Erasing Hell
Fracis Chan, Preston Sprinkle
David C. Cook, 2011, 208 pp., $14.99
In their book Erasing Hell: What God Said About Eternity and the Things We Made Up, Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle dive into the recent controversy on the existence of hell. It is obvious through the book that Chan and Sprinkle are addressing the viewpoint of Pastor Rob Bell of Mars Hill Bible Church that hell does not exist in a literal sense and people who do not accept Jesus Christ as their Savior spend eternity in hell. In their book, Chan and Sprinkle refute Bell’s view of hell by offering biblical and historical evidence that describes a real hell in which those who do not accept Christ as their Savior spend eternity. Although the primary topic of this book is whether hell exists, Chan and Sprinkle write this book not to condemn, but to encourage their readers to reach out to people because there is a hell. This book offers great information on the topic of hell and does well to address Bell’s controversial view on hell. However, it is not an academic book (the authors expressed that was not their intention). Therefore, if one wants to explore the topic of hell further, I suggest reading Four Views on Hell by William Crockett and Stanley Gundry.
–Chris Ensley, Youth Pastor, Marion Christian Church, Marion, Kansas
In releasing Love Wins, Rob Bell attempts to re-engage an ancient conversation about the fate of the soul and the existence of hell. Through Erasing Hell, Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle prove themselves to be equal and remarkably clear conversation partners. In a conversational language, with reasonable punctuation and spacing, they invite the reader into the world of Jesus and the ancient conversation of hell. Pointing to Scripture, Chan suggests Jesus always took the idea of final judgement, punishment and hell very seriously. Chan minces no words when disagreeing and debunking claims Bell makes about the ancient Jewish thought and historical Christian doctrine of hell. He gently calls into question the usefulness of a compelling conversation with no clear answers, and in the end points the reader back to an earnest look at what God speaks through Scripture.
Erasing Hell is a very clever title which causes us to wonder if we are, in fact, attempting to push hell under the rug. While the back cover of Erasing Hell suggests it is not a response to Bell, a quick glance through the citations would suggest otherwise. The difficulty of using this book with students is that it gives the reader the feeling of stepping into the middle of the ongoing conversation surrounding Love Wins. I am reminded of C.S. Lewis’ admonition in Mere Christianity that we not invite non-believers and new Christians into doctrinal debate for fear of their losing focus on the most important truths. For this reason, I would hesitate to use chapters 2 and 3 with students. However, Chan’s poignant honesty and insistence on reminding the reader of the importance of a proper understanding of hell would be very helpful in grounding any conversation with students. I also believe students would gravitate toward the understandable language and earnest tone. This would be an excellent resource for a youth pastor to prepare a series of lessons on hell with reputable sources and plenty of Scripture.
–Joel Heald
In Erasing Hell, Francis Chan does not deliver the knock-out punch one might expect to those seeking to erase hell from our theological vocabulary. Rather, Chan offers a sobering and genuinely humble investigation into what the Bible teaches, asking not “Do we want to believe in hell?” but rather “Are we willing to accept hell’s reality if that’s what God reveals in the Bible?” Having demonstrated that he thoroughly believes in hell, he moves us to the point of the book: If hell is a real place, then we need to live in light of that truth, to rejoice in our salvation and seek as best we can to help others avoid such a horrific destiny.
–James Watson, Youth Pastor, Trinity Church, Livermore, California
As someone who enjoys a good theological debate, I must admit that after reading Rob Bell’s Love Wins, I was excited to also read Francis Chan’s Erasing Hell. What I appreciate most about Chan’s book is its accessibility. Chan and his co-author, Preston Sprinkle, explore many Scripture passages related to hell and discuss them in a way that is informative yet readable, providing readers with a good introduction to what Scripture says about hell.
Interestingly, the same Scripture passages and arguments often are used to support Chan and Bell’s theologies of evangelism. For example, Chan uses the claim that “God is good, because God is God. Goodness is inherent in who He is” to support his belief that even though we may not understand why a loving God would send people to hell, we need to accept it and trust in God’s goodness. I suspect Bell also would use this claim to support his understanding that love wins. Seeing the same Scripture passages and arguments used to support very different claims caused me really to wrestle with them, thus helping me to solidify my own beliefs.
Unfortunately, what I did not like about Erasing Hell is that despite the claim on its back cover that “This is not a book about who is saying what,” it very much is. Bell is quoted throughout the book as Chan attempts to dispute much of what’s said in Love Wins, something that to me seemed to cheapen Chan’s constant claim that “when it comes to hell, we can’t afford to be wrong.”
–Jen Bradbury, Director of Youth Ministry, Faith Lutheran Church
When Rob Bell released Love Wins, it opened many discussions, debates and arguments among Christians across the spectrum. Soon after its release, Francis Chan announced he would be releasing a book dealing with the issue of Hell, the afterlife and salvation. There was debate about whether it was merely a response to Love Wins, a work that preceded Bell’s writing or a third option.
