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Heaven's Doors: Wider Than You Ever Believed!
Silver Medal Winner in Theology in 2018 Illumination Awards for Exemplary Christian Books.
What happens to us after we die?
For the first 500 years after Christ, most Christians believed that God would ultimately redeem all of his creation. Hell was real, but it had a positive purpose, and it didn’t last forever.
Then beliefs changed. For the past 1,500 years we’ve been told that most of the billions of people who have lived on this earth will remain separated from the love and mercy of God for all eternity. The moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, sons and daughters, relatives and friends who have not exhibited the “right kind” of faith here in this life will suffer in hell forever.
But is that really true?
The idea of hell as a place of never-ending suffering is not taught in the Bible. It’s a myth that was forced on the Christian Church by a power-hungry Roman emperor, was supported by a highly respected but misinformed cleric, and has endured for centuries because it became the status quo.
Heaven’s Doors exposes that myth. It explains both historically and Biblically how Jesus Christ succeeded in His mission to seek and save the lost. And it shows how the doors to heaven really are wider than you ever believed!
“George Sarris has performed a splendid service in tracing the Christian view of universal salvation, which has deep roots in the Bible and in the Church Fathers. . . . Sarris’ book is gracefully written, deeply thoughtful, and based on careful scholarship; it deserves the widest audience.”
David Konstan – Professor of Classics, New York University; Professor Emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature, Brown University
What happens to us after we die?
For the first 500 years after Christ, most Christians believed that God would ultimately redeem all of his creation. Hell was real, but it had a positive purpose, and it didn’t last forever.
Then beliefs changed. For the past 1,500 years we’ve been told that most of the billions of people who have lived on this earth will remain separated from the love and mercy of God for all eternity. The moms and dads, grandmas and grandpas, sons and daughters, relatives and friends who have not exhibited the “right kind” of faith here in this life will suffer in hell forever.
But is that really true?
The idea of hell as a place of never-ending suffering is not taught in the Bible. It’s a myth that was forced on the Christian Church by a power-hungry Roman emperor, was supported by a highly respected but misinformed cleric, and has endured for centuries because it became the status quo.
Heaven’s Doors exposes that myth. It explains both historically and Biblically how Jesus Christ succeeded in His mission to seek and save the lost. And it shows how the doors to heaven really are wider than you ever believed!
“George Sarris has performed a splendid service in tracing the Christian view of universal salvation, which has deep roots in the Bible and in the Church Fathers. . . . Sarris’ book is gracefully written, deeply thoughtful, and based on careful scholarship; it deserves the widest audience.”
David Konstan – Professor of Classics, New York University; Professor Emeritus of Classics and Comparative Literature, Brown University
269 pages, Paperback
Published March 8, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 6, 2022
In this book, Sarris offers a strong biblical case that God will ultimately save all persons through Jesus. This book is readable and pastoral, which makes it a great entry into reading on this subject. There are plenty of other books out there and even the easy to read ones tend to be a bit academic. I still think Brad Jersak’s Her Gates Will Never Be Shut is the best introduction to the topic, but Sarris’ is an even more pastoral and approachable work.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
November 9, 2023
I began questioning eternal conscious torment (a.k.a. Punishment in hell forever) several years ago. How could I enjoy eternal life in heaven with the knowledge of people suffering in hell. Hearing “Lazarus and the Rich Man” taught, it seemed as though I might be able to see the punishment as well. If that bothered me, surely it bothered God as well. But every tear would be wiped away, so I hoped God had that figured out.
In reading Heaven’s Doors, I discovered theologians were pondering even deeper questions than these as long as 1500 years ago. Their conclusions–based on Jesus' description of God’s nature, Jewish culture and language–showed that God did have a better plan. But these conclusions were buried in the 6th century for political reasons.
Sarris addressed the Old Testament Jewish view of death, where our current traditional view of hell came from, the New Testament view of “eternal” punishment, how Jesus talked about hell, the Jewish view of “aion,” and many other passages which have been used to defend the punishment of some in hell for eternity. Jesus’ death on the cross is briefly touched on and Sarris seems to imply substitutionary atonement (which I don’t agree with), but it is brief and therefore does not take away from the main point of the book.
If you have ever questioned God’s love, you might want to read this book. If you have only been taught that those who are not saved will be punished forever in hell, you need to read this book to at least be aware of universal restoration (a.k.a. Extreme restorationism) as well as a brief explanation of annihilationism.
In reading Heaven’s Doors, I discovered theologians were pondering even deeper questions than these as long as 1500 years ago. Their conclusions–based on Jesus' description of God’s nature, Jewish culture and language–showed that God did have a better plan. But these conclusions were buried in the 6th century for political reasons.
Sarris addressed the Old Testament Jewish view of death, where our current traditional view of hell came from, the New Testament view of “eternal” punishment, how Jesus talked about hell, the Jewish view of “aion,” and many other passages which have been used to defend the punishment of some in hell for eternity. Jesus’ death on the cross is briefly touched on and Sarris seems to imply substitutionary atonement (which I don’t agree with), but it is brief and therefore does not take away from the main point of the book.
If you have ever questioned God’s love, you might want to read this book. If you have only been taught that those who are not saved will be punished forever in hell, you need to read this book to at least be aware of universal restoration (a.k.a. Extreme restorationism) as well as a brief explanation of annihilationism.
October 17, 2021
Good book
This book took me a long time to read. I liked it because of the difference insight from other books on this subject I have read. I believe I needed an open mind, and this had helped me know that God does restore people, no matter who they are.
This book took me a long time to read. I liked it because of the difference insight from other books on this subject I have read. I believe I needed an open mind, and this had helped me know that God does restore people, no matter who they are.
May 22, 2021
A clear and well-researched treatise laying out the indisputable evidence that hell is not a biblical or Christian concept.
April 20, 2017
Beautiful and True
A great presentation of divine restoration. Jesus won the victory and death and hell have no boast. Humanity is growing up.
A great presentation of divine restoration. Jesus won the victory and death and hell have no boast. Humanity is growing up.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews