Michael CampSalvation – Michael Camp

Julie Ferwerda Raises Hell and Puts the Doctrine Under Fire!

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sat, 02 May 2020 19:49:47 +0000

Julie Ferwerda, author of Raising Hell, joins Michael on The Spiritual Brewpub podcast for a fascinating conversation on what starts a person’s journey to question hell, what stages people go through to finally reject it, and how one’s life is changed for the better as a result. Julie shares what led her to see the […]

Episode 3 – 12 Fake Claims or Scams of Western Christianity / Part 1

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sun, 04 Nov 2018 20:08:07 +0000

What if we turned the concept of “fake news” on politics to examining fake claims about religion? What would we discover? We’d find the DNA of ancient Christianity (i.e., Jesus’ teaching and peace movement) has suffered grave mutations that the Western Reformation never completely corrected, and in some cases, made worse. How can we know […]

The Sick Faith and Fake News of Those Who Warn People to Stay Outside The Shack

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 19:34:36 +0000

Blasphemous. Dangerous. Heresy. Unbiblical. These are the words religious purists use to describe the book The Shack and the recently released movie by the same name. Despite seeing a few good things in it, they are overwhelmingly critical. But what horrors are in it that could possibly merit these warnings? Is it a bit too […]

How Western Theology Screwed Up the Jesus Story

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 20:58:52 +0000

When someone studies the history of Christianity from its inception and really tries to be objective about it, he or she will inevitably discover how screwed up and tainted the Jesus Story has become over the centuries. One way is how his teachings have been misconstrued as a formula for salvation. In the grocery store […]

11 Historical Facts Evangelicals Don’t Want You to Know (or Don’t Know Themselves)

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Mon, 04 Jul 2016 22:06:57 +0000

First, two caveats. One, evangelicals are not a monolithic block. It’s possible (but rare) that some will want you to know some of these things. Second, most devoted evangelicals and their leaders sincerely believe that the historical, biblical, and linguistic facts listed below are… well, false. Not “truth.” Not “biblical.” False teaching. I know. When […]

What New Spiritual Path Will You Take in 2016?

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sun, 17 Jan 2016 23:44:01 +0000

DOWNLOAD AN EXCERPT OF “CRAFT BREWED JESUS” Will you stay the course or take a new road? Will you finally address those pesky questions you have for which you’ve only gotten pat answers? Is this the year to research those unexamined doctrines and doubts? If you have been skeptical about any of the following, the […]

3 Big Ideas of New Book “Craft Brewed Jesus”

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sun, 27 Dec 2015 02:30:02 +0000

How History We Never Knew Taps a Spirituality We Really Need My next book is in the hands of the publisher! Wipf and Stock Publishing in Eugene, Oregon is publishing it in April or May 2016. Besides the craft beer theme (just as small, independent craft breweries using historical recipes have rethought corporate-brewed beer, pub […]

The Real Reason Kim Davis and Evangelicals are Against Gay Marriage

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Sat, 03 Oct 2015 21:18:14 +0000

We learned this week that while in the U.S. the Pope had a secret meeting with Kentucky clerk Kim Davis. Apparently, he offered her support for standing up for what she believed. (Later reports say it was not a private meeting and the Pope does not back her position). But we also know this Pope […]

The Inescapable Love of God [Book]

michaelwcamp@comcast.net — Fri, 31 Jul 2015 03:15:14 +0000

The Inescapable Love of God by Thomas Talbott (Eugene, Oregon: Wipf and Stock, 2014)

BOOK REVIEW: [5 STARS] This was the first book I read that took seriously the problem with Western Christianity’s doctrine of hell and presented a sane and biblical view of Universalism. I love this book, cite it often, and am so glad Wipf and Stock published a second edition that adds more up-to-date material and dramatically improves the cover!

Thomas Talbott takes us on a journey to find the real heart of God and shows us how far off many of the Western theologians throughout history were (Augustine, Calvin, Edwards, Acquinas, and modern conservative scholars). He makes a overwhelmingly persuasive plea that traditional theology is one of fear, where each human is either pre-determined to be saved or damned (Calvinism) OR must freely choose redemption even if they are cut off from a true Christian message and have the capacity to lose their salvation (Arminianism). Both fear-based views see all humans as depraved sinners who, by default, deserve eternal torment by a retributive, exclusive God.

Talbott makes an impassioned, reasoned case that, historically and linguistically, there’s always been a third, more consistent, and solidly biblical position called the universal reconciliation of all humankind–a view that is intellectually, scripturally, and historically honest. For example, it beautifully reconciles God’s love with his judgment and explains in depth why most have misread hell and the afterlife.

This book is a breath of sweet air blowing away the stale inconsistencies of Western religious thought. Five stars.

Do check it out! >>