After reading Erasing Hell, it is clearly a response to Love Wins. My personal disclaimer is that I respect, admire and have learned greatly from Francis Chan and Rob Bell. (You can read my review of Love Wins here.) Chan’s Crazy Love was a formative book for me, and I used it as a text in some college classes I taught. His next work was Forgotten God, a well-written book, but one that did not resonate for me. I expected Erasing Hell to follow the style and feel of Francis’ previous two books. It didn’t. This style of writing is a definite departure from the vibe of Crazy Love, and is a very interesting read because of it.
Chan enlisted the help of Preston Sprinkle, a professor in New Testament, to help him create a text with a new level of biblical exegesis than the previous two writings. Sprinkle did more than just add his name to the cover. You can read and feel his influence throughout the chapters. This book is a careful, methodical, theological response to Bell’s book and the questions it raised.
In the text, Chan and Sprinkle take on the issues of the new universalism, the biblical view of hell and punishment, Jesus’ specific teachings on hell, other New Testament writings on the afterlife and God’s sovereignty. The writers tried to approach the task with a heart of humility, scholastic rigor, biblical conservatism and hearts for the lost.
Many people have commented about Chan’s use of bigger-than-life statements to prove a point in his first two writings. He’s been accused of going too far over the top with statements in order to prod people into thinking about issues. For some, his writing style comes off as arrogant or slightly bullying. In Erasing Hell, that is nowhere to be seen. Whether it is Sprinkle’s influence, the subject matter or a change in style for Francis is not clarified in the book; but the tone of the book is one of a desperate attempt to be humble, to handle the scriptural texts gently and be generous in tone. It was a good change.
While Francis did take on Rob Bell’s writing, he never took on Rob Bell. There is no attack, no fast-flying label of heresy, no personal jabs at Rob. Sometimes the tone comes close to antagonistic toward Rob’s claims, but never actually crosses that line. Instead, Preston and Francis take the reader on a step-by-step explanation of what they see as a biblical understanding of hell; but Chan never waivers from his heart as a pastor or his transparency of one who follows Jesus, even in the face of not understanding Jesus. Overall, the tone of the book is very impressive and urges the reader to stay with the authors through some difficult topics.
The book definitely takes a more traditional view of hell, punishment and salvation. The framework is well-thought-out, provides a logical movement from point to point and is thoroughly footnoted and researched. Though the authors travel down a historically well-traveled road theologically, they do it in response to the modern discussions and arguments and breathe new life into the entire process. I felt Chan and Sprinkle do a better job of anticipating the readers’ questions, arguments and concerns than Bell did in Love Wins and that they also presented a stronger flow of thought and discussion from front to back. Whether you agree with them, their beliefs are easy to follow, thought-provoking and well-grounded.
I would highly recommend reading this book, especially if you have read Love Wins. The two are a fascinating contrast on the issue of hell and eternal punishment. They are equally fascinating on their agreement of God’s love, power and amazing plan to save us and the rest of creation; both are worth your time.
–Jason Chenoweth, youth pastor, Shelbyville Community Church, Shelbyville, Indiana. Read his blog here.
Erasign Hell is an awesome book. Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkel work very well together and uncover what the Bible truly says about hell and its very real presence. I feel youth workers will gain much-needed knowledge about hell by reading this book. I also feel this book answers many questions youth have about hell.
–Charlie Ashby, Youth Pastor, Marksville Church of the Nazarene
Erasing Hell is a must-read for any teenager. With its vivid, visual and scriptural description about the utter darkness and reality of hell, it will help teenagers think more intently about hell and stir their hearts about the importance of sharing Christ with their lost friends. Chan writes in such a way that it will awaken their love to see the lost through God’s eyes while still understanding that God is holy and just. The book does not beat around the bush by trying to make hell something it is not or some fictional idea. It uses the words of Christ to remind teenagers hell is the eternal destination for lost souls.
— Dr. Scott Newton, Student Minister, First Baptist Church, Moore
To start, the title itself is a bit of a misnomer. The the title and cover design make it similar to a Rob Bell book, but inside is 200 pages of counter-arguement to Bell’s Love Wins or rather what many critics decided Love Wins was. Erasing Hell is a good reference guide and should be read by anyone in ministry who enjoys bringing all ideas to the table. It is not necessarily a youth ministry book but can be a useful tool for youth workers.
–Steve Case
The best part of Erasing Hell is that Chan and Sprinkle deal with simply what the Bible says about hell. Whether one agrees or disagrees with them, at the very least readers will have no problem understanding where Chan and Sprinkle are coming from and how they believe the weight of Scripture supports their conclusions on the existence of hell.
