The Evangelical Universalist

by Gregory MacDonald, Oliver D Crisp (Foreword by)

Overview

-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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781620322390
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	05/11/2012
Edition description:	2nd ed.
Pages:	296
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Gregory MacDonald is Robin A. Parry, an editor at Wipf and Stock publishers.

Table of Contents

Foreword Oliver Crisp xi

Preface to the Second Edition xiii

Abbreviations xxii

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 A Hell of a Problem 9

Chapter 2 Universalism and Biblical Theology 35

Chapter 3 Israel and the Nations in the Old Testament 54

Chapter 4 Christ, Israel, and the Nations in the New Testament 74

Chapter 5 A Universalist Interpretation of the Book of Revelation 106

Chapter 6 To Hell and Back 133

Chapter 7 Advantages of Christian Universalism and Replies to Remaining Objections 156

Appendix 1 A Reply to William Lane Craig's Argument that Molinism is Compatible with Non-Universalism 178

Appendix 2 Christ, Cosmos, and Church: The Theology of Ephesians 184

Appendix 3 The Lamb's Book of Life 192

Appendix 4 Love Wins? 195

Appendix 5 Responses to (Some of) My Critics 199

Appendix 6 Election 222

Appendix 7 Hell, Moral Formation, and Calvinism 243

Study Guide 247

Bibliography 251

Scripture Index 261

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"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

Editorial Reviews

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

From the Publisher