A Response To Erwin McManus’ Recent Comments On Hell
And The Difference Between A Heretic And A Hopeful Inclusionist
I’ve been an Erwin McManus fan for years—still am, mostly.
The man breathes fire into the Church’s lungs, reminding us that beauty and wonder aren’t decorative—they’re divine. He fans the flame of creativity like it's sacred oxygen, which, honestly, it is.
I like theologians—or at least people who do theology like they’re painting with oils, not drafting schematics. Erwin has been one of those. He doesn’t just repackage Jesus; he reintroduces Him, like an old friend you forgot you missed.
His church, Mosaic LA, has given the world some stunning worship—music that actually feels like it was written by people who believe God is alive and worth singing about. His sermons are rich, poetic, emotionally intelligent—and often take off from the text like a Tesla Roadster leaving earth’s orbit. His books? A breath of lavender and leather in the subway stairwell of Christian publishing.
But recently, he posted something on hell. Or rather, he said something, and it got clipped and uploaded by an account that—let’s just say—doesn’t exactly send me Christmas cards anymore.
I only saw it because a friend DMed me the video. Apparently I’m blocked by the account. (Probably because I reviewed another one of Erwin’s metaphysical curveballs last year. Oops.)
Anyway, I asked my friend to screen record it off Instagram. Theology in the digital catacombs. And here you are, slumming it up with this shunned creature. What does that say about you, then—you rebel.
Here’s the clip below, if you haven’t seen it yet, and my generous response:
