Posted on February 13, 2008 - by Stephen Murray
Complete the Sentence: Universalism
A number of emails have been coming to me from Andre Walters concerning the issue of universal spirituality. Andre has a fairly universal perspective on spirituality and morality, and whilst he does maintain that Jesus is his ultimate exemplar, he does find God present ‘everywhere equally’. In dialogue with him I framed the reason why I do not hold such a universalist approach. My reason is simply that my understanding of spirituality and morality is centered upon the person and work (culminating in the Cross) of Jesus Christ and him alone. Now I have not as yet had a chance to respond to him and give a more meaty reasoning behind those convictions, but I’ve noticed that Andre has taken an interest in the whole subject and so I thought I’d help him out.
Andre seems to be interested in how to relate issues of tolerance and acceptance with the exclusive nature of historic evangelicalism. Now opening a post to discussing these issues can end in a stream of essays from people explaining their points of view. So instead I have a plan to summarize the whole process. You may only post a comment on this post if you first complete the following sentence: I am not a universalist because… or alternatively: I am a universalist because…
Please keep your comments short – essays will be deleted! I’ll start:
I am not a universalist because I don’t think Jesus was a universalist.
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Stephen Murray
Christian, husband to my beautiful Robin, missional dreamer, pastor, church planter, Arsenal, Sharks and Springbok supporter, surfer (in the real sea), patriotic South African, Capetonian. 
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February 13, 2008
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ANDRE said:
I am a universalist (or not one – I cannot say), because being cast into a mould by having to make an up-front statement like this, does not allow for an understanding of the Divine to breathe a bi as it grows. So, forgive me if I find it rather restrictive and over-simplifified. in some senses I am a univeralist and in others I am perhaps not. I don’t know at this time. I am still working this out for myself. In the course of growing spiritually it is a necessary process. I know that sitting on the fence is not nice. But I ask your charity in allowing me to think of it as keeping an open mind in exploring my relationship to God, Jesus Christ (specifically) and other Great Way-showers. See, the word “I” ils very over-used in this little paragraph – one result of this restriction. So please know that it is but my small “i” that is talking, not the Spirit of God which speaks when “i” am in tune with Him. And I have known It to speak incontrovertably on just a few glorious occasions in my life. I am not sure that I will ever be able to cast myself in either mould. Spirit IS universal. God IS all that Is. How can we argue that away through orthodoxy? I would be interested to see others try.
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February 13, 2008
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Chris Gensheer said:
Ok, I am not a universalist because while I find it accounts for many good things (tolerance, acceptance), it does so at the exclusion of other equally good things (justice, righteousness).
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February 14, 2008
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brett jordan said:
i am not a universalist because over a period of time, through reading the 66 books of the protestant canon, and by what i now believe to be the holy spirit, i was convicted of the twin truths that i have fallen short of a just and loving God’s purpose and that the very same God has provided me with a way of being forgiven for my shortfallings, both intentional and uintentional, so that i could be made right with him and start a journey toward living with and in him forever
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February 14, 2008
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Nils said:
I am not a universalist because although God has graciously given all people glimpses of his glory in his creation, he has only provided one way of dealing the one thing that keeps us from God – our sin. Outside of Jesus and his atoning death, we have no forgiveness, no real spirituality, no eyes to see reality from God’s point of view and most importantly, no relationship with God. (John 14:6)
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February 14, 2008
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Matthew Knight said:
I am a Universalist in that I believe there is one sacrifice that accounts for all sin ever, in that satan and his army are defeated completely and banished to hell, and in that ALL God’s creation is being redeemed and brought back to the way it was meant to be.
I am not a Universalist in that I do not believe all religions lead to God, because I believe that Jesus Christ- His life, death and resurrection, are the only way to get back to the Father.
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February 15, 2008
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Paul said:
I am not a universalist because of the incomparableness of Jesus in his person – none other than God Himself, because of the supremacy of Jesus over creation – all things were made in Him, by Him and for Him, because of His supremacy in the new creation and because the supremacy and finality of his reconciling work – through His death on the cross God reconciled all things to Himself. (Colossians 1:15-20). Therefore you cannot have more than Jesus, and you most certainly cannot afford to have less than Him.
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February 20, 2008
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enviroworld said:
I am a universalist/I am not a universalist – this post.
Dear Friends, An extensive correspondence has since developed through my blog as a result of Stephen’s first reposne to my email asking if we could exchange links. It’s been fascinating!
I have editied a post together and invite you toview it on http://www.yourspirituality.blogspot.com.
Your commens would be msot appreciated.
Sincerely
Andre Walters
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May 23, 2008
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Ralph Roberts said:
I am a universalist when those around me are not and should others believe in universal salvation I am likely to argue for the limitation to the elect. It is a bit of a gadfly stance . . . morethan a bit. I can be down right difficult. I think it is a trait in keeping with much of what I read in scripture. Jesus and Paul both seem to make a strong arguments for either stand on the issue. In Revelation we are taken through a dramatic vision charting the path of the few who out of all time are graced unto salvation. However again and again there are intimations that there is a something more perhaps drawn from what Paul refers to as the depth of God’s riches. When we discuss universalism in terms of a stand on salvation I think it is legitimate to argue that amid all that is taught about the importance of participation as a member of the body of Christ part of the life of the christian is known in a hope, even expectation that God wants the salvation of all and God’s will is impossible to thwart. Mark Hiem is a great resource for this discussion. He argues that we must expand our ideas of what life or life after the grave directs us toward and while he is critical of any easy leveling of all religious ends into one nebulous “everyone gets to go to heave” notion but suggests maybe salvation and nirvannah can both be achieved and while nirvannah will never be salvation never be the hope of a christian and is perhaps to a christian a lamentable ideal to hold i may however be something that a buddhist is right to expect and can actually gain without contradicting the eschatological vision described in scripture and Christian tradition.