DOCSLIB.ORG

339 Michael J. Mcclymond This Work Broaches the Centuries-Old Debate

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
339 Michael J. Mcclymond This Work Broaches the Centuries-Old Debate Book Reviews 339 Michael J. McClymond, The Devil’s Redemption: A New History and Interpretation of Christian Universalism 2 vols. (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2018). xxiv + 1325 pp. $90.00 hardcover. This work broaches the centuries-old debate over universal salvation, bring- ing together careful historical reconstruction of arguments, on both sides, with rigorous theological analysis. Historical theologian Michael McClymond fur- nishes timely perspective into universalism in its many forms, past and present. While a distinct majority throughout Christian history have sought to draw up lines against universalism, there is an increasing number, even among evangel- icals, who gravitate to the possibility that a loving God will finally save every person he has created. In chapter 1 McClymond addresses historic Protestant, Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, evangelical, and Pentecostal-charismatic perspectives. Chapter 2 traces the Western esoteric roots of universalism, originating within ancient Gnosticism and reemerging in the Jewish Kabbalah and Christian Cabala of the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods. The next two chap- ters survey the undeniable influence of the ancient Alexandrian theologian Origen. Chapters 5 and 6 consider the modern resurgence of universalism in the thought of German Lutheran Jakob Böhme and American Protestantism, respectively. Chapter 7 surveys the rise of universalism in the German idealism of Immanuel Kant, Julius Müller, Friedrich Schleiermacher, Georg W.F. Hegel, FriedrichW.J. Schelling, and PaulTillich. Chapter 8 considers the impact of Rus- sian Sophianism in the thought of Vladimir Solovyov, Nicolas Berdyaev, Georges Florovsky, and Sergei Bulgakov. Chapter 9 examines the significance of Karl Barth’s doctrine of universal election and Jürgen Moltmann’s notion of divine passibility. Chapter 10 shifts to German Catholic arguments, noting the influ- ence of Karl Rahner’s “anonymous Christian” and Hans Urs von Balthasar’s “hopeful universalism.” Chapter 11 explores the development of current liberal, philosophical, evangelical, and charismatic trajectories. A final chapter evalu- ates the arguments and prescribes a way forward. McClymond’s scrupulous historical-theological approach exposes how much our thinking about universalism is enmeshed within a given time, place, and pretense. The work is framed by several underlying questions: Where do we go when we die? What is the nature of punishment in hell and does it last forever? What is the meaning of biblical grace and does it stand at odds with God’s justice? What did Jesus’ Passion actually accomplish? These questions are posed at the outset and revisited throughout, inviting the reader to criti- cally consider the theological gravitas of each argument. Pneuma © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, 2019 | doi:10.1163/15700747-04102021 340 Book Reviews So why a work of this length on the subject of universalism? One reason is the increasing popularity of universalism among the Abrahamic religions, not only Christianity but also Islam and Judaism. A second reason is to dispel the reductionism that conceives of universalism as a monolithic ideology. Many have sought a middle ground between the view that everyone goes to heaven upon death, without exception (ultra-universalism), and the traditional belief in a twofold heaven and hell (particularlism). Morman near universalism pos- tulates that all but a few apostate souls end up in heaven. Tension over whether postmortem punishment exists for sin typified the Universalist Church of the nineteenth century, with a large number conceding there must be some conse- quence beyond this life for drug peddlers, rapists, and murderers. The resultant restorationist position adopts a modified view of purgatory, applying a tradi- tionally Roman Catholic teaching “to everyone and not merely the Catholic faithful” (1:16). Universalism thus synergizes traditional church teachings to meet the demands of a morally culpable, yet “hopeful”—eventually everyone goes to heaven—soteriology. This restorationist impulse is a retrieval of Ori- gen’s doctrine of apokatastasis (the return to one’s primordial condition). Ori- genism redefines punishment as primarily “rehabilitative” (curative or reme- dial) rather than “retributive” (1:318, 426). McClymond’s perceptive discussion of Böhme uncovers how esotericism extends the conceptual framework for universalism. Böhme’s notion of the Ungrund (nonbeing) and the origin of both good and evil in God, led to an attempt among subsequent thinkers, especially in