Geomic,
John Stott lost I believe two immediate family members(I know one is his daughter, I THink:)) and they were in an unsaved state. I think that is partially what has moved him from his old position to the new position. I know Stott is the classic fall guy on the position of annihilation, but we should all be at least sympthatic to his plight. If my daughter were to die, now you better believe it would be an intense struggle and I would definintly would be reaching at any straw handed to me. (Of course my daughter is one and so the matter is quite a bit different, but I'm just saying).
Theologians always bring who they are to their work. You never do exegesis and theologizing in an isolated place in your brain. Thank God He is merciful and we are accepted not on the merits of our theology, but on the merits of Jesus!
But nevertheless obviously if Dr. Stott wants to write out on this issue, then he should be prepared to deal with the criticisms that will come. So have at him, but speak the truth in love everyone. BTW, he is really wrong and is exegisis is fallacious. He takes the word for destroy in GK. and changes the meaning to mean annihilate, which in english may fit into the semantic range, but in Greek it does not. The same word is used for the bags that are destroyed, by putting the new wine into them in Jesus parable. Obviously the bags don't dissappear; they are ruined. He also somehow reasons the word eternal out of the picture on the applicable passages, saying eternal doesn't mean eternal.
Anyways, Speak the truth in love everyone, but speak the truth.
jason