Universalism

[BigBen]

Another quote that I remember is from a Scottish novelist and ex-preacher named George Macdonald. C.S. Lewis referred to Macdonald as his "master", and Macdonald was a Universalist. Anyways, an interesting quote of his...
Nothing is inexorable but love. Love which will yield to prayer is imperfect and poor. Nor is it then the love that yields, but its alloy. For if at the voice of entreaty love conquers displeasure, it is love asserting itself, not love yielding its claims. It is not love that grants a boon unwillingly; still less is it love that answers a prayer to the wrong and hurt of him who prays. Love is one, and love is changeless.

For love loves unto purity. Love has ever in view the absolute loveliness of that which it beholds. Where loveliness is incomplete, and love cannot love its fill of loving, it spends itself to make more lovely, that it may love more; it strives for perfection, even that itself may be perfected--not in itself, but in the object. As it was love that first created humanity, so even human love, in proportion to its divinity, will go on creating the beautiful for its own outpouring. There is nothing eternal but that which loves and can be loved, and love is ever climbing towards the consummation when such shall be the universe, imperishable, divine.

Therefore all that is not beautiful in the beloved, all that comes between and is not of love's kind, must be destroyed.

And our God is a consuming fire.

Taken from: http://www.online-literature.com/geo...ken-sermons/2/

[MortalCoil]

Origen was a universalist for sure. The others... not so much.

Origen also did not believe in the incarnation of Christ and he taught that Christ is subordinate to God.

Are we to conclude that we have these doctrinal points wrong as well?

[One Bad Pig]

Origen also did not believe in the incarnation of Christ and he taught that Christ is subordinate to God.

Could you provide cites for these? I haven't gotten to Origen yet (still working my way through Irenaeus).

[MortalCoil]

Could you provide cites for these? I haven't gotten to Origen yet (still working my way through Irenaeus).

sorry, I cannot provide a specific citation but I learned a lot from listening to the following seminary courses.

http://thegospelcoalition.org/resour...hristianity_i/

Origen is discussed in the " Greek Apologists and Early Theologians" sections.


There is also a specific class on Origen here:

http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/search/a/origen


I'm fairly new when it comes to church history so I think you are ahead of me on the subject but I will be purchasing a book called Getting to Know the Early Church Fathers which I feel will really be a fine introduction to a person in my position.

http://www.wtsbooks.com/product-exec..._/parent_id/69

Hope this helps.