There is a black hole at the center of Christian spirituality: the doctrine of hell. No matter how hard we try to believe in a loving God, the fear of eternal torment always lurks at the back of our minds, warping our sense of what love means. Worse still, many churches act as if the point of Christianity is not to follow Jesus but to secure a get-out-of-hell-free card--and to "save" everyone you know by converting them to your religion. For many of us, the whole story of Christianity has punishment at the very center. But does the Bible really say we're going to hell if we don't do or believe the "right" things?

In this taboo-shattering book, former evangelical pastor Brian Recker takes an honest look at scripture and reveals what has been true all along: Hell isn't real, and God's universal love is radically inclusive, in this life and the next. By removing punishment from Christianity's center, Recker boldly reimagines the core questions of faith, such as why Jesus lived and died, and what it means to be "saved." It's time to rediscover spirituality as Jesus taught it: loving God, and loving our neighbors as ourselves. Whether you're Christian, exvangelical, or anywhere along a deconstruction journey, Hellbent is the perfect resource to help you replace fear and church hurt with healing and peace.