Is Hell Necessary?

Hell broke loose in Pasco, Wash., spread through the Episcopal District of Spokane, and gave the bishop something to worry about.

The trouble began with a sermon in Pasco's Church of Our Saviour by energetic Rector Charles Lester Kinsolving, 30. "Hell," he preached, "is a damnable doctrine--responsible for a large measure of this world's hatred. According to this doctrine, God, who commands us to love our enemies, plays the hypocrite by damning his enemies. This in turn stimulates the hatred of God by people who abhor hypocrisy--and it gives sanction to our hatred of certain selected enemies."

Different from the Rest. Across the Columbia River in Kennewick. the Rev. Charles W. May, 40, of St. Paul's Episcopal Church, announced himself in "complete disagreement." The pulpit, he went on, "should not be used to express personal views when they are contrary to the doctrines of the church."

RECTORS CLASH OVER HELL, bannered the Columbia Basin News, and the air was soon thick with theology. Kinsolving was within his rights, said some: Hell-lessness had been defended by churchmen from Origen (circa 185-254) to Archbishop of Canterbury William Temple (1881-1944). But Origen's teachings were condemned as heresy by the Second Council of Constantinople (553). May's backers recalled. "Kinsolving's theology is sensationalism," said one clergyman. "He preaches on sex and questions the virgin birth. He's completely different from the rest of us in every way--he gets up at 11 in the morning and goes to bed at 4 a.m."

Said School Principal Woodrow Epp: "What Kinsolving said is, in my opinion, completely compatible with what I thought was the Episcopal Church. He's shaken up a lot of people's beliefs since he came here, and by the holy gods of war. this congregation needed a shaking."

On the Sidewalk. Young Rector Kinsolving's congregation obviously likes the shaking he is giving it. He moved to Pasco four months ago from a mission vicarage in California, an earlier tour as intern chaplain at San Quentin Prison and two years as an adman in Philadelphia and Phoenix. Ariz., has a strong Episcopal family background (his father, grandfather, great-uncle and cousin were or are bishops ). Said a fellow clergyman: "Who's Who is on his side--even if Episcopal doctrine is not." At Pasco, Kinsolving has broken all church attendance records, more than doubled church pledges, and (as one parishioner puts it) made more pastoral calls ''than any minister I know ever did in a whole year."

Bishop Russell S. Hubbard of the Spokane district publicly deplored the argument, but agreed that Kinsolving's preaching had been "within the allowable latitude of the church." Says Kinsolving: "I held this belief throughout my theological training [Church Divinity School of the Pacific]. I also believe very firmly in Heaven. I can't prove any of this, nor do I know anyone who can. but I came into the priesthood to preach the truth as I see it. because I believed this is one of the few churches in which it could be done. And I'd keep on preaching it if I had to preach on the sidewalk."

Subject of Rector Kinsolving's sermon this week: Heaven.

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