Is there a hell? You said, “Yes.”
On April 14, TIME revealed its cover story on hell – specifically on the possibility that it might not exist. Pulitzer Prize–winning author Jon Meacham explores this claim, made by radical Evangelical minister Rob Bell in the book Love Wins. The message has been described as “theologically disastrous” by the Christian community at large.
(More on TIME.com: See “Is Hell Dead?”)
According to Bell, the death of Christ may lead to the salvation of all people – not just Christians — meaning hell as we’ve perceived it is being called into serious question. A global theological sparring match is occurring between Christians who are for and against Bell’s controversial ideas, and when TIME presented its readers with the question, What if hell doesn’t exist?, the dispute flooded onto the Web.
(More on TIME.com: See TIME managing editor Rick Stengel’s letter on Facebook.)
We received more than 480 Facebook comments on the topic, and when we asked our pool of followers, Do you think there’s a hell?, an overwhelming percentage said, “Yes.” We received more than 4,600 answers to the question, with about 2,800 who answered “Yes,” about 1,400 who answered “No” and about 400 who said they weren’t sure.
The debate is ongoing, so become a fan of TIME on Facebook to join the discussion.