the German and Russian idealist stream, to reconcile Böhme’s apparent dualism via Christian mysti- cism. Despite Böhme’s radical apophaticism, his mystical leanings point to the impalpability of the afterlife—although humanity ventures to grasp what lies beyond the grave, the nature of eternity will continue to perplex the rational mind.While Böhme himself was not a universalist, his influence on subsequent thinkers—vis-à-vis Hegel—including Barth’s implicit (God-who-is-for-us) and Moltmann’s explicit (God-who-is-for-us-in-suffering) universalism, is profound (2:864). Equally illuminating is McClymond’s treatment of perhaps the most forceful argument in favor of universal salvation. As articulated by James Relly and elab- orated in Barth, this cross-centric argument stems from the indissoluble link between human beings and Christ. If indeed God’s rejection of fallen human- ity was entirely realized on the cross of Christ (Barth’s “Rejected One”), then is any further recourse necessary? Would it not be inconsistent for a gracious God to pivot from his final rejection of sin and guilt? Yet, Barth also admits the ongoing reality of separation from God and divine judgement and is thus forced to conclude some “eschatological uncertainty” (2:863). McClymond’s Pneuma 41 (2019) 291–366.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Reconciling Universal Salvation and Freedom of Choice in Origen of Alexandria
    Marquette University e-Publications@Marquette Dissertations, Theses, and Professional Dissertations (1934 -) Projects Reconciling Universal Salvation and Freedom of Choice in Origen of Alexandria Lee W. Sytsma Marquette University Follow this and additional works at: https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu Part of the Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Sytsma, Lee W., "Reconciling Universal Salvation and Freedom of Choice in Origen of Alexandria" (2018). Dissertations (1934 -). 769. https://epublications.marquette.edu/dissertations_mu/769 RECONCILING UNIVERSAL SALVATION AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE IN ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA by Lee W. Sytsma, B.A., M.T.S. A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School, Marquette University, in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Milwaukee, Wisconsin May 2018 ABSTRACT RECONCILING UNIVERSAL SALVATION AND FREEDOM OF CHOICE IN ORIGEN OF ALEXANDRIA Lee W. Sytsma, B.A., M.T.S. Marquette University, 2018 Origen has traditionally been famous for his universalism, but many scholars now express doubt that Origen believed in a universal and permanent apocatastasis. This is because many scholars are convinced that Origen’s teaching on moral autonomy (or freedom of choice) is logically incompatible with the notion that God foreordains every soul’s future destiny. Those few scholars who do argue that Origen believed in both moral autonomy and universal salvation either do not know how to reconcile these two views in Origen’s theology, or their proposed “solutions” are not convincing. In this dissertation I make two preliminary arguments which allow the question of logical compatibility to come into focus.
    [Show full text]
  • Issues with Christian Universalismv2
    Main Issues with Christian Universalism Topical Resource and Research 05/12/2013 Fellowship Church, Knoxville, TN Quick Hits Christian Universalism differs from Traditional Universalism in that Traditional Universalism (TU) says that all religions are equal and that all people will be saved regardless of beliefs. Christian Universalism (Christian Universalism) says that all will be saved, but through Christ. All people will come to worship and adore Christ. This will happen during an almost “Purgatory” state where people will be held until they come to confess Christ. This keeps Christ center. This view can also be called “Ultimate Reconciliation.” Tentmaker.org is a website that many who hold this view reference and use to find “scholarly” articles (some articles are written by scholars and some are not) and sources. One of the tenents espoused by Tentmaker, et al, is that Scriptures have been mistranslated or that early traditions aren’t correctly viewed. Defending a traditional view against such presuppositions can be difficult. 1 Main Issues There are two main points that need to be addressed, as they are the ones that the majority of the questions will come from. 1) The Greek word aion. This Greek word is used for the word “eternal” and “forever” in the New Testament. One of the main claims that the proponents of Christian Universalism make is that the word, from which we get our word “eon,” is mistranslated and means “an age.” In this, there is a sliver of truth. Aion is used in different ways in the New Testament and is a word that has no real English equivalent.
