My favorite radio program is This American Life (now available as a free podcast). The show from 11/20/06 focuses on the consequences of being a modern day heretic. Carlton Pearson is the focus of the broadcast, a well known Tulsa pastor who has fallen out of favor with his evangelical base because he has come to reject the historic perspective on hell and has embraced a form of universalism.
This is worth listening to because it puts a human face on the reality of heresy. It can be easy for us to sniff out false doctrine and even treat a “heretic” as if he/she is not a real person. Heretics are generally trying to be out about the truth, want to do the right thing, but for one reason or another they have deviated from orthodoxy. My heart breaks for Pearson not only because I believe he has lost critical aspects of the Gospel, but because he is suffering so much loss as a result. Check out This American Life via iTunes.
I am the Lead Pastor of Redeemer Fellowship; husband to Jen; Dad to Katherine, Elias, Madeline, and Kilian. If you're in town you can probably find me in the local coffee house or running through the neighborhoods.
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I have enjoyed This American Life since before I moved to Chicago. Glad to see there is a podcast of it. I’m downloading it now.
With the recent flap about Bart Campolo’s heresy, this is a timely post. Thanks Joe.
I’ve never met Carlton Pearson, but living in Tulsa, I am surrounded by his influence. Carlton is an engaging, charismatic person who has always been, and still is, filled with the love of Christ. I have never agreed with his theology or his methodology, but his influence is difficult to overstate.
One of the things his turn toward heresy has done is open the dialogue on the topic of universalism. Pearson is not the first person to make the leap from orthodoxy to universalism (not to be confused with pluralism). Clark Pinnock was the biggest name from my generation to go from Bible teaching conservative to universalist.
Joe, I’ll be honest with you. I wish it were true. I wish that everyone gets in. I wish that hell, if it exists at all, would be reserved only for the most vile, unrepentant sinners of world history. I wish that when the Bible says that every knee will bow and every tongue will confess, that it meant, literally, that every Buddhist, Muslim, atheist, and agnostic would confess with their mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” resulting in righteousness and salvation.
Problem is, I just am not convinced that the Bible teaches it.
I’ve heard this same program twice, both times while driving in the car. The first time I found it so captivating that I pulled into the driveway, put the car in park and sat in the car for fifteen more minutes listening to the end of the program. My kids were looking out of the house window wondering, “Why is dad just sitting in the car?”
Mr. Pearson’s story was very heartbreaking. While I absolutely reject his theology, I found myself feeling sorry for this man. From his own words it was obvious that he came to his views not maliciously, but out of a heart of compassion, however misguided it might be.
Didn’t Spencer Burke from theooze.com write a book on a very similar topic? My uncle (www.godandculture.com) did an interview on his radio program with him.
There are some heresies that sometimes make me angry very quickly. Universalism isn’t one of them. If you don’t have a hard time emotionally accepting the doctrine of hell, then I don’t think you have a heart.
Does anyone else find it funny that Steve’s link shows up in the recent comments column and says “Reformissionary: This American Heretic Joe Thorn”.
I thought you guys were friends!
I am an American, and probably a “heretic” by someone’s standard.
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