July 25, 2009
Samford University's Beeson Divinity School offers workshops for pastors on topic of hell
by Greg Garrison
Birmingham News
Just when it seemed to have cooled off, the topic of hell got back on the front burner this week in workshops for pastors at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School. Only 59 percent of Americans believe in hell, compared with 74 percent who believe in heaven, according to the recent Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life surveys. "I think it's such a difficult and important biblical topic," said Kurt Selles, director of the Global Center at Samford University's Beeson Divinity School. "There's a big change that's taken place as far as evangelicals not wanting to be as exclusive."
At the annual Beeson Pastors School, Selles led two workshops to discuss "Whatever happened to hell?" He asked how many of the pastors had ever preached a sermon on hell. "I don't think anybody had preached a sermon connected to hell," Selles said. "I think it's something people want to avoid. I understand why. It's a difficult topic."
The Rev. Fred Johns, pastor of Brookview Wesleyan Church in Irondale, said after a workshop discussion of hell that pastors do shy away from the topic of everlasting damnation.
"It's out of fear we'll not appear relevant," he said. "It's pressure from the culture to not speak anything negative. I think we've begun to deny hell. There's an assumption that everybody's going to make it to heaven somehow."
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