    [Show full text]
  • Addressing Fundamentalism by Legal and Spiritual Means
    H UMAN R IGHTS & H UMAN W ELFARE Addressing Fundamentalism by Legal and Spiritual Means By Dan Wessner Religion and Humane Global Governance by Richard A. Falk. New York: Palgrave, 2001. 191 pp. Gender and Human Rights in Islam and International Law: Equal before Allah, Unequal before Man? by Shaheen Sardar Ali. The Hague: Kluwer Law International, 2000. 358 pp. Religious Fundamentalisms and the Human Rights of Women edited by Courtney W. Howland. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 1999. 326 pp. The Islamic Quest for Democracy, Pluralism, and Human Rights by Ahmad S. Moussalli. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2001. 226 pp. The post-Cold War era stands at a crossroads. Some sort of new world order or disorder is under construction. Our choice to move more toward multilateralism or unilateralism is informed well by inter-religious debate and international law. Both disciplines rightly challenge the “post- Enlightenment divide between religion and politics,” and reinvigorate a spiritual-legal dialogue once thought to be “irrelevant or substandard” (Falk: 1-8, 101). These disciplines can dissemble illusory walls between spiritual/sacred and material/modernist concerns, between realpolitik interests and ethical judgment (Kung 1998: 66). They place praxis and war-peace issues firmly in the context of a suffering humanity and world. Both warn as to how fundamentalism may subjugate peace and security to a demagogic, uncompromising quest. These disciplines also nurture a community of speech that continues to find its voice even as others resort to war. The four books considered in this essay respond to the rush and risk of unnecessary conflict wrought by fundamentalists.
    [Show full text]
  • Christian Universalism in the Novels of Denise Giardina William Jolliff George Fox University, [email protected]
    Digital Commons @ George Fox University Faculty Publications - Department of English Department of English 2016 The ideW Reach of Salvation: Christian Universalism in the Novels of Denise Giardina William Jolliff George Fox University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/eng_fac Recommended Citation Jolliff, William, "The ideW Reach of Salvation: Christian Universalism in the Novels of Denise Giardina" (2016). Faculty Publications - Department of English. 28. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/eng_fac/28 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of English at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications - Department of English by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. The Wide Reach of Salvation: Christian Universalism in the Novels of Denise Giardina William Jolliff It would be careless and reductive to refer to Denise Giardina as a regionalist; she is simply someone paying attention to her life. - W. Dale Brown Maybe Denise Giardina has written too well about Appalachia. Storming Heaven (1987) and The Unquiet Earth (1992), the two novels set in the West Virginia coalfields of the author's childhood, have received serious critical attention: but with few exceptions, her other novels have been ignored by academic commentators. Had Giardina written with such perfect and articulate craft about Dublin or London or New York, critics might be slower to think of her simply as a regionalist or even a writer of place. And I suspect she would have less trouble being heard when she says, as she has many times, "As much as I'm an Appalachian writer, I get called a political writer, but the label that is most appropriate for my writing is theological writing" (Douglass 34).
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Theology and Limits on Reciprocity in Catholic-Jewish Dialogue
    Studies in Christian-Jewish Relations Volume 7 (2012): Gregerman RES1-13 RESPONSE Jewish Theology and Limits on Reciprocity in Catholic-Jewish Dialogue Adam Gregerman, Institute for Christian & Jewish Studies A Response to Cardinal Kurt Koch’s October 30, 2011 Keynote Address at Seton Hall University during the 10th Annual Meeting of the Council of Centers on Christian-Jewish Relations The Catholic Church, more than any other Christian group or institution, has made a dramatic break with centuries of anti-Judaism. It has persisted in revising its teachings despite enormous- ly complex and fraught theological issues about God, Christ, and salvation. Cardinal Kurt Koch’s speech at Seton Hall University on October 30, 2011 continued this trajectory. He was theologi- cally sophisticated, gracious, and also controversial. His speech, with its mix of unproblematic and also provocative claims, illustrates the difficult process by which Catholics rethink their views about Jews and Judaism. Importantly, he nobly commits himself and the Church to improved in- terreligious relations, and his speech makes a valuable contribution to theological reflection on issues related to the ongoing legitimacy of the Jewish covenant with God. However, he also pre- sents some claims about Judaism that are questionable and makes some requests of Jews that will be met with reluctance and even judged unacceptable. In my response to his speech, I will first situate his statements in the context of earlier Catholic statements about Jews and Judaism. I will highlight examples of both continuity and discontinuity and offer possible explanations for some of the distinctive claims he makes. I will then consider in more depth selected passages that contain important but controversial statements.
