Speaking publicly for the first time about his controversial new book, best-selling author Rob Bell drew a large audience earlier this week in New York City.

During a live streamed event March 14 at the New York Society for Ethical Culture, the author of Velvet Elvis and presenter of the popular "Nooma" video series discussed Love Wins (HarperOne), which critics say promotes universalism.

Bell's conversation with Newsweek Senior Editor Lisa Miller, which also featured the author answering questions from the audience, drew hundreds to the venue and more than 6,000 people on the Internet.

Founding pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Mich., Bell denied that he was a universalist during the event. Universalism espouses the belief that all humans end up in heaven, and hell is not physical place.

"If by universalist we mean love doesn't win and God sort of co-opts the human heart and says, 'Well, you're coming here and you're gonna like it,' that violates the laws of love, and love is about freedom," Bell said. It's about choice. It's about, do you want to be here? Because that's what would make it heaven."

Bell was also vague when pressed on whether he believes there is a hell. "We see hell on earth all around us all the time," he said. "We actually see lots of people choosing hell. ... We see oppression, we see tyranny, dictators using their power."

HarperOne brought forward publication of the book—subtitled "Heaven, Hell, and the Fate of Every Person Who Ever Lived"—from March 29 to March 15 because of interest in the title.

HarperOne Senior Vice President and Publisher Mark Tauber told Christian Retailing that parent company HarperCollins expected the controversy surrounding Love Wins to help sales.

However, LifeWay Christian Stores would "not offer" the book, according to LifeWay Christian Resources Director of Communications Micah Carter. Family Christian Stores officials declined to comment, but the chain's Web site did not feature Love Wins.

Located within 20 miles of Bell's church, Baker Book House ordered almost 500 copies of the book to meet the expected demand. "The proximity alone is sufficient reason to carry a couple of hundred, but now with the increased attention, we anticipate even larger sales," Sue Smith, manager of Baker Book House, told Christian Retailing.

"We have a history of strong sales with Rob's books and the Noomas," she added. "We've sold over 500 copies of Sex God, 345 copies of Velvet Elvis and 320 copies of Jesus Wants to Save Christians. These are great sales figures, yet none of these had the Web presence and commotion that Love Wins is bringing."

During the event, Bell also said that he is an evangelical. "I actually think that orthodoxy is a terribly wide, diverse stream," he said. "I think that vibrant, real historical Christian faith is wide, and leaves lots and lots of room for lots of varying perspectives. ... Lots of people have said that and they're firmly within the Jesus tribe."

Click here to watch a recording of the streamed event.

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