE out his pores.  Whether he’s surfing on the beaches of southern California, hanging with his family around the house, or out on tour preaching the “Good News” to enthusiastic theater hall crowds, Bell seems to revel in tapping the energy of the universe and channeling it to those around him.

I begin with the assumption that everyone is searching, everything is a search for that which might actually satisfy.  So even the idea of “religious” and “non-religious” people, I’m like ‘come on” it’s all just different expressions of the same thing which is, what am I and what am I doing here?” Rob Bell “The Heretic”

That effect on others is reinforced by the “who’s who” of  talking heads who chime in.  Former megachurch  turned “heretic” Carlton Pearson, Comedian Pete Holmes, author Elizabeth Gilbert (of Eat, Pray, Love fame) and theologian Pete Rollins all weigh in on the impact Bell has had in re energizing Christianity. By calling it’s adherents to reclaim their first love and recapture the abundant Life Jesus came to bring Bell, like the prophets of old, is reminding us what kind of world followers of Christ are meant to be spreading.

Bell & fellow “heretic” Carlton Pearson

And that’s the real rub.  Rob Bell enjoys life and he enjoys people.  He sits and breaks bread with atheists, gays, women pastors, and folk who drop the “F” bomb a lot and calls them “friend”.  Yeah, the Jesus Way drove religious leaders crazy two thousand years ago and it still drives them crazy today.

But when I look at Rob Bell and see he is condemned for the same things Jesus was I’m left thinking he just maybe on to something!

Peace,

Steve