    [Show full text]
  • Universal Salvation and the Problem of Hell John R
    Theological Studies 52 (1991) CURRENT ESCHATOLOGY: UNIVERSAL SALVATION AND THE PROBLEM OF HELL JOHN R. SACHS, S.J. Weston School of Theology, Cambridge, Mass. HE PURPOSE of this article is to take a fresh look at the ancient and Tmuch misunderstood theme of apocatastasis. Increasing contempo­ rary use of the apocalyptic language of hell, hand in hand with the alarming appeal and growth of fundamentalism, sectarianism, and inte- gralism, suggest the urgency of this endeavor. After first surveying the checkered history of this theme from biblical times to the present, I will, second, state and describe the central points of current Catholic theology on these issues. It manifests a remarkable degree of consensus. Third, I shall turn more closely to the highly original thought of Hans Urs von Balthasar, whose approach seems most challenging. Fourth, I shall raise a question concerning the ability of human freedom to reject God defin­ itively. Finally, my conclusion will stress how a properly understood Christian universalism is not only consonant with several central strands of Christian belief, but is also profoundly relevant to the religious and cultural developments of the present age. THE DOCTRINE OF APOCATASTASIS The doctrine of apocatastasis, commonly attributed to Origen, main­ tained that the entire creation, including sinners, the damned, and the devil, would finally be restored to a condition of eternal happiness and salvation. This was an important theme in early Christian eschatology.1 Even before the Christian era, of course, the idea of an apokatastasis paritàri was well known in ancient religion and philosophy. In Eastern thought especially, one finds a predominantly cyclical conception of time and history according to which the end always involves a return to the 1 See, for example, Brian E.
    [Show full text]
  • Re-Imagining and Updating Catholicity: Building Church Unity in a Globalized and Scattered World*
    Re-imagining and Updating Catholicity: Building Church Unity in a Globalized and Scattered World* SANDRA ARENAS PÉREZ** ABSTRACT ontemporary Catholic theological debate on catholicity claims to recover a qualitative conception of catholicity, in order to correct C the classical emphasis on geographical breadth. The tendencies to iden tify catholicity with universality, to confuse universality with uniformity and to equate continuity with immutability, prevented the Church from developing a holistic approach to catholicity. In facing the challenge of globalization, Christianity can offer an alter native way of togetherness in diversity, which seems to be the current translation of the theological category of the catholicity of the Church. This article’s focus will be therefore on the role and significance of community building and the Church’s unity in regard to sustaining creation and addressing globalization. Key Words: Catholicity, Church Unity, Globalization, Commu­ nity building, Ecumenism. * This article results of fruitful theological discussions held with some colleagues at the Theology Faculty of the Catholic University of Leuven-Belgium, on the occasion of the International Conference “To Discern Creation in a Scattered World”. A preliminar version, with a stronger emphasis on globalization, was published as part of the memoirs of the above mentioned event: Lernen für das Leben. Perspektiven ökumenischen Lernens und ökumenischer Bildung. Leuven: Lembeck, 2010., p. 187-201 ** Doctor in Systematic Theology, Catholic University of Leuven, Belgium. Adjunct Assis- tant Professor of Systematic Theology, Faculty of Theology, Pontifical Catholic University in Santiago, Chile. E-mail: [email protected] THEOLOGICA XAVERIANA – VOL. 64 NO. 178 (331-351). JULIO-DICIEMBRE 2014. BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIA.
