Hell Bent with Brian Recker: Book Talk, Q&A, & Signing

ABOUT THE EVENT

Brian will share a presentation about his new book Hell Bent, which will be followed by time for Q&A and book signing. There are two ticket options:

1) Event (Book Not Included) (FREE)

2) Event (Book Included) ($30)

ABOUT THE BOOK

A former evangelical pastor explains why we can stop worrying about hell and start focusing on love

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, Hell Bent is the perfect resource to help you replace fear and church hurt with healing and peace.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRIAN RECKER, M.Div, is a public theologian, speaker, and writer on Christian spirituality without exclusionary dogma. The son of a Baptist preacher and an alum of the fundamentalist Bob Jones University, he spent eight years as an evangelical pastor before deconstructing his faith to find a more inclusive spirituality. He now speaks about following Jesus without fear of hell on his popular Instagram account and his Substack, Beloved. He lives in Raleigh and has four children and a rescue pup named Maev.

ABOUT RIVER NYC

is a progressive church, located in Midtown Manhattan, where faith and community continually intertwine in delightful ways. ​In-person attendees come from all five boroughs of New York City, New Jersey, and Westchester County, though people from around the country (and the world!) regularly tune into our services on YouTube Live. Our vision for a life-giving faith community is shaped by our conviction that God is unconditional love. Practically speaking, this means that (among other things) we place no limitations on women in leadership, that we fully affirm LGBTQ+ individuals and relationships, and that we are committed to the work of antiracism and creation care. When you come to the River, we hope that you will feel refreshed, affirmed, and excited to be part of a community that is pursuing abundant life together. We'd love for you to join us in person or online!

Host or Publisher River NYC