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Kevin E. Ruffcorn KRuffcorn01@cox.net 623-670-6988
Nowhere to Go But Up: The Power of Living in God’s Love, Rather Than Fearing God’s Wrath
by Kevin E. Ruffcorn
Resource Publications, an imprint of Wipf and Stock Publishers
978-1-7252-6607-0 / paperback / $16
www.wipfandstock.com
Stop Living a Lie
Nowhere to Go But Up: The Power of Living in God’s Love, Rather Than Fearing God’s Wrath
For most of its history, the church has preached and taught a doctrine of dubious biblical origins. The doctrine has cast a pall of gloom over the light of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It has caused division in the human family, has inspired fear of God’s wrath in the lives of the faithful, and has prevented believers from experiencing the abundant life that is theirs through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus.
Nowhere to Go But Up, investigates the source of this doctrine and surveys its use by the Christian church. From its findings, the book offers an alternative interpretation to several passages of Scripture—recapturing the understanding of the first followers of the Way and the insights of the earliest church fathers. Several salvation motifs are resurrected from the early centuries of the church. These motifs invite readers to view the ministry of Jesus from refreshing, life-changing perspectives.
Shunning the centuries-old practice of living in fear of God’s judgment, the book presents readers with a new, dynamic, yet realistic vision of living in the power of God’s love—celebrating creation, the diversity of the human family, and our unity as God’s children.
An Experienced Pastor and Author
Kevin E. Ruffcorn retired after serving over forty years as a parish pastor in the Lutheran church. He is the author of six books including Rural Evangelism: Catching the Vision. He has also written religious curriculum for adults, several magazine and journal articles, and numerous devotionals. Pastor Ruffcorn is an active blogger at www.aSaneFaith.com.
An Excerpt From the Book
In answer to our opening question “What happens to bad people?”, we can answer with certainty that they will not be condemned and exiled to hell for an eternity of punishment. Rather, in some way, shape, and form they will be “with God.” This is good news for all the people of the world who have been deemed bad people by the world’s other occupants. It is also good news for the rest of us. For we, like them, have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). . . .
We may get angry at the people who cut in front of us in traffic, but we have done this, too. Bullying may anger us, yet we have used our power over others in a wrongful manner. We have also stood by, in a cowardly fashion, while others have been bullied, marginalized, or neglected. It is easy for us to condemn evil people like Hitler and Stalin, while we live lives of conspicuous consumers and neglect the hungry and the homeless. Terrorists are vilified because they have killed innocent people. We have done this, too. As nations at war, we have killed innocent bystanders and have labeled them “collateral damage.” We hate those who are different than ourselves. We do not forgive those who have hurt us. To only those who first love us do we return love.
The good news of Jesus Christ and the message of the Bible is not that the evil people are going to be judged, found lacking, and condemned. The good news is that God is moving in our lives and in all of creation to bring all people to be with God.
Reviews of Nowhere to Go But Up
“Kevin Ruffcorn adds another thoughtful and solid questioning of the existence of hell to the collection of books considering that issue. Deftly, he educates about church history and doctrine and biblical interpretation while nurturing the human spirit. His poignant, real-life anecdotes incarnate how people of faith have been and continue to be affected by the doctrine of eternal damnation. Because his approach and conclusions are grounded in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, I am strengthened by this book to live in the truth of God’s love rather than the lie of God’s wrath.”
—Cristy Fossum, author of the Sunday by Sunday series, a trilogy of church fiction based in the Revised Common Lectionary
“Kevin Ruffcorn traces the roots of fear-based dualism and the evolving understanding of God throughout church history. He exposes hell’s unbiblical sources and the motivation for its creation: religious control. Nowhere to Go But Up is a beautiful narrative that reminds us what matters most in Jesus’ love ethic and how paramount universalism was in the early church.”
—Michael Camp, spiritual coach, purveyor of historical spirituality, and author of Craft Brewed Jesus
“Do you believe in hell? If so, this book will turn your thinking upside down about God’s plans for your future! Kevin Ruffcorn takes readers through a systematic journey of Christian theology, biblical exegesis, and ecclesiastical machinations to a liberating understanding of God’s overarching love for all people. . . . This is a must-read for Christian leaders who care about representing the Almighty accurately and well to those unfamiliar with the God of the Bible.”
—Marta Poling Schmitt, retired ELCA pastor, church planter, and evangelist
Order the book through the publishers website for a 20% discount, by clicking here. Or order from Amazon by clicking here. Autographed copies are available by contacting the author at KRuffcorn01@cox.net for details.