    [Show full text]
  • "Ten Years Later: Fear, Fundamentalism and Unitarian Universalism"
    Prairie Unitarian U niversalist Society 2010 Whenona Drive, Madison, WI 53711 * 608-271-8218 * www.uuprairie.org "Ten Years Later: Fear, Fundamentalism and Unitarian Universalism" Today's Order of Service Announcements Green Note Pack a litter free lunch. You can find many Prelude - "Sounds from the Gumdrop Factory," performed by Katherine Liu. reusable lunch kit items at places like Goodwill: cloth napkins, mismatched silverware, and even unusual Welcome and Announcements - Barb Park bags to use as your "lunch box." Then think about saving plastic and glass containers that have good lids Opening Words: America and Islam are not exclusive and to pack your lunch in. You will likely eat better need not be in competition. Instead, they overlap, and share bringing lunch from home, and with a litter-free lunch common principles of justice and progress, tolerance and the kit you are also helping the earth. dignity of all human beings. -Barack Obama The Humanist Union meets today after the service. A potluck lunch will start at 11 :45 am, and will be *Hymn #134 (SLT): "Our World Is One World," Doleta followed by a program entitled, "Looking Back, Chapru, accompanist. Looking Forward." September marks 7 years since a Lighting of the Chalice: The wise man in the storm prays t» group of Prairie members decided to form the God, not for safety from danger, but for deliverance from humanist discussion group which subsequently became fear. the Humanist Union of Madison. We will talk about -Ralph. Waldo Emerson our favorite programs over the last seven years, ideas for future programs, and how to best take advantage of Silent Meditation the publicity generated for our group by the Madison Area Coalition of Reason publicity campaign which Story for All Ages we expect to be underway.
    [Show full text]
  • God Is Not a Person (An Argument Via Pantheism)
    International Journal for Philosophy of Religion (2019) 85:281–296 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11153-018-9678-x ARTICLE God is not a person (an argument via pantheism) Simon Hewitt1 Received: 22 November 2017 / Accepted: 3 July 2018 / Published online: 6 July 2018 © The Author(s) 2018 Abstract This paper transforms a development of an argument against pantheism into an objection to the usual account of God within contemporary analytic philosophy (’Swinburnian theism’). A standard criticism of pantheism has it that pantheists cannot ofer a satisfactory account of God as personal. My paper will develop this criticism along two lines: frst, that personhood requires contentful mental states, which in turn necessitate the membership of a linguistic community, and second that personhood requires limitation within a wider context constitutive of the ’setting’ of the agent’s life. Pantheism can, I argue, satisfy neither criterion of personhood. At this point the tables are turned on the Swinburnian theist. If the pantheist cannot defend herself against the personhood-based attacks, neither can the Swinburnian, and for instructively parallel reasons: for neither doctrine is God in the material world; in the pantheist case God is identical with the world, in the Swinburnian case God transcends it. Either way both the pantheist and the Swinburnian are left with a dilemma: abandon divine personhood or modify the doctrine of God so as to block the move to personhood. Keywords Pantheism · Divine personhood · Apophaticism · Divine language Is God a person? Since the advent of philosophy of religion in the analytic tradi- tion the consensus of opinion has favoured answering this question in the afrma- tive (as we will see in due course).
