The idea that all will be saved, that hell will be empty and every last person will be received into heaven, that the pains of hell are not eternal is amazingly persuasive. There is a beauty to it. Among the Church Fathers it has some few adherents, not least among them St. Gregory of Nyssa, Father of the Fathers. However, I could never accept the universalist doctrine (in any of its varied forms) for one simple reason: It is too persuasive; it is not audacious enough for Christian faith.
No other religious or philosophical tradition has the audacity of Christianity. That God became man – as Christians understand this – is audacious. That God died – again, as Christians understand this – is audacious. That man may become god; that Jesus Christ, true God and true man, is really present in the Holy Eucharist in His divinity and humanity in such a way that the Eucharist is Him is audacious. All of Christian faith is audacious.
There is nothing audacious in the belief that the omnipotent and infinite will of Love which exceeds all perfection will reign in every created, finite, weak heart (hearts that were made for love!) and so bring them into the communion of that Love. But it is audacious – beyond audacious – that our finite, imperfect will could oppose the Divine Will, Wisdom, and Love for all eternity.
Belief in a massa damnata is also not audacious. It is simplistic. To a certain degree, it is a betrayal of hope. Like all things Christian, hope too is audacious. In the face of the knowledge that it is possible for a human being to eternally oppose the will of Divine Love, it is audacious to dare to hope that all will be saved.
Just as Christian faith and hope are audacious so too is Christian love. Founded on hope, Christians exercise an audacious love in their prayers for the salvation of each individual. Founded on love, we hope that in the end Love will pierce every heart. Whether this comes to be or not, “God will be all in all.”
the theological beard 