Universalism
Universalism comprises concepts and issues which are said to be "universal" in appealâ€"i.e. transcending any existing localizing boundaries. In particular,
*
Truth may be said to be
universal, as opposed to
relativism conceptions;
*
Rights may be said universals, for example
natural rights or the 1789
Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, heavily influenced by the philosophy of the
Enlightenment and its conception of a universal
human nature;
*In
comparative religion,
universalism is the belief that true and valuable insights are available in many of the religious traditions which have grown up in various human cultures. It posits that a spiritually aware person will respect religious traditions other than his own and will be open to learning from them. It does not deny that immersion in one tradition is a useful anchor for an individual's spiritual development. While it celebrates the richness and value to be found among humankind's religious traditions, it does not necessarily deny that some things done in the name of religion, and some religious practices, are not constructive. But it distinguishes itself from the view that there is only one true faith, one uniquely chosen people, or one final prophet superseding all others. The name
Universalist refers to certain
religious denominations of universalism, which as a core principle adhere to standards and rituals which are convergent rather than divergent, often espousing themselves as alternatives to denominations based on
dogmatic or factionalized differences;
*A
universal religion is one that holds itself true for all people and thus allows anyone to join, regardless of their
ethnicity. In contrast, ethnic religions, like ethnicity itself, can be determined not just by genealogy, but by
geography,
language, and other social boundaries. In that sense
Christianity,
Islam, and
Buddhism are universal religions, whereas
Sikhism,
Druze, and
Judaism are ethnic religions. However,
Judaism may also be considered universal, since there is no requirement for non-Jews to convert, only for them to follow the
Noahide Laws. Contrast with
Chosen people.
Hinduism is also typically an "ethnic" religion, but converts will be able to be re-socialized into this system.
*Within
Christianity,
Universalism,
universal reconciliation, or
universal salvation, is the
doctrine that all will be
saved;
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Universalism is also used as a
synonym for
moral universalism, as a compromise between
moral relativism and
moral absolutism.
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Universalism can also mean the wish for a closer union between all people of the world (the emergence of
world citizens) and/or the aim of creating common global institutions (
democratic globalization).
As noted above, in
Christianity,
Universalism,
Universal reconciliation, or
universal salvation, is the
doctrine that all will be
saved. Among theologians the doctrine is often referred to using the Greek word
apocatastasis. The doctrine addresses the
problem of Hell and notions of God's mercy and justice. Universalists contend that a loving
God would not submit anyone, regardless of his or her
sins or beliefs, to everlasting torment. Some also argue that eternal condemnation in Hell, an infinite punishment, is not
proportionately just with any number of essentially finite sins.
Scriptural support includes Biblical passages such as 1 Corinthians
15:22 and Revelation
5:13. Some universalists, sometimes called "strong universalists," hold that
all creatures, including
demons and even
Satan himself, will eventually be saved. In
North America, some adherents formed the
Universalist Church, which in 1961 merged with the
American Unitarian Association to form the
Unitarian Universalist Association and creating a new form of Universalism called
Unitarian Universalism.
Universalists as a matter of historical definition are those who believe God to be so loving that all will be reconciled to God's own self. Anything short of "universal salvation," Universalists in the 18th century thought, would fail to comport with the image of God as all-powerful and all-knowing. The doctrine can be traced to the earliest centuries of Church history, and was taught by both
Origen and
St. Gregory of Nyssa. Universalists in 18th and 19th century North America often believed that the punishment for sin was simply the fate of having to live the life of a sinner, and that this was sufficient and "just retribution" for such conduct. Others believed in something closer to purgatory, while others said it was beyond the understanding of mortals to know what would ultimately transpire before all dwell in "final harmony" with God.