    [Show full text]
  • Reconciling Faith and Reason: Universalism As Theological Anomaly in Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Rural Ontario
    Reconciling Faith and Reason: Universalism as Theological Anomaly in Nineteenth and Twentieth-Century Rural Ontario MARVIN L. ANDERSON In light of the thematic focus of this year’s annual meeting on Boundaries, I will be giving specific attention to the various ways in which the Universal- ist understanding of Christianity was a theological anomaly in nineteenth and early-twentieth century rural Ontario that was at variance with more conservative formulations of Christianity in neighbouring Christian churches in their local rural communities. This paper is based on my his- torical research in preparation as the guest speaker for the celebration of the 120th Anniversary of The Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda located near Leamington, Ontario, in Essex County, on Sunday, 12 November 2000. For the purposes of this paper, I will primarily concentrate on the salient theological challenge posed by the Universalist movement in the late- nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries within Canada. Secondarily, I will examine the growth and formation of this “Christian” denomination at the Olinda Universalist Church during this period, with brief attention to its historical transformation into its present-day identity as the Unitarian Universalist Church of Olinda. In summary, this paper will examine the significant theological and historical inroads made by Universalism as a predominately rural movement in Ontario. The characteristic values and theological outlook of Universal- ism will be analysed with specific attention to the small town and rural context in which this liberal religious orientation took root and thrived. The Historical Papers 2002: Canadian Society of Church History 46 Reconciling Faith and Reason theological and religious anomaly of Universalism was clearly evident in how the longstanding Universalist church at Olinda contested, if not trespassed, traditional Christian, ecclesial boundaries and mores for normative religious life in southwestern Ontario.
    [Show full text]
  • The Episcopal Church: Tearing the Fabric of Communion to Shreds
    AMERICAN ANGLICAN CO UNCIL THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH: TEARING THE FABRIC OF COMMUNION TO SHREDS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” Psalm 11:3 In the following sections we describe how the leadership of The Episcopal Church has been systematically destroying the foundations of Anglican Christianity within the United States, and tearing the fabric of the Anglican Communion to shreds. Through the following sections, we will demonstrate, through the words of TEC leaders, their actions and their defiance of both the Bible and the instruments of Anglican unity, why orthodox Anglicans in North America were led to form the Anglican Church in North America in order to preserve and promote an Anglicanism that is truly Biblical, missionary and united. Catalogue of Heresies Quoting Episcopal Church leaders denying Jesus as the only way to the Father, denying the divinity and uniqueness of Jesus Christ, denying the Resurrection, denying heaven and hell, denying salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ, denying the authority of Holy Scripture, denying the Creeds, and denying Biblical standards for human sexuality. We also document the fruits of TEC‘s new theology—which include a refusal to reaffirm the historic articles of the Christian faith, syncretism, the promotion of abortion, weakening traditional marriage, promoting same sex blessings and other sexual aberrations, communion for the unbaptized, and accelerating litigation by TEC against the orthodox. We conclude with the heresies of the current Presiding Bishop, in her own words, an analysis that demonstrates her affirmation of the classic heresies of Pelagianism, Marcionism, Pluralism, Universalism and Gnosticism.
    [Show full text]
  • 5 Starter Facts About Unitarian Universalism
    5 Starter Facts About Unitarian Universalism 1. Unitarian Universalism welcomes pluralism and diversity in its beliefs and practices, embracing teachings from Eastern and Western religions and philosophies. There are ~250,000 adherents in the United States. 2. Unitarian Universalism was established in 1961 from the merge of the Universalist Church of America (est. 1793), and the American Unitarian Association (est. 1825). The name refers to the oneness of God and the belief that all people gain salvation. 3. Unitarian-Universalists do not have a common creed or doctrine, but they share seven principles viewed as guidance for life and morality. It includes affirmation of the inherent dignity of every person, promotion of justice, equality and compassion, and a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. 4. Because Unitarian Universalism has its roots in Protestant Christianity, the Bible remains an important sacred text for many. However, they also turn to texts from other traditions and cultures around the world for wisdom and spiritual insights. Central to their understanding of scripture and sacred texts is that each text must be understood to be a product of a particular time and place. 5. Believing in God is not an expectation, like most Western religions. Rather, the varying concepts of the divine, or lack thereof, is what uplifts the community in not feeling alone in their personal beliefs. Learn more at: https://www.uua.org/beliefs https://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-corter-/unitarian-universalism-wh_b_14174824.htm l These five points are not meant to be comprehensive or authoritative. We hope they encourage you to explore this spirituality more deeply and seek out members of this community to learn about their beliefs in action.
    [Show full text]