Product Description

This book is a passionate and reasoned plea for re-examining the traditional teaching that unbelievers are consigned to eternal punishment in Hell. Instead The Hell Jesus Never Intended returns to a concept of Hell that is more in line with our ancestors and their teachings.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1475752 in Books
• Published on: 2004-01-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

About the Author
KEITH WRIGHT served as pastor for forty years in the Presbyterian Church. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Austin Presbyterian Seminary. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Austin Seminary in 1992. Since his retirement in 1993, Dr. Wright has served three churches as an interim associate pastor.

Customer Reviews

Save your money
The preface sold me on this book -- Wright states this book is for 3 types of people, and I saw myself as the third type: Those who don't really know alot about hell.

People have an image of hell as a fiery place, where the devil dwells, for bad people, etc. Other than that, it tends to get murky for the average person. Wright brings up biblical passages that give credit to such images, which is where I thought 'Now it should get intersting...'

However, rather than give insight into those passages, he ignores them completely. Why quote them in the first place if you're going to ignore them? Frustration sets in...

The conclusion of Wright's book is that hell as an afterlife does not exist because he doesn't like the sound of it, and besides, God is too nice a guy to want to send anyone to hell anyway. It really comes across as Wright picking and choosing passages he likes, distorting others, and throwing out the rest of the bible.

There are a few insightful comments, and an interesting history on the pagan mythology of hell (hence the 2 stars). However, after finishing the book, I remain the person described by Wright in the prologue: A person who doesn't really know alot about hell.

The First Part is Very Good, Then Wright Loses Me
The first part of the book is worth the purchase price, so go out and get it.

Wright shows clearly how unbiblical our typical concepts of Hell are - they are more based on legend, culture and literature (plus some fundamentalism) than the Bible.

As the book goes on, Wright's theological liberalism starts to show through (it's amazing we are in the same denomination - PCUSA) and he starts to lose me. It seems that what Wright wants is a church or theology where nobody feels any pain, particularly with regards to Hell. While I agree that the concept of Hell has been abused in the past and present by some (to keep people in line if nothing else), wanting a pain-free theology doesn't seem to be realistic. Some of my most profound experiences with part of Him have been considerably painful on my part, for my ultimate benefit.

The possibility of experiencing Hell, on earth or on the other side of the Jordan, really SHOULD be scary.