Trinitarian universalism
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Typically, Trinitarian Universalists (TUs) tend to attend UU congregations. Additionally, there are those TUs who attend Episcopal churches in the U.S. [1]
As stated on a unitarian web site:
Unitarianism and Universalism have been assumed linked for many years, most notably linked in name by the existence of the Unitarian Universalist Association...It seems a bit arrogant to assume that because two associations merged and formed a new association that the preceding theologies would cease to exist as valid theologies by themselves. To this day there are Trinitarian Universalists and non-universalist Unitarians [2]
Another Unitarian site makes the following observation regarding the diverse origins of the two groups, "Universalism began not as a revolt against the Trinity, as Unitarianism did, but in opposition to the harsh doctrine that only certain members of society will receive ultimate salvation" [3]
Rev. Christine Brownlie (of the Unitarian Universalist Association) states "At the time of the merger of the two denominations in 1962, there were people who thought that Universalist was still our proper name and Unitarian was a modifier which distinguished us from the Trinitarian Universalists" [4]
St. Gregory of Nyssa (a fourth century Christian universalist, see universalism) was Trinitarian (see Gregory of Nyssa.) As was Thomas Allin (an Anglican Universalist) [5]
Though the second Council of Costantinople (553 A.D.) condemned Origen in the following words:
If anyone does not anathematize Arius, Eunomius, Macedonius, Apollinaris, Nestorius, Eutyches and Origen, as well as their impious writings, as also all other heretics already condemned and anathematized by the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, and by the aforesaid four Holy Synods and [if anyone does not equally anathematize] all those who have held and hold or who in their impiety persist in holding to the end the same opinion as those heretics just mentioned: let him be anathema [6]
It spoke of Gregory in these words:
We further declare that we hold fast to the decrees of the four Councils, and in every way follow the holy Fathers, Athanasius, Hilary, Basil, Gregory the Theologian, Gregory of Nyssa...[7]
It is significant that Gregory is here listed among the Orthodox, because he was both a Trinitarian (who defended the Trinitarian faith of St. Athanasius at the first Council of Constantinople [8]), and a known universalist.
In an earlier century (in "The Great Catechism," Ch. XXVI) he wrote:
He (Christ) accomplished all the results before mentioned, freeing both man from evil, and healing even the introducer of evil himself. For the chastisement, however painful, of moral disease is a healing of its weakness[9]
The fifteen Anathemas issued against Origen (which may or may not belong to this Council [10]), condemned a form of Apokatastasis that involved the prexistence of the human soul, made Christ "of one subtance" with all other souls [11], and was quite different from that advocated by Gregory (who was declared "Father of Fathers" by the 7th Eccumenical Council in 787 A.D. [12])
See also
External links
- Tentmaker Ministries has hundreds of articles and books on line supporting Bible-centered Universalism.
- Universalism and the Bible -- Prof. Keith DeRose (of Yale University) defends universalism on biblical grounds.
- 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.
- The Timelessness of God and the Deity of Christ -- Why Einstein's Theory of Relativity views time and space as part of the same thing, and how this might effect the interpretation of certain Biblical texts.
- Trinitarian Universalism -- Quotes from Trinitarian Universalists like Gregory of Nyssa, Nathaniel Scarlett, and Thomas Allin.
- Eschatology and final restoration (apokatastasis) in Origen, Gregory of Nyssa and Maximos the Confessor -- An article from an Eastern Orthodox Journal.
- Discovering Trinitarian Universalism -- Trinitarian Universalists found within and without the Unitarian Universalist Association.