From Hell to Heaven in one morning!

Several weeks ago, I was getting ready to walk into a Christian church to worship. That's when I saw the sign promoting two authors of hard Reformed thinking--that God has pre-ordained most humans to Hell, that Jesus didn't die efficiently for the sins of everyone, that humans have no choice, that babies are born evil...

I emotionally crashed, mentally gnashing my teeth; my stomach churned and plummeted. Not because, I hadn't heard of T.U.L.I.P. before; I had studied American Intellectual History at Cal State University, read many tomes on the Reformation and theology, etc. What so shocked and depressed was to find such very bad news promoted at my wife's church.

My wife used to be a Quaker too, but she doesn't find unprogrammed worship fulfilling. She likes songs and a sermon so she goes to an evangelical church. I go with her often, as well as to the Friends meeting on the Central Coast.

To find that some of the leadership of her church actually hold to the view that many humans are predestined to Hell. It still grieves me right now as I write this. Where is the Good News? Then there is no hope for many humans. It's all been determined way before the beginning of time.

Later that morning when I attended worship at Central Coast Friends meeting, in the silence I cried out to God, anguish tearing me apart, thinking of dear loved ones lost in wrong, countless millions without hope.

But then out of the worshipfulness of the expectant waiting, a woman stood and began to sing acappella with a fervency of joy and empathy a wondrous song of worship. She knew nothing of my travail and 'morning' in theological Hell or my despair. But her hymn ministered deeply to me.

She sang the words of love and hope and good news and worship
and slowly the abyss of two hours before at the other church disappeared and Heaven came down into our midst (to quote from an old hymn).

Thank God for Friends worship and the Good News of Spirit-led individuals from George Fox to Thomas Kelly and beyond.