In most conversations about universal reconciliation, a handful of verses are frequently cited as proof texts for the existence of an eternal hell. However, in this article, we aim to provide an alternative understanding of these verses from a universalist perspective. It is important to note that different universalists may interpret these verses in varying ways, and this article presents my understanding of these verses, based on the Bible, the Greek text, and the beliefs of some of the greatest church fathers. While this is not an exhaustive exegesis of each verse, it offers a concise overview to challenge prevailing notions of eternal punishment and encourage deeper exploration of these scriptural passages.
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Why didn’t Jesus preach universal reconciliation more explicitly?
Why didn’t Jesus preach universal reconciliation more explicitly? This is a question that is often asked. Obviously, it is difficult to answer why Jesus did or didn’t do certain things. Here is an attempt to answer this question that at least makes sense to me.
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Book Summary: “Universalism: The Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church During its First Five Hundred Years.”
Thought you guys might enjoy this summary of miscellaneous points I did several years ago from J.W. Hanson’s classic book “Universalism: The Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church During its First Five Hundred Years.”
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Jesus rejecting deniers, sinners who can’t enter the kingdom and universal reconciliation
“But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven.” (Mt 10:33, NET) “Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God!” (Gal 5:21, NET) In this article, I’ll answer how verses like this fit together with the belief that God will reconcile the whole cosmos.
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God wants to save everyone, and he can, so he will.
Some Christians (e.g., Calvinists) believe that God doesn’t want to save everyone. Some (e.g., Arminians) believe that God can’t save everyone. In this article, I argue from the Bible that God wants to save everyone, that he can save everyone, and that therefore he will save everyone.
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Notes from an interview with Ilaria Ramelli
Prof. Dr. Ilaria Ramelli is one of the leading experts on early Christianity. She earned several degrees in this field and taught at many universities worldwide on the topic. Her studies of the church fathers led her to embrace the belief in apokatastasis (the belief that one day God will reconcile and restore everything and everyone). This article features my notes from an interview that Peter Hiett conducted with her in 2016. I recommend watching the full interview (the link is at the end of the article). My notes are only supposed to summarize the interview at a glance.
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FAQ about Universal Reconciliation
What is universal reconciliation? Is universal reconciliation biblical? Why did Jesus have to die if all people will be saved? Why missions if there is no hell at all? What is the gospel, if it is not salvation from hell? Here you will find short and concise answers to these and many other questions about universal reconciliation.
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Church Fathers who believed in Universal Reconciliation
Ilaria Ramelli studied the history of the doctrine of universal reconciliation throughout church history. According to her findings, these church fathers supported the belief that ultimately God will save everyone.
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