Leaving Hell Behind to Find Christianity's Promise

On this episode of The Common Good Podcast, Doug Pagitt talks with Brian Recker, author of the new book Hellbent: How the Fear of Hell Holds Christians Back from a Spirituality of Love. Brian, a former evangelical pastor, takes us inside his journey of questioning one of Christianity’s most entrenched doctrines — the idea of eternal damnation. He argues that the fear of hell has distorted Christian faith, fostering shame, exclusion, and toxic relationships, and he invites us to imagine a different path: a spirituality grounded in love, connection, and justice. We talk about what it means to reframe salvation, how to let go of fear-based religion, and why the way of Jesus still matters — not because of hell, but because of love.