As a youth pastor who believes strongly in dealing with students’ questions in an honest and straightforward manner, I’m thankful Chan and Sprinkle have sought to be simple and straightforward in their response to the difficult questions: Does hell exist, and are there people who will suffer there forever? It’s easily accessible for most high school students, and it’s sure to foster great discussion on a topic that comes up just about anytime we talk about the necessity of accepting Jesus’ gift of salvation.
–Benjer McVeigh
From the initial design of the book, it does not look impressive. Yet once I read the whole title, it caused me to think, “This may be a book that can get a person in trouble beecause it challenges instilled doctrines for true biblical ones.” Overall the content of the book is a good one to use with youth. It takes an evangelical look at the doctrine of hell and explains it in easy to understandable terms. The authors take a look at the concept from the Old Testament though John’s revelation. It then challenges the reader: “What will you do now, since you know what you know?”
–Sam Yeager, Allentown, Pennsylvania
It’s refreshing to read a book that effectively addresses the question of hell and God’s role in how eternity will all play out. Although the authors address the controversial theology being stirred up by other books, this resource stands on its own. Chan and Sprinkle successfully demonstrate from Scripture, history, reason and experience how God gets to be God over everything, including the things about which we’d like to have the final say.
While everyone who reads this book may not like the truths it points out, it is inarguably a clearer presentation of the subject than many other manuscripts. There are numerous personal challenges offered, as well, such as letting Jesus’ words “reconfigure the way you live, the way you talk, and the way you see the world and the people around you.”
In addition to these solid ideas, the authors come across as deeply caring about their readers. Instead of merely asking questions, Erasing Hell provides answers and steps to take to make sure every person on the planet pursues an eternity that leads to being fully present with the Lord. This book is great for personal reading, Bible studies or source material for teaching.
–Tony Myles
I was supremely interested in this particular book by Francis Chan and Preston Sprinkle. Written as a response Rob Bell’s Love Wins, Chan and Sprinkle provide the biblical case for the existence of hell. Although written as a response, the authors proceeded to talk about the overarching biblical teaching on hell. I was most impressed by Chan’s (the primary voice of the book) humility and internal conflict about hell. Although the belief in hell as a permanent destination may not be politically correct, Chan and Sprinkle remained biblically and theologically accurate. At times, Erasing Hell is technical; but this is done to show the authors have done their homework on the relevant scriptural teaching on hell. As a whole, this book challenges the Christian to take hell seriously personally and for the sake of the perishing. This book is a must-read for the youth pastor to dialogue about an extremely thorny issue.
–Andrew Hayes, youth pastor, Sterling, Colo.; graduate of Bryan College in youth ministry; working toward M.Div., Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He and his wife, Julie, love all things outdoors–but most importantly, Jesus and students!!
I now have read two books in the past six months addressing the doctrine of hell. On one end of the spectrum is an author who creates an inductive environment in which one can wrestle and ask questions by interpreting a more generous orthodoxy of God’s grace; on the other end, Erasing Hell is written in such a way that Chan seeks to deductively re-establish an orthodoxy of judgment, wrath and eternal suffering in a real place called hell, all for God’s glory.
Erasing Hell gives readers a guided study on all the passages in Scripture referring to hell; in the end, I would agree with Chan that hell is an actual place, and people need to choose their destiny before they leave this world. However, in some ways, Erasing Hell ended up in the same place as Love Wins, particularly around Jesus’ ambiguity of the nature and duration of hell (p. 121). My takeaway of Erasing Hell was that it simply reinforced what always has been said about hell to the evangelical audience.
I’m disappointed that Chan’s study of hell has been segregated from an understanding of God’s love, compassion, care and priority of people we find in creation theology (
–Todd Szymczak, pastor of high school ministries, Grace Chapel, Lexington, Mass.; and blogs at LiveLearnLead.net.
A well-tempered, if not always well-reasoned, rebuttal of Rob Bell’s hopeful universalism. An easy read for high schoolers wanting the perspective of someone who believes in hell yet retains the good grace not to want to.
–Jenn Cavanaugh
I was curious to see how Francis Chan would approach the subject, given the fact that Rob Bell had released his views on hell a short time before. In Chan-like fashion, I wasn’t disappointed with what I read or what was concluded. What I like about Chan is that he delves into Scripture with his readers. We witness him wrestling with the words of Christ, leaving us to answer the question, “What do you believe?” for ourselves. Chan presents truth unashamedly, but with graceful sincerity; and in today’s culture, we need this…especially in the church. Erasing Hell has all these qualities. The book is deep, yet simple to read. While it may not answer every question in huge detail or to everyone’s liking, Chan and co-author, Preston Sprinkel, do a great job of presenting what hell is and what it’s not based on Scripture. It is not a perfect book, and it will not settle the debate surrounding this cumbersome topic. Still, Erasing Hell will help youth workers navigate through the discussion and will be a good resource to have on hand when students ask about the subject.
–Shawn Harrison, Student and Family Ministries, Saint Marys, Ohio. Shawn blogs here Six11.Wordpress.com.
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