Universal Salvation?: The Current Debate

Will God one day save all people through Christ's atoning work? That is the question at the heart of the debate in this volume - a debate sure to challenge readers, whatever their current perspective.

Featuring evangelical writers of exceptional insight and sensitivity, Universal Salvation? offers a conversation worth everyone's attention. The volume opens with a rigorous three-part defense of Christian universalism by philosopher Thomas Talbott, who argues that Scripture teaches the ultimate salvation of all people, including those in hell. Gabriel Fackre in his foreword calls Talbott's work "the most thoughtfully wrought argument for universalism to date from within the contemporary evangelical community." The rest of the book gathers incisive responses to Talbott by Christian scholars from different disciplines, who evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of Talbott's arguments, take his thought in new directions, or explain why they think he is mistaken. Talbott then responds to his critics.

The aim of this volume is not to persuade people that universalism is true but to open up a fairer debate on a controversial subject of continuing importance to theologians and non-theologians alike.

Table of Contents

Introduction--Robin Parry & Christopher Partridge
I. A Case for Christian Universalism

1. Towards a Better Understanding of Universalism--Thomas Talbott
2. Christ Victorious--Thomas Talbott
3. A Pauline Interpretation of Divine Judgement--Thomas Talbott
   II. Biblical Responses
4. The New Testament Does Not Teach Universal Salvation--I. Howard Marshall
5. A Wideness in God's Mercy: Universalism in the Bible--Thomas Johnson
   III. Philosophical Responses
6. A Philosophical Critique of Talbott's Universalism--Jerry Walls
7. Human Freedom and the Impossibility of Eternal Damnation--Eric Reitan
   IV. Theological Responses
8. A Calvinist Response to Talbott's Universalism--Daniel Strange
9. A Freewill Theist's Response to Talbott's Universalism--John Sanders
   V. Historical Responses
10. Universalism in the History of Christianity--Morwenna Ludlow
11. Universalistic Trends in the Evangelical Tradition: A Historical Perspective--David Hilborn & Don Horrocks
    VI. Talbott Responds to his Interlocutors

12. Reply to my Critics--Thomas Talbott
    Bibliography.

    By exploring universal salvation from biblical, philosophical, theological, and historical perspectives, the book helps readers think through the issues more carefully than has been possible with resources previously available.