Can an orthodox Christian, committed to the historic faith of the Church and the authority of the Bible, be a universalist? Is it possible to believe that salvation is found only by grace, through faith in Christ, and yet to maintain that in the end all people will be saved? Can one believe passionately in mission if one does not think that anyone will be lost forever? Could universalism be consistent with the teachings of the Bible? This book argues that the answer is 'yes' to all of these questions. Weaving together philosophical, theological and biblical considerations, the author shows that being a universalist is consistent with the central teachings of the Bible and of historic Christian theology.

Universalism runs like a slender thread through the history of Christian theology. Over the centuries Christian universalism, in one form or another, has been reinvented time and time again. In this book an international team of scholars explore the diverse universalisms of Christian thinkers from the Origen to Moltmann. In the introduction Gregory MacDonald argues that theologies of universal salvation occupy a space between heresy and dogma. Therefore disagreements about whether all will be saved should not be thought of as debates between "the orthodox" and "heretics" but rather as "in-house" debates between Christians. The studies in this collection aim, in the first instance, to hear, understand, and explain the eschatological claims of a range of Christians from the third to the twenty-first centuries. They also offer some constructive, critical engagement with those claims.

Synopsis: Can an orthodox Christian, committed to the historic faith of the church and the authority of the Bible, be a universalist? Is it possible to believe that salvation is found only by grace, through faith in Christ, and yet to maintain that in the end all people will be saved? Can one believe passionately in mission if one does not think that anyone will be lost forever? Could universalism be consistent with the teachings of the Bible? Gregory MacDonald argues that the answer is yes to all of these questions. Weaving together philosophical, theological, and biblical considerations, MacDonald seeks to show that being a committed universalist is consistent with the central teachings of the biblical texts and of historic Christian theology. This second edition contains a new preface providing the backstory of the book, two extensive new appendices, a study guide, and a Scripture index. Endorsements: "This passionate and lucid advocacy of an evangelical universalism not only engages with key passages in the context of the overall biblical narrative but also treats clearly the profound theological and philosophical issues to which that narrative gives rise. Readers will find this book an excellent, accessible, and indispensable aid in their own attempts to grapple with what its author describes as 'a hell of a problem.'" --Andrew T. Lincoln Portland Professor in New Testament Studies University of Gloucestershire "I was struck by the persuasiveness of many of Gregory MacDonald's arguments, not least since they rest in an unusually adept interweaving of biblical exegesis with relevant philosophical and theological considerations." --Joel B. Green Professor of New Testament Interpretation Fuller Theological Seminary "With this wonderful book, Gregory MacDonald joins the growing body of evangelical Christians who now accept a doctrine of universal reconciliation. But I know of no one who has set forth an equally clear, thorough, and compelling case for a universalist reading of the Bible as a whole." --Thomas Talbott Emeritus Professor of Philosophy Willamette University "This volume makes a significant contribution to a long-standing theological conundrum that has become a pressing concern in our modern world. For some, it is a dangerous book. But the best books are often the dangerous ones. This is both a dangerous and an important work. For these reasons, it should be read and pondered." --Oliver D. Crisp Professor of Systematic Theology Fuller Theological Seminary Author Biography: Gregory MacDonald is Robin A. Parry, an editor at Wipf and Stock publishers.