Varieties of Christian Universalism: Exploring Four Views

Christian universalism has become a subject of fierce debate in recent years. Numerous works have been published on the topic, and it can be difficult for readers to recognize the breadth of possible approaches. While universal salvation is often boiled down to (and dismissed as) a single idea--that God saves all people--this oversimplification masks the variety of theologies that reach this conclusion in ways that are not always compatible. Christian universalism is actually an umbrella of different theological interpretations of the idea that all people will be saved.

In this book, leading experts on universal salvation--David W. Congdon, Tom Greggs, Morwenna Ludlow, and Robin A. Parry--provide a concise guide to four distinct approaches: patristic, evangelical, post-Barthian, and existential. The contributors, who have each written extensively on Christian universalism, highlight distinct approaches that emphasize different theological values. The book will be useful as a textbook for students of theology, especially those training for ministry, and as a resource for anyone seeking a more well-rounded understanding of Christian universalism.

David W. Congdon (PhD, Princeton Theological Seminary) is senior editor at the University Press of Kansas in Lawrence, Kansas, and an adjunct instructor at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary. He is the author of several books, including The Mission of Demythologizing: Rudolf Bultmann's Dialectical Theology, Rudolf Bultmann: A Companion to His Theology, The God Who Saves: A Dogmatic Sketch, and Who Is a True Christian? Contesting Religious Identity in American Culture.