As for human conduct, Universalists typically have taught that the boundless love of God by which all sin will (at least eventually) be forgiven animates a similar duty for humankind, citing the same biblical texts on forgiveness that are used by 'partialists' (a Universalist term for non-Universalist Christians) to illustrate the principles by which Universalists seek to live, among which the most notable is the petition from the
Lord's Prayer - "Forgive us our [debts/sins/trespasses], as we forgive our [debtors/those who trespass against us/those who sin against us]". (See
Forgiveness.)
In its more pluralist expressions, and as a result of its ultimate consolidation of the
Universalist Church of America with the
Unitarian denomination, many Universalists have moved away from an explicitly or wholly biblical foundation for their inclusive faith. That said, Universalists have bestowed upon
Unitarian Universalism a global understanding of what constitutes God's family, an undiminished belief in the goodness of the life, and a commitment to seeking reconciliation and restorative justice in their personal relationships and in the public realm.
There remain Christians outside the fold of the Unitarian Universalist Association, who are otherwise theologically conservative and who hold to Universalism. These include various Evangelical and Baptist Universalist ("no-heller") groups. [
1] [
2]Many Universalists believe that Jesus was the first Universalist. They tend to insist on walking the talk and being of service to their communities and see their religion as a means of commitment to peace and justice and being true to a stand on human rights of all people regardless of any category or false division. It should also be noted that there are "hopeful" universalists in many of the larger denominations [
3][
4] [
5], and many universalists who believe in hell as a place of remedial punishment. This belief in hell is held by Bishop Carlton Pearson's "Higher Dimensions Family Church," and stated on their web site (on the frequently asked questions page) in the following words:
"A person who spends every day getting drunk, will ruin their health, marriage, family and career; they will make their lives a living Hell. But that still falls far short of the chronic alcoholic being condemned by a just God to literally burn in Hell forever and ever. For others it may very well be that the punishment merited by their sins is greater than what they receive in this life. For those people perhaps there will be some kind of punishment after death, but we believe that it will be remedial and corrective rather than just punishment for punishment's sake. Exactly what that will be and how long it will last we don't know. Will Hell for some people last 10 minutes or 10 million years...we don't know. But this we do know; Hell will not last for eternity; it will not be endless...Don't sin. Be reunited with God now, rather than after you have put yourself (and those you love) through Hell." [
6]
In
Ananda Marga, Universalism refers to the ideas that energy and matter are evolved from cosmic consciousness. Thus, all created beings are of one universal family. This is an expansion of humanism to include everything as family, based on fundamental truth that the universe is a thought projection from the Supreme.
In the
New Church Universalism is the belief that The Lord created every person to go to heaven and be conjoined with Him there as an angel. And also that He does not make anyone go there, but people freely choose their eternal destiny.
People of all faiths come into heaven if they have followed their beliefs sincerely and loved God and their neighbors.
Those who go to Hell have chosen Hell because they enjoy Hellish delights, which in Hell are only allowed to be enjoyed as fantasy. Therefore the Lord does not punish people by sending them to Hell, but rather allows Hell as a permission of man's free will.
www.newchurch.org*
Universal reconciliation*
The problem of Hell*
Primitive Baptist Universalist*
Ecumenism*
Perennial philosophy*
Religious pluralism*
Ethnology*
Unitarian Universalist Association*
Biblical Universalism:Universal Salvation as Taught in the Greek Text of the New Testament -- Offers Biblical and Patristic Evidence that Hell is not Endless, with articles and sermons from historic universalists like Gregory of Nyssa, Charles Chauncy, and Elhanan Winchester.
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Universalism and the Bible -- Prof. Keith DeRose (of Yale University) defends universalism on biblical grounds.
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Universal Salvation in the Eschatology of Sergius Bulgakov*
Underground Universalism*
About God's Inclusive Love -- Bishop Carlton Pearson's web site.
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True Grace Ministries -- Rev. Ken Allen's web site.
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Tentmaker Gary Amirault's Christian Universalism ministry
Opposing Universalism
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Against Universalism -- Several articles opposing universalism, Especially against
preterist universalism.
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Catholic defintion of the Universalist heresy, *
Apocatastasis
