Hell Bent

How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love

De: Brian Recker

Narrado por: Brian Recker

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

A former evangelical pastor explains why we can stop worrying about hell and start focusing on love

"If you’ve ever struggled with...the idea of eternal conscious torment, Hell Bent is for you.”—Pete Enns

There is a black hole at the center of Christian spirituality: the doctrine of hell. No matter how hard we try to believe in a loving God, the fear of eternal torment always lurks at the back of our minds, warping our sense of what love means. Worse still, many churches act as if the point of Christianity is not to follow Jesus but to secure a get-out-of-hell-free card—and to “save” everyone you know by converting them to your religion. For many of us, the whole story of Christianity has punishment at the very center. But does the Bible really say we’re going to hell if we don’t do or believe the “right” things?

In this taboo-shattering book, former evangelical pastor Brian Recker takes an honest look at scripture and reveals what has been true all along: Hell isn’t real, and God’s universal love is radically inclusive, in this life and the next. By removing punishment from Christianity's center, Recker boldly reimagines the core questions of faith, such as why Jesus lived and died, and what it means to be “saved.” It’s time to rediscover spirituality as Jesus taught it: loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether you’re Christian, exvangelical, or anywhere along a deconstruction journey, Hell Bent is the perfect resource to help you replace fear and church hurt with healing and peace.

Good News: No He’ll

I’m a recovering evangelical/fundamentalist so his delivery still sounds like a youth pastor giving a sermon to a youth group. A little too preachy in cadence but when you get past that, the author gives relieving insight from the toxic and destructive doctrine of hell. The book is filled with his personal stories of being a pastors kid and attending seminary school which is very relatable even though I didn’t grow up in church. But dysfunction is dysfunction and listening to this audio book helped me feel like I wasn’t alone. He also has the ability to put into words what I’ve thought about the church’s teaching of hell. This has already brought about healing after a couple days of reading. It’s very affirming and reassuring. Love the perspectives he comes from. This might not be for everyone. But it’s a must read for those absolutely done with religion and church.

the way u explained everything was amazing. As I came to realization when my life was nearly taken from me from a car accident.

the way u explained everything was amazing. As I came to realization when my life was nearly taken from me from a car accident.

Amazing Perspective on Christianity

This book has opened my eyes to a perspective I have been curious about and have been wanting to learn more about. It is beautifully written and so thoughtful. I am leaving this book with a desire to dig deeper in these ideas and come to my own conclusions. It has answered many questions and left me with even more. Wonderful. Absolutely recommended for any Christian or curious non-Christian. Thank you Brian!

Exactly what I needed

Having grown up in ultra-conservative evangelical church, I’ve been trying to untangle the toxic parts of my faith tradition. While it seemed like I was often on this journey alone, its voices like Brian’s that helped me to see there are so many of us with these same experiences and doubts. I appreciate the way Brian has found a more healthy spiritual practice, and it gives me hope. The greatest reassurance to me, that he repeated throughout the book, is that it’s ok to not have things figured out.

If you’ve never heard of Gehenna, read this book!

I grew up living absolutely terrified of going to hell. Several years ago I heard a Bible scholar teach about the different “hells” mentioned in the Bible and how none of them are like the hell I grew up hearing about. Hearing Brian’s explanation was just one more step on my healing journey through deconstructing the fear associated with religion and a step toward the love that it’s supposed to be all about.

Great book, a must read.

Brian does a beautiful job at describing the love we want to feel from God. The connectedness we want to have in a community.

He examines areas of Christianity that need to be looked at and discussed.

I will be recommending it to everyone.

The book I wished existed 10 years ago and I’m thankful that it exists today

This book is the best of all of its resources knit together by a beautiful writer and thinker. Rob Bell, Richard Rohr, Becky Kennedy and so many more are referenced throughout the book and help a deconstructing and even reconstructing Christian to not feel so alone. Having started my deconstruction journey nearly 10 years ago I have found few resources that have helped me reconstruct until now. I’m grateful that the audiobook company understood how important it is for the author to read it for the audio listeners as well. Thank you, Brian Recker for this beautiful book. I’m buying a hard copy to keep in my library and will be recommending it to anybody who I think is ready for it.

Thoughtfully breaks down the idea of hell

Thank you, thank you, thank you for this book!!! As I’ve been deconstructing my faith over the past few years, the questions of hell, salvation, and what is even the point of Jesus coming kept nagging in my mind. Thank you for breaking down these things so thoughtfully in an easy to follow conversation style and dismantling beliefs that have been so drilled into me yet have been so harmful, especially to my now grown children, but also for laying out in detail a reimagining of a totally different kind of spirituality to lean into.

Eye Opening

Queer rep: multiple queer stories and experiences mentioned

WOW, what a read! I am so grateful I pre-ordered this book back when I did. I have never understood what people, specifically Christians, meant when they said they didn’t believe in hell. Or at least, a real, physical hell. This book was definitely an eye-opener.

I have grown up in an evangelical Christian (and simultaneously, Baptist) space. I was the perfect church kid. I grew up being the textbook poster child of what every pastor, parent, and youth leader wanted me to be. As an adult, once I started, realizing I was queer, I started reading the Bible start to finish (with context) for the first time. I wanted to make sure my queerness wasn’t truly a sin or abomination to my Lord. And if it was, then I was content living a life single for God. But once I realized that it’s not a sin, and that “homosexuality” wasn’t even mentioned in the original Bible texts, I started deconstructing my faith. I wanted to know what other things that I could be wrong about.

I never got around to deconstructing my concept of hell, but this book really helped to do it for me. I understand God and my faith so much more now that I have read this Book. I want to give it to everyone I know. The person I want to give it to most, and who kept coming to my mind as I was reading it, is my devout, evangelical, biological mother - who I recently started texting with after a decade of no contact. The purpose for her life and living is to convert people and remind them that they are going to hell. She lives in a constant state of fear of hell, and allows that fear to determine every single decision she makes in her life. She drives so many people away, including past me, and treats people poorly - all in the name of trying to save their soul. And it’s sad because that’s genuinely her doing her best to love.

I don’t think she would be ready for this kind of text, and do not see her being open enough to get through it without constant scoffing and judgment, but gosh, I really wish she could. Although… did recently sent me a book about de-transitioning for Jesus (I’m trans), so maybe I will send this to be petty lol. (Kidding, I try not to let my pettiness shine through while rebuilding a relationship with her. But god, it is so tempting! Lol)

This book has made me want to go back and try to find a new church community again. Growing up in the church, there is so much about a Sunday service that brings calm and peace and joy. I would love to find that again. Not necessarily out of an expectation or requirement for my faith, but because I want to. I want to find more people who believe things similar to this book, and learn what other bouts of wisdom and knowledge they can share with me as I deconstruct and reconstruct my faith.

Thank you to this author and all who were involved. I hope I can meet you one day.

Wonderfully Freeing from religious chains

Brian tells the "real" truth and blows the doors open on the Bible - Hell- Jesus- and lies of Evangelicals. Great read based in truth from an actual true pastor. The lies and hypocrisy I was fed throughout my younger church days and life was the beginning of reconciliation through this book. We need this book in these current times. Do yourself a favor and begin your own journey of deconstruction. LOVE is the truth!