Flames of Love

Book excerpt: Is hell for real, or will all be saved? What if both are true? It is tempting to settle either for the liberal option of downplaying the judgment of God, or for the conservative option of letting dominant church tradition trump fresh understandings of Scripture. Not settling for either of these popular options, this book offers a clear and compelling response to the question of what hell could be for in a universe created and redeemed by a loving God. The book seeks to articulate a distinctively Christian universalism that highlights the centrality of Christ, coheres with the Scriptures and early church tradition, affirms the reality of divine judgment, and offers motivational grounds for evangelism and holy living. Ultimately, this work is about the Christian struggle to envision the life of the world to come in a way that is faithful to the God in whom love and holiness are forever united.