Universalism
Universalism refers to any concept in philosophy or doctrine in religion that applies to all persons and/or all things for all times and all situations.
In philosophy
- For Universal Morals, see Moral universalism (disambiguation) or Moral absolutism (disambiguation)
- For Universal Religious Beliefs, see Comparative religion (disambiguation)
- For Universal Rights, see Natural rights (disambiguation)
- For Universal Truth, see Universality (philosophy) (disambiguation)
In politics
- For Universal Citizenship, see World citizen (disambiguation)
- For Universal Democracy, see Democratic mundialization (disambiguation)
- For Universal Politics, see Internationalism (politics) (disambiguation)
In religion
Ananda Marga
In Ananda Marga, Universalism refers to the idea that energy and matter are evolved from cosmic consciousness. Thus, all created beings are of one universal family. This is an expansion of humanism to include everything as family, based on the fundamental truth that the universe is a thought projection from the Supreme.
Christianity
In Christianity, Universalism refers to the belief that all humans will be saved from eternal damnation or annihilation in hell. A related doctrine, apokatastasis, is the belief that all moral beings will be reconciled to God, including Satan and his fallen angels.
See also
Judaism
Jews believe that God chose the Jewish people to be in a unique covenant with God. This covenant is described by the Torah, and it imposes particular obligations and responsibilities. Sometimes this choice is seen as charging the Jewish people with a specific mission — to be a light unto the nations, and to exemplify the covenant with God as described in the Torah. This view, however, did not preclude a belief that God has a relationship with other peoples — rather, Judaism held that God had entered into a covenant with all mankind, and that Jews and non-Jews alike have a relationship with God.
See also Jewish views of religious pluralism.
New Church
In the New Church, Universalism is the belief that God created every person to go to heaven and be conjoined with him there as an angel. And also that he does not make anyone go there, but people freely choose their eternal destiny.
People of all faiths come into heaven if they have followed their beliefs sincerely and loved God and their neighbors.
Those who go to Hell have chosen Hell because they enjoy hellish delights, which in Hell are only allowed to be enjoyed as fantasy. Therefore God does not punish people by sending them to Hell, but rather allows Hell as a permission of man's free will.
See also New Church's official website.
See also
- Universal reconciliation
- The problem of Hell
- Primitive Baptist Universalist
- Ecumenism
- Perennial philosophy
- Religious pluralism
- Ethnology
- Universalist Church of America
External links
- Unitarian Universalist Association
- 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.
- Universalism and the Bible -- Prof. Keith DeRose (of Yale University) defends universalism on biblical grounds.
- Universal Salvation in the Eschatology of Sergius Bulgakov
- Underground Universalism
- About God's Inclusive Love -- Bishop Carlton Pearson's web site.
- True Grace Ministries -- Rev. Ken Allen's web site.
- Tentmaker Gary Amirault's Christian Universalism ministry
- The Biblical Universalist
Opposing Universalism
- Against Universalism -- Several articles opposing universalism, Especially against preterist universalism.
- Catholic Encyclopedia article on Universalists as a denomination
- Apocatastasis