Recently, on a rerun of an episode (2006) about the Book of Revelation on the National Geographic Channel, the doctrine of eternal torment was briefly discussed. It featured brief commentary by Carlton Pearson, a leader of what has come to be known as a doctrine of inclusion, a variant of the doctrine of universal salvation. In opposition to him, a few fundamentalists, the same in support for dispensationalism, gave their opinion, which seems to be the mainstream. Frankly, I did not take either opinion seriously. What was interesting, however, is the comment the narrator makes, “But Pearson might find an ally in the most surprising of places –the Vatican.”
Then John L. Allen, Jr., a journalist for the National Catholic Reporter, explains,
“The International Theological Commission, which is the chief advisory body to the Vatican on doctrinal questions, is today working on a document – it will for the first time, in official form, say this: that Christians can hope that hell will be empty.”
The narrator responds, “The belief is that even the worst sinners may be redeemed and sent to Heaven.”
I find this intriguing. I myself use to be a Universalist. I eventually left the doctrine, now dismissing the doctrine as open to slight possibility, concluding a doctrine of annihilation to be more probable. I wonder, though, how such an official document will affect the Roman Catholic community, and by extension, the Christian community as a whole.
What do you think? Perhaps one can provide more information on this so-called document that is in the works.
Re: The Vatican and a doctrine of universal salvation
There was a marvelous little Baptist sect in Appalatia called the “No Hellers,” the Primative Baptist Universalists….fellow Calvanists of mine to the core. For them, and I guess for me too, the doctrine of predestination alongside the doctrine of grace utterly forbids the existance of hell…at least within the realm of God’s will… (the realm of “not God’s will” being wiped out by predestination). The PBU’s were a very small sect…you can see why. Very few people want to give up sending people they don’t like to hell. Such people don’t know but they’re laying firebrick for their own furnace. On the other hand, what’s to prevent human beings from creating their own hell this way and staying there as long as they like. The script..”every knee shall bend and every tongue confess..indicates they will all give up and and leave the firebricks for those who build campout fireplaces, and come out of the fire on their own..eventually….the question is, how long? Note: The rich/man and Lazarus story omits any mention of contrition on the rich man’s part, and compassion only for his relatives. The doctrin of the cross would indicate that Jesus stopped by the rich man’s prison door on Holy Saturday, opened it and left the key….and a set of smoking tracks to follow. I wonder if the Vatican has become calvanistic? Or maybe somebody there spent some time in the Adirondacks sitting of the “deacon log” of a leano peering into the campfire.