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Universalism
Some theologians consider universalism to be a form of predestination,
whereas others allow universalism to stand on its own merit. According to this
understanding of salvation, God loves everybody, shows grace towards everybody,
and ultimately, God will give salvation to everybody, even to those who are
not Christians and who do not believe in
Jesus Christ. It is possible to
argue that this is a form of predestination,
but instead of God electing only a limited number for salvation, God chooses to
elect all people for salvation. At the very least, universalism shares with
predestination the understanding that salvation is based on God*s
initiative alone; we humans need not do something first in order to receive it.
Regardless of whether or not universalism
has any
other affinities with predestination, its emphasis on universal election
separates it from the other three categories listed above.
The beginnings of universalism in the history of Christianity date back to
the 3rd-century theologian, Origen. During the Protestant Reformation of the
16th century, a handful of Anabaptists theologians argued in favor of
universalism. In 18th and 19th century America, universalism gained some
acceptance and
support in the New England area as a
response to the strict understanding of Calvinist predestination that existed.
Unitarian churches emerged out of this universalist atmosphere, and to this day,
the Unitarian church is one of the only religious bodies associated with the
Judeo-Christian denomination that officially endorses universalism. Other
theologians and church
leaders throughout the past several hundred years have endorsed universalism,
and in the Reformed tradition, the 20th century theologian, Karl Barth, at least
flirted with the idea that God would redeem all of humankind. Today, in many
mainline denominations, both in Europe and in the United States, universalism is
gaining popularity, though in the U.S., it is still a much less prominent
understanding of how humans receive salvation than Semi-Pelagianism.
Key Texts:
Romans 5:18
18 Therefore
just as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all, so one man’s act of
righteousness leads to justification and life for all.
Romans 11:32
32 For God has imprisoned
all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all.
I Cor.15:21-22
21 For since death came through a human
being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for
as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ.
Ephesians 1:9-10
9 he has made known to us the mystery
of his will, according to his good pleasure that he set forth in Christ, 10 as a
plan for the fullness of time, to gather up all things in him, things in heaven
and things on earth.
Philippians 2:9-11
9 Therefore God also highly
exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10
so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and
under the earth, 11 and every tongue should
confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Colossians 1:19-20
19 For in him all the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him God was pleased to reconcile to himself
all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of
his cross.
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