14
votes
Accepted
Was universalism the majority belief of the early church?
Background
Obviously, this topic suffers from dogmatists on both sides. Universalists are desperate to overstate their case, and traditionalists are desperate to prove the early church didn't have ...
- 1,249
13
votes
Accepted
How do non-universalists account for these passages talking about the salvation of all?
Once one logically considers the relevant extant documents (by the genuine methodology of truly scientific textual criticism) ; once one has accurately translated these same documents ; once one has ...
- 23.7k
11
votes
Accepted
How do proponents of Apokatastasis deal with the "Everlasting punishment" texts in scripture?
Those who believe in Apokatastasis believe Revelation 20:10 is grossly misunderstood. The Greek says:
καὶ ὁ διάβολος ὁ πλανῶν αὐτοὺς ἐβλήθη εἰς τὴν λίμνην τοῦ πυρὸς καὶ θείου, ὅπου καὶ τὸ θηρίον καὶ ...
- 2,482
11
votes
How do non-universalists account for these passages talking about the salvation of all?
I read through a Universalist's web-page and I think you meant to refer to Colossians 1:19-20 (and not 3. Corinthians 1:19-20). Assuming that to be the case, I will just deal with that one proof-text ...
- 27k
7
votes
Accepted
Was there a non-Augustinian response to universalism in the early Church?
Two church fathers who (a) reject Origen's universal salvation and (b) are not influenced by Augustine are Basil (d. 379) and Chrysostom (d. 407). Their theological systems, however, are not nearly ...
- 42.3k
7
votes
Accepted
Saviour of all people, ESPECIALLY of those who believe
At least three early adherents of apocatastasis refer to this passage. But not all their references to it are necessarily defenses of that particular doctrine. For example, Origen uses it to argue ...
- 42.3k
7
votes
Accepted
How do evangelical universalists reconcile their position with the designation for Judas that it would be better if he had never been born?
I identify as an evangelical universalist. I don't know if you'll find this worthwhile, but here's my take.
It sounds an awful lot like a figure of speech to me. If it is, it's best not to draw too ...
- 86
6
votes
According to universalist Christians, is ill-will directed towards the devil virtuous?
Jude 1:8-10 says:
Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones. But when the archangel Michael, contending with ...
- 14.8k
5
votes
Accepted
Acts 17:30 What does "overlooked" mean?
When we put several passages together to get a fuller picture, we can see in what sense "overlook" is being used. Consider the following two verses, which are similar in scope (from the NET ...
- 7,530
5
votes
Accepted
Pope says Heaven apart from Christian faith?
To address your questions in order.
Does the Catholic church officially recognize baptizing ones children as a good work that qualifies you for salvation?
Not by itself. Heck, as a parent, the ...
- 6,707
5
votes
Does Hades (The bosom of Abraham) still exist after Christ's resurrection
I will answer the question from the viewpoint of Roman Catholic doctrine.
Before Christ's death, the state or "place" of the souls of all dead people (Hebrew sheol, Greek hades and Latin inferus [1]) ...
- 1,733
5
votes
According to Calvinists, why does God not predestine all to Heaven?
So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said ...
- 23.7k
5
votes
Is the Unitarian Universalist Association really creedless?
I have been Trinitarian all my life. The below is for information purposes. The content below is in the public domain. Bold highlights are added for clarity.
The website of the UUA states ...
- 23.7k
4
votes
Accepted
Does the "Oh My Jesus" prayer support universalist beliefs among Roman Catholics?
No. Lead all souls to heaven doesn't imply that all souls will in fact make it to heaven.
Catholic theology teaches that God has a universal salvific will (meaning that God desires each soul to be ...
- 2,762
3
votes
How do universalists avoid tempation?
There are two forms of universalism - (1) Christian Universalists who believe Jesus is the only way to God and that all people will eventually accept Christ at some point throughout eternity, (2) ...
- 1,196
3
votes
Accepted
What is the current and historical viewpoint on universal salvation as a doctrine in the Catholic Church?
In the past, various saints, apparitions and other authoritative sources have stated that many people are in hell or go to hell. For example, the Marian apparitions in Fatima stated that "many souls ...
- 646
3
votes
How do evangelical universalists reconcile their position with the designation for Judas that it would be better if he had never been born?
I also identify as an evangelical universalist and would echo Tim's answer here regarding the context of stillbirth.
I thought I'd also add an excerpt from George Macdonald (19th-century Scottish ...
- 31
3
votes
Accepted
According to Calvinists, why does God not predestine all to Heaven?
Why doesn’t God save everyone?
John Piper:
…1 Timothy 2:4, where Paul says that God wills all persons to be
saved. What are we to say of the fact that God wills something that in
fact does not happen?...
- 313
2
votes
Did adherents of apocatastasis in the early church believe that the devil and his demons would be restored?
Origen does seem to have included demons in his concept of apocatastasis, but this specific teaching as well as the doctrine of apocatastasis in general - the teaching that everyone will be saved in ...
- 5,637
2
votes
How do opponents of Decision Theology distinguish themselves from Universal Salvation?
pteranodon, Your question is vast. It covers at least two doctrines in the bible—Conversion and Justification, each of which deserves much time in explaining. But, if you are willing, I'd like to ...
- 219
2
votes
Saviour of all people, ESPECIALLY of those who believe
If anyone in the biblical canon should be called a Universalist, it is most certainly Paul. This is understandable, since nobody at this time had ever heard of such a thing as an "eternal hell&...
- 2,482
2
votes
What is the current and historical viewpoint on universal salvation as a doctrine in the Catholic Church?
I found an article on the Internet that discusses this subject in some detail. I believe it is a Catholic web-site. Here are a few partial quotes:
The doctrine of universal salvation (also known ...
- 29.7k
2
votes
Do annihilationism and universalism argue against eternal life?
The views expressed below are not my own, but your question merits an answer that I hope represents annihilationism as an annihilationist might. I will seek to demonstrate you are correct in believing ...
- 1,666
2
votes
Was universalism the majority belief of the early church?
According to Augustine:
It is quite in vain, then, that some--indeed very many--yield to merely human feelings and deplore the notion of the eternal punishment of the damned and their ...
- 2,482
2
votes
What was Pelagius' view of Hell?
The only document assigned to Pelagius that I could find is his letter to Demetrias, a fourteen year old girl of wealthy family who shunned riches and made enquiries regarding her own religious ...
- 23.7k
1
vote
How do universalists avoid tempation?
That the pain I experience when I thrust my hand into a flame may serve a beneficial purpose--because it enables me to avoid an even greater injury in the future--hardly entails that I have a good ...
- 159
1
vote
How do universalists avoid tempation?
I'm not a universalist, but I don't think that matters because the answer is really the same for all Christians. What you're missing is any sort of relational motivation.
When you know your parents ...
- 19.7k
1
vote
Do annihilationism and universalism argue against eternal life?
When something is unclear in one verse refer to others and frequently the collective view this gives you makes the correct understanding clear.
Revelation talks about the 2nd death. If one is ...
- 407
1
vote
Is it to say: "We can have reasonable hope that all will be saved" heretical?
Doctrinal Universalism
Barron professes the heresy of doctrinal universalism,
The theory that hell is essentially a kind of purgatory in which sins are expiated, so that eventually everyone will be ...
- 38.6k
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