Her Gates Will Never Be Shut: Hell, Hope, and the New Jerusalem

This is the most thoughtful and well researched challenge to eternal punishment that I have read. The author is not a rigid universalist. But he does take his own advice "not to stand over the scriptures as we read them, but to stand under them". If you do this you will find that a dogmatic position in either direction is very difficult to stand on.The great New Testament scholar William Barclay says "the truth of God should be penetrated deeper and deeper in our passing generations". "All things are possible with God", does today's church really believe this. Bradley Jersak proves that early church fathers such as Origen and Gregory of Nyssa believed it. They believed that God would eventually redeem all mankind through redemptive punishment and correction. Augustine's eternal torment doctrine was a direct rebuttal to the theology of total restoration. In light of Augustine's own dramatic born-again experience he felt that men would not seek true redemption if they would eventually be restored anyway.One negative I find in such works that are trying to presume what God will do with each and every person is the breeding of spiritual pride and arrogance. Men like John Calvin were so sure of their theological position that they would resort to murder to fend of heresies. The truth is that no man knows for sure. At the end of the sermon on the mount Jesus warned that not everyone who calls him lord will enter in, but he who actually does what He says. That should be humbling for every professed believer.The author does an in depth analysis of Revelation 21 and 22 showing that even after the elect enter into the New Jerusalem and sinners are cast into the Lake of Fire, there are still sinners standing outside the city after the fact. Also, why does John(the author of Revelation) name what type of sinners are standing outside the city? Shouldn't it be anyone who did not believe? Perhaps the Lake of Fire is a purifying fire and perhaps God's mercy and love does endure forever.All in all Bradley Jersak does a tremendous job to move infernalists off or at least gets them to think about what they are professing. At the same time he challenges a simple universalist position. As for me I am going to continue to pray for lost souls that are possibly in hell, for it is God's word that allows this.

I first heard about Bradley Jersak through the documentary "Hellbound" (which I certainly recommend). What struck me about Jersak was his calming presence in the interviews that were shown of him and his grand knowledge of Gehenna and the history behind the Valley of Hinnom.My context: I come from an fairly conservative evangelical background in which I had little to no interest in a theology that allowed room for ultimate redemption or universalism. I remember when the book "Love Wins" by Rob Bell came out, just about every evangelical Christian was stirred up and many books were published in opposition to its message. I read "Erasing Hell" by Francis Chan when it came out a few years ago and was fairly satisfied with the information provided and continued on in my belief in eternal conscious torment. I am currently a Christian Scripture undergrad major.Now, the book. This is perhaps one of the best books I have read this year. Being a topic of interest for myself (and anyone who is reading this review) I dove headfirst to see what information Jersak would provide. He did not disappoint. He goes in-depth on each word translated as Hell in English translated Bibles, moves into the historical framework of the Valley of Hinnom, looks at the beliefs surrounding Jesus during his lifetime, and moves into responsible exposition of Revelation 21-22. Also, a plus for some people (including myself), is that it is not written in exquisite scholarly language. He writes from the heart and with great rhetoric. This book is both solidly founded in scholastic research and written in an engaging fashion; this dichotomy can be hard to find.I have come out of reading this book with a more full understanding of the Christian universalist or "ultimate redemption" viewpoint. Jersak's arguments are quite convincing and I look forward to reading the books he recommended concerning each side of the conversation.All in all, this book deserves a 5-star rating. Buy it, take notes on it, pray about it, and continue your research on this exciting topic!

Back in 2012, I wrote my master's thesis on the topic of hell. This book was not yet on my radar... but I wish it had been. Jersak does a great job of forcing both infernalists and annihilationists to take Christian universalists seriously. Or, to put it better, Jersak does a great job of showing how the Bible itself forces us to take universalism seriously.It's not a dogmatic book. Jersak is not a dogmatic author. "Scripture is richly polyphonic on the topic of hell and judgment-- as if by design" he says. He's honest about the fact that there are verses that seem to point in different directions. He doesn't see this as a deficiency. Scripture leaves room for the hope that all will be saved, but not enough certainty to presume.The book includes clear evidence of careful study by its author. He's handled the relevant biblical material (and given us some helpful charts along the way!). He has the knowledge to help the reader understand some key words. The book really does build as it goes... and what I mean by that is that the academic material gives way to pastoral and human application, even prophetic zeal.Jersak's chapter on Revelation 21-22 was my personal favorite. As I said above, this Scripture forces us to leave room for optimism. I myself, being an open theist, don't think it's settled in stone what will happen to every individual after judgment. But I have more reason for optimism and hope than I did before I read this book.

A most thoughtful, thoroughly researched and unbiased approach to a 'hot' topic. I had long wondered who are the nations being healed and having access to the New Jerusalem. This book is so worth reading, especially for those who feel already absolutely certain they already understand what hell is.

