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Episode Summary

In this powerful episode of Making Sense of Faith, Adam Hamilton tackles one of Christianity’s most challenging questions: “Are all non-Christians really going to hell?” With his signature blend of intellectual depth and pastoral compassion, Adam explores different Christian perspectives on salvation, eternal life, and God’s boundless mercy. Drawing from scripture, church history, and personal experience, he offers a fresh perspective that speaks to both skeptics and believers wrestling with questions about faith, judgment, and divine love.

  • Beyond Simple Labels: Understanding Christian Views on Salvation. Adam unpacks three main perspectives on salvation – Christian exclusivism, Christian universalism, and Christian inclusivism – offering nuanced insights into how different traditions understand God’s saving work through Christ.
  • Finding Biblical Truth in Unexpected Places. Through careful examination of both Old and New Testament passages, Adam reveals how scripture often points to a more expansive view of God’s mercy than many traditional interpretations suggest, while maintaining the uniqueness of Christ as savior.
  • Building Bridges Across Faith Traditions. Drawing from his own friendships with Jewish rabbis and Muslim leaders, Adam shares how interfaith relationships can deepen rather than diminish our Christian faith, leading to richer spiritual practices and broader understanding.
  • Rethinking Hell and Divine Justice. Using insights from C.S. Lewis and John Wesley, Adam presents a view of judgment and hell that emphasizes human choice and God’s persistent mercy rather than divine vengeance.
  • The Heart of Evangelism. Adam offers a compelling alternative to fear-based evangelism, explaining why sharing our faith should flow from experiencing Christ’s transformative love rather than anxiety about others’ eternal destiny.

 

Whether you’re a skeptic who’s struggled with traditional Christian teachings about hell, a Christian grappling with questions about loved ones of different faiths, or someone simply seeking to understand God’s love more deeply, this episode offers fresh insights and hope. Adam’s measured approach demonstrates how you can hold onto Christian truth while embracing a more expansive view of God’s mercy. By the end, you’ll discover a perspective that honors both divine justice and grace, while providing practical wisdom for relating to people of different beliefs. Don’t miss this enlightening conversation that challenges conventional wisdom and points toward a more hope-filled understanding of God’s love for all humanity.

Go Deeper

Wrestling With Doubt, Finding Faith

Adam Hamilton

Does your faith make room for questions? Everyone has doubts. Where is God when bad things happen? Does God hear our prayers? Is there a heaven? How can we know? Often we treat such questions as the enemy of faith. But uncertainty doesn’t mean our belief is lacking. Doubt can be a path to a deeper, richer encounter with God.