Christ Alone

In this highly readable and wonderfully engaging response to Rob Bell’s New York Times best seller Love Wins, Michael Wittmer examines Bell’s claims about “heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived” in the light of the Bible and historic Christian doctrine. Wittmer writes in the introduction, “I respect Rob Bell. He wrote Love Wins to start a dialogue about the most important issues of our faith, and this book is my attempt as an evangelical to join that conversation.”

THE AUTHORS

Michael E. Wittmer, Ph.D., teaches systematic and historical theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. His previous books include Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters to God, and Don’t Stop Believing: Why Living like Jesus Is Not Enough. He resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and children and speaks widely. Michael S. Horton, Ph.D., is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California; president of the White Horse Inn; and editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine.

FROM THE PREFACE BY MICHAEL S. HORTON

“[Rob Bell] gave us a wake-up call and Michael Wittmer has answered it... Offering more light than heat, Christ Alone appreciates the attractiveness of Bell’s questions and conclusions.... Avoiding caricature and personal attack, he carefully evaluates Bell’s interpretations of Scripture. It’s not a careless diatribe against a book, but filled with pastoral wisdom for perennial questions.”

"With clarity and a gracious spirit, Wittmer provides a resource that I can hand my parishioners who are seeking answers to the questions raised in Rob Bell’s Love Wins." -- Pastor David Beelen, Madison Square Church, Grand Rapids, MI

"Christ Alone is a gracious, respectful biblical and theological engagement with Love Wins. Wittmer’s astute questions help readers discern the strengths and weaknesses of Rob Bell’s positions.-- Professor Darwin Glassford, Calvin Theological Seminary

"Written by one of our best and most engaging systematic theologians…. Buy the book and buy one for a confused friend."-- Owen Strachan, Instructor of Christian Theology and Church History, Boyce College

"... a tour-de-force, brilliant in its critique and gracious in its tone."-- Trevin Wax, Kingdom People Blog

" Regardless of what one thinks of Bell, I encourage everyone to read this book carefully and prayerfully. It is good, strong spiritual and theological medicine indeed."-- Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

"In terms of the quality of Wittmer’s book, I am as impressed as I am stunned…. [I]t is cogent, thorough, well-thought out, well-written, and well-edited. He should be proud."-- Father Rick Morley, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Basking Ridge, NJ

In this highly readable and wonderfully engaging response to Rob Bell’s New York Times best seller Love Wins, Michael Wittmer examines Bell’s claims about “heaven, hell, and the fate of every person who ever lived” in the light of the Bible and historic Christian doctrine. Wittmer writes in the introduction, “I respect Rob Bell. He wrote Love Wins to start a dialogue about the most important issues of our faith, and this book is my attempt as an evangelical to join that conversation.”

THE AUTHORS

Michael E. Wittmer, Ph.D., teaches systematic and historical theology at Grand Rapids Theological Seminary. His previous books include Heaven Is a Place on Earth: Why Everything You Do Matters to God, and Don’t Stop Believing: Why Living like Jesus Is Not Enough. He resides in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with his wife and children and speaks widely. Michael S. Horton, Ph.D., is the J. Gresham Machen Professor of Systematic Theology and Apologetics, Westminster Seminary California; president of the White Horse Inn; and editor-in-chief of Modern Reformation magazine.

FROM THE PREFACE BY MICHAEL S. HORTON

“[Rob Bell] gave us a wake-up call and Michael Wittmer has answered it... Offering more light than heat, Christ Alone appreciates the attractiveness of Bell’s questions and conclusions.... Avoiding caricature and personal attack, he carefully evaluates Bell’s interpretations of Scripture. It’s not a careless diatribe against a book, but filled with pastoral wisdom for perennial questions.”

"With clarity and a gracious spirit, Wittmer provides a resource that I can hand my parishioners who are seeking answers to the questions raised in Rob Bell’s Love Wins." -- Pastor David Beelen, Madison Square Church, Grand Rapids, MI

"Christ Alone is a gracious, respectful biblical and theological engagement with Love Wins. Wittmer’s astute questions help readers discern the strengths and weaknesses of Rob Bell’s positions.-- Professor Darwin Glassford, Calvin Theological Seminary

"Written by one of our best and most engaging systematic theologians…. Buy the book and buy one for a confused friend."-- Owen Strachan, Instructor of Christian Theology and Church History, Boyce College

"... a tour-de-force, brilliant in its critique and gracious in its tone."-- Trevin Wax, Kingdom People Blog

" Regardless of what one thinks of Bell, I encourage everyone to read this book carefully and prayerfully. It is good, strong spiritual and theological medicine indeed."-- Bill Muehlenberg, CultureWatch

"In terms of the quality of Wittmer’s book, I am as impressed as I am stunned…. [I]t is cogent, thorough, well-thought out, well-written, and well-edited. He should be proud."-- Father Rick Morley, St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Basking Ridge, NJ