Category: Universal Salvation

I often hear hopeful universalists quote C.S. Lewis that, “the doors of Hell are locked on the inside.” In other words, individuals only remain in Hell because of their own choice and not because of a divine decree from a vengeful god. This seems to imply that people are not sent to Hell but instead… Continue reading Is Hell’s door locked from the inside?

I write somewhat frequently on the topic of universal salvation. One of the arguments I sometimes get as to why I shouldn’t spend so much time convincing others of universal salvation is that my commitment to this perilous doctrine risks leading other souls into eternal ruin. Afterall, if there is even a minuscule possibility that… Continue reading Is Preaching Universal Salvation Really Dangerous?

Earlier in the year I wrote an article that was a brief overview of my belief in universal salvation. In it, I promised to return to the parable of the sheep and goats when I mentioned that I believed Jesus taught love and restoration not retribution. Retribution can be fun to think about when you’re… Continue reading Sheep and Goats: Eternal Punishment or Restoration?

I’m often surprised how many protests I get from my atheist friends about Christianity that I can effectively deactivate by just saying, “I’m a universalist so I don’t think that.” I write, “deactivate,” instead of, “answer,” because I don’t think many theological questions can be definitively answered with pithy responses. It takes a lifetime of… Continue reading Beyond Judgement

I describe myself as a universalist. What do I mean by that? First, I don’t mean Unitarian Universalist, although I tried that once and hold them all in high regard. I’m a Jesus freak schooled in primarily UCC theology, a mystic at heart and I currently attend a very loving Lutheran church. I happen to… Continue reading Support for Universalism in Scripture, Logic and Love

The birth story in the Gospel of John is barely a story at all. You don’t get singing angels, shepherds in the field or gift-bearing magi. What you do get is one of the most profound statements of Christian theology ever written. And you get a little bit of John the Baptist. It’s not sentimental.… Continue reading The Word Became Flesh

A dear friend once shared that whenever she sees someone carrying a sign that says, “John 3:16,” she assumes it implies bigotry and exclusion. I was surprised because in my privileged white, straight, CIS-gendered bubble, I’ve only ever thought of this verse as being about God’s love. In case you’re unfamiliar with arguably the most… Continue reading For God So Loves All