Here is a new interview I did addressing bad arguments against universalism: ?
universalism
On the Fallacies of the Theological Conservative
In this video, I critique Baptist theologian Russell Moore’s treatment of universalism. Unfortunately, the sound level is low but I’m not inclined to re-record it so it is what it is.
The Top Three Worst Reasons to Reject Universalism
God can save mid-level sinners like me, but not mega-sinners like Stalin
The other day, I posted a couple of tweets listing bad objections to Christian universalism. Here is the second tweet: “The second worst objection to Christian universalism: ‘If everybody is ultimately saved by Jesus, then why bother telling anybody?’ “Um, because it’s the best possible news. And God told us to.” Steve Hays of Triablogue […]
Why Every Christian Should Be a Hopeful Universalist
Here is a new video I uploaded to YouTube in which I discuss the concept of hopeful universalism. For further discussion, see chapter 20 of my book What On Earth Do We Know About Heaven? which is currently only $3.99!
A Bad Objection to Christian Universalism
Christian universalism is the view that ultimately all people will be saved by God through the atoning work of Jesus Christ. Since that salvation does not occur for all in this life, universalism proposes that it will be completed posthumously. This is where the doctrine of hell comes in: Christian universalists agree that there is a hell […]
N.T. Wright and the Universalist Strawman
Christian universalism is the doctrine that eventually all creatures will be reconciled to God and each other through the reconciling work of Jesus Christ. While universalism has been a minority report throughout the history of the church it has often been misunderstood and even caricatured by non-universalist Christians. This trend continues unabated into our own […]
Does Christianity promise that everything sad is going to come untrue?
Today I visited a church in which the speaker addressed the problem of evil. Near the end of the sermon, he appealed to this famous quote from The Lord of the Rings: “I thought you were dead! But then I thought that I was dead myself! Is everything sad going to come untrue?” The speaker then […]
Universalism, Evangelicalism, and The Shack
Two days ago I came across this article at CBN: “Art Designer of ‘The Shack’ Book Cover Says He Regrets His Involvement.” In a Facebook post of three weeks ago, Dave Aldrich states that he lacked discernment when he agreed to illustrate the book cover for The Shack a decade ago. He now recognizes that the theology […]
Universalism for Evangelicals? A Review of Heaven’s Doors
George W. Sarris. Heaven’s Doors: Wider than you ever believed! (Trumbull, CT: GWS Publishing, 2017). Though he has long been a great defender of the traditional doctrine of hell, J.I. Packer once conceded: “If you want to see folk damned, there is something wrong with you!” That statement has always stuck with me because it implies every Christian […]
If you want to see folk damned, there is something wrong with you!
J.I. Packer has long distinguished himself as among the foremost evangelical critics of universalism. At the same time, he also made the following admission: “No evangelical, I think, need hesitate to admit that in his heart of hearts he would like universalism to be true. Who can take pleasure in the thought of people being eternally […]
41. Robin Parry on Universal Salvation
The Christian story has one simple, beautiful and extraordinarily powerful claim: despite all the evil, suffering, and pain that grips this creation, the good catches up. That promise is found in the very prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray: thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. And […]
Thoughts on universalism and hope (a response to Nate)
Back in early February I wrote a response to Nate — one of our resident academic philosophers — and his critique of greater goods theodicy. (See “Is God a user? A response to Nate’s Principle“.) Nate offered a reply a few days later but with the flurry of activity it was never properly responded to. […]
18. Abandon hope, all ye who enter here? Filmmaker Kevin Miller reconsiders the doctrine of hell
In this episode of The Tentative Apologist Podcast we sit down with screenwriter, producer and film director Kevin Miller. Kevin is perhaps best known as the screenwriter for the 2008 documentary “Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed” and as director of the 2012 documentary “Hellbound?” (You can see my review for “Hellbound?” here.) “Hellbound?” (which is now available […]