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People often say that Christian universalism is a fringe viewpoint that is dismissed as heretical by most Christians. But how true is that? Most people don't know what universalism actually is as was the case with me until I started reading some of the universalist threads here on CF a year or so ago. Rather than rejecting universalism, I think many are in the open/hopeful category but to help them see that, they need to have a conversation or read a thread about what universalism actually means.
The way something is described can affect the answers people give. If I put a poll on this thread with the question 'Do you believe in universalism", most responses would be No. But I think this is because most people think universalism is the same as relativism or Unitarian Universalism and that Jesus is not necessary for salvation.
I used to think that it was just relativism - the idea that all points of view are equally valid - until I learnt that universalism means that Jesus will actually "draw all people" to Himself and that "every knee will bow", and so everyone is saved through Jesus. I think many people would be open to that. Even people who are tied into the more mainstream view of Eternal Conscious Torment don't necessarily want that to be true. They just believe that that's how it works. Sadly, I've known people who abandoned Christianity because of the concept of ECT who may not have done if they had heard of an alternative view.
Of course, there will always be some people who will oppose the idea of universal salvation no matter what but I think generally people are pretty open to the idea when it's explained.
To illustrate my point, if put a poll on this thread that asked "Might you be in favour of universalism" most answers would almost certainly be No, but if it was possible to put a series of questions on the poll, the answer may be different:
Poll 1.
Are you worried about people going to hell?
Ans: Yes
Do you think the Christian message of responsibility and repentance is being softened to make it more appealing to the general population?
Ans: Yes
Are you worried that the objective truth of Christianity is being lost in our post-truth society?
Ans: Yes
Do you think that universalism contributes to this relativism?
Ans: Yes
Might you be in favour of the idea of universal salvation?
Ans: No
Poll 2.
Are you worried about people going to hell?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that we are all God's children and are loved by Him more than we can ever comprehend?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that God has the power and will to achieve His purposes?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that God is the Good Shepherd who searches for every lost sheep until it is found?
Ans: Yes
Might you be in favour of the idea of universal salvation?
Ans: Yes
The way something is described can affect the answers people give. If I put a poll on this thread with the question 'Do you believe in universalism", most responses would be No. But I think this is because most people think universalism is the same as relativism or Unitarian Universalism and that Jesus is not necessary for salvation.
I used to think that it was just relativism - the idea that all points of view are equally valid - until I learnt that universalism means that Jesus will actually "draw all people" to Himself and that "every knee will bow", and so everyone is saved through Jesus. I think many people would be open to that. Even people who are tied into the more mainstream view of Eternal Conscious Torment don't necessarily want that to be true. They just believe that that's how it works. Sadly, I've known people who abandoned Christianity because of the concept of ECT who may not have done if they had heard of an alternative view.
Of course, there will always be some people who will oppose the idea of universal salvation no matter what but I think generally people are pretty open to the idea when it's explained.
To illustrate my point, if put a poll on this thread that asked "Might you be in favour of universalism" most answers would almost certainly be No, but if it was possible to put a series of questions on the poll, the answer may be different:
Poll 1.
Are you worried about people going to hell?
Ans: Yes
Do you think the Christian message of responsibility and repentance is being softened to make it more appealing to the general population?
Ans: Yes
Are you worried that the objective truth of Christianity is being lost in our post-truth society?
Ans: Yes
Do you think that universalism contributes to this relativism?
Ans: Yes
Might you be in favour of the idea of universal salvation?
Ans: No
Poll 2.
Are you worried about people going to hell?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that we are all God's children and are loved by Him more than we can ever comprehend?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that God has the power and will to achieve His purposes?
Ans: Yes
Do you believe that God is the Good Shepherd who searches for every lost sheep until it is found?
Ans: Yes
Might you be in favour of the idea of universal salvation?
Ans: Yes