A great theology that wants for better explaining. This is a book for anyone who as ever wondered how an all-loving God fits with the Dante-style image we have of Hell. The two don’t fit, because that idea of Hell is wrong. To say it simply; the word commonly translated “everlasting” is more properly translated “an age.” Also, the world that is translated “punishment” in those same verses is more closely related to the word for pruning trees. Thus, eternal suffering in Hell is not a Biblical concept, but something Christians have cooked up on their own. The Bible promises someday “every knee shall bow” and how will this be achieved? A period of painful correction is due for those that have strayed, but that’s all. No one is lost, because not even death can stop God’s redemptive purpose. This is what Beauchemin calls the Blessed Hope. This is great news! So why the low rating? The book is just poorly written. It jumps around a lot, tackling bits of Christian theology like Election, Justification and the meaning of “Gehenna” in a somewhat random fashion. Beauchemin quotes copiously from scripture and from many other authors but it all comes across like a mere listing of facts. He also focuses a lot of attention on things that just don’t need it. There are focused parts of the text (particularly Chapter 1), but the balance is so haphazard. This is a message that needs to get out there, but someone else needs to present it.
20 August 2010
A Review: Hope Beyond Hell – Gerry Beauchemin
2.5 / 5 Stars
A great theology that wants for better explaining. This is a book for anyone who as ever wondered how an all-loving God fits with the Dante-style image we have of Hell. The two don’t fit, because that idea of Hell is wrong. To say it simply; the word commonly translated “everlasting” is more properly translated “an age.” Also, the world that is translated “punishment” in those same verses is more closely related to the word for pruning trees. Thus, eternal suffering in Hell is not a Biblical concept, but something Christians have cooked up on their own. The Bible promises someday “every knee shall bow” and how will this be achieved? A period of painful correction is due for those that have strayed, but that’s all. No one is lost, because not even death can stop God’s redemptive purpose. This is what Beauchemin calls the Blessed Hope. This is great news! So why the low rating? The book is just poorly written. It jumps around a lot, tackling bits of Christian theology like Election, Justification and the meaning of “Gehenna” in a somewhat random fashion. Beauchemin quotes copiously from scripture and from many other authors but it all comes across like a mere listing of facts. He also focuses a lot of attention on things that just don’t need it. There are focused parts of the text (particularly Chapter 1), but the balance is so haphazard. This is a message that needs to get out there, but someone else needs to present it.
A great theology that wants for better explaining. This is a book for anyone who as ever wondered how an all-loving God fits with the Dante-style image we have of Hell. The two don’t fit, because that idea of Hell is wrong. To say it simply; the word commonly translated “everlasting” is more properly translated “an age.” Also, the world that is translated “punishment” in those same verses is more closely related to the word for pruning trees. Thus, eternal suffering in Hell is not a Biblical concept, but something Christians have cooked up on their own. The Bible promises someday “every knee shall bow” and how will this be achieved? A period of painful correction is due for those that have strayed, but that’s all. No one is lost, because not even death can stop God’s redemptive purpose. This is what Beauchemin calls the Blessed Hope. This is great news! So why the low rating? The book is just poorly written. It jumps around a lot, tackling bits of Christian theology like Election, Justification and the meaning of “Gehenna” in a somewhat random fashion. Beauchemin quotes copiously from scripture and from many other authors but it all comes across like a mere listing of facts. He also focuses a lot of attention on things that just don’t need it. There are focused parts of the text (particularly Chapter 1), but the balance is so haphazard. This is a message that needs to get out there, but someone else needs to present it.
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