I'm amazed that this book by Bradley Jersak hasn't received more attention. The author writes engagingly, with well-crafted arguments from the relevant biblical texts, good humour, as well as personal humility. On top of all that, the book has an aesthetically pleasing cover design (not always the case with Christian books)!Bradley Jersak sets forth his case for a non-dogmatic, hopeful universalism with remarkable *BIBLICAL* insight. Make no mistake, this isn't the kind of wishy-washy sentimentalism that overlooks the seriousness of sin, holiness of God, and Jesus being the only way to God. Along with recent works by Thomas Talbot and Robin Parry/Gregory MacDonald, this book will surely enable the universalist position to be a legitimate biblical option among evangelicals - alongside the traditional view (eternal conscious torment) and the annihilationist position (conditional immortality). It's important to note that the author doesn't deny the reality of hell, just the nature, purpose and duration of it; and he does so non-dogmatically. This last point cannot be emphasized enough. The author concedes that the biblical data can be seen to teach the traditional view, as well as the annihilationist position. But what are we to do with the other verses?I was both challenged and encouraged to read about the fact that God promised in Ezekiel 16:53 that he "will restore the fortunes of Sodom" (future tense), and yet Jude 7 informs us that Sodom serves "as an example of those who suffer the punishment of eternal fire". How are we to reconcile these two passages? By sticking to our traditions and minimizing the importance of the Ezekiel passage? Or by re-examining our traditions?There are many examples in the book where the author takes familiar passages of Scripture and breathes new life into them, allowing for intriguing possibilities. Let's be honest, we are more than capable of reading Scripture through our traditions while all the while claiming that we are being faithful to the clear meaning of the text.There is also a terrific afterward by Nik Ansell, in which he states his reasons as to why neither the traditional nor the annihilationist view are ultimately satisfying. Surely most of us are at the very least *hopeful* universalists. Surely we all delight in the universalistic passages found in Scripture. If you don't believe they are there, you need to read the book!Well done to the author for this truly excellent read. If any negative reviews come along, it won't be because the book was poorly written or poorly reasoned. It will be because the reviewers simply disagreed with the position set forth. I suspect that a biblically-reasoned universalism will become an increasingly viable option for evangelicals in the future. Bradley Jersak has played his part in that process. I hope that the book gets a wide readership among evangelicals. It is that good.

Many of us grew up in the church culture that preached fire and brimstone. I personally had a crippling fear of hell. The gospel wasn’t necessarily good news, but anxious news.In this book, Brad fairly and comprehensively revisits what the bible says about hell.Perfect love doesn’t create fear, or use fear. It casts it out.This book has been hugely encouraging and enlightening as Brad deconstructs ideas about hell, and spotlights such a beautiful good God in the process.I recommend this book, especially if you’ve struggled with merging the concept of hell with a God of love.

I’m starting to think that Brad Jersak might be one of my favourite theologians. The way in which he takes on important, but not easy, topics and presents them in a clear and concise way speaks volumes of the time he has taken to earnestly grapple with them.And this book is no exception; as Brad takes on Hell. Or more specifically, the Bible’s language/imagery of Sheol, Hades, Gehenna, and the Lake of Fire. Helping us to think carefully about what these images conveyed in their own historical context, and helping us to wrestle with the idea of what they say about God’s character and judgement.Is there a Hell to come? Is it an eternal punishment, or a case of instant annihilation? Is it purgative, or punitive? Or, could it be, as Brad suggests (and that I’m particularly leant towards) that God’s love for humanity offers a Hope beyond this, a hope of an Ultimate, Christ-centred Redemption for all as we look at the imagery of a New Jerusalem?Brad does an excellent job of reviewing the biblical texts which have been used to scaffold both the Infernalist and Annihilationist visions of Hell. And also does a great survey of the differing views/concerns of the the Church Fathers, Reformers and modern Theologians.All in all, I don’t feel that there’s anything inaccessible to any level of reader here. Brad keeps his language “tidy” of heavy theological jargon, but doesn’t avoid the depth that is necessary to such a study.Regardless of whatever stance you hold on the idea of Hell, I’d say that there is something to learn and take-away from this. It’s balanced, solid and based on a biblically inspired hope and not mere sentiment; though Jersak’s pastoral heart does shine through in a much needed way.I think *Her Gates Will Never Be Shut* is a book every thoughtful Christian, who seeks to understand and reflect the heart of God, should read. And once you read this, go check out Brad’s *A More Christlike God*. Both books will challenge, shape, and stir your heart with the portrait of God that they present.Well done Brad!—Tristan Sherwin, author of *Love: Expressed*

Excellent biblical arguments and evidence for the eventual salvation of all. Confirmed a scripture that had caused me to wonder before ever considering the possibility that God loves all and will save all.The glorious vision of the nations coming out of the fire and into the City whose gates are always open to be healed by the tree in the midst of the city. So many scripture make sense that once made no sense when viewed from a universalist understanding of scripture. Rev 22:2 through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.