Long time listener, first time caller.
There is a post today over at Scott McKnight’s blog the Jesus Creed on Universalism. Thought some of the gang might want to join in the discussion.patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2012/02/28/admitting-ignorance/#more-25733
Interesting. I saw UR 8+ years ago and when I did, I NEVER saw it anywhere unless I was looking for it. NOW…I guess because of Rob Bell (not sure though), I have seen it popping up all over, Huffpo, Real Clear Politics, Christianity Today, etc. I still go to a ECT church and it seems like my pastor is bringing it up more often. I’m wondering if this thing is going to turn into an all out “witch hunt” one day, where closet universalists will be persecuted and leave or given “The right FOOT of fellowship”. Strange. As UR gains prominence, I may have the decision made for me.
I replied, #39. It will be interesting to see what people say. I’ve posted on Jesus Creed several times and am always amazed at how quickly the conversation moves on.
That was a great post Sherman. A friend of mine whom I’ve discussed UR with reads the Jesus Creed blog a lot and alerted me to the post. There aren’t always that many dissenting voices on this forum, and Jesus Creed being a pretty popular Christian blog thought it would be interesting to mix it up with them a bit. Interesting that you’ve posted over there before. What sort of response has there been to your posts?
I don’t think the secular world will allow that… at least in the developed countries.
I didn’t mean literally, but more like make it too unbearable to stay by railing on it more and more, harder and harder or, yeah, asking people to leave.
UR is getting big, at least from when I first came to believe, it’s exploding. If it becomes like a full-fledged movement and starts getting established…I do think the churches are going to have a freak out.
I do think there are a lot of unconscious UR’s out there, among all the various pseudo-ECT believers and your general kind hearted lukewarm Christian. ECT will probably suffer from the “Everyone says they follow it but nobody really likes it” syndrome eventually.
Welcome Caleb! Thanks for calling 
I was actually just about to post the link to this myself 
Hey Sass, welcome to the forum. I read your intro and have some sympathy for you being between a rock and a hard place. I’m probably gonna sound a bit mean here, but that’s not my intent. If you could hear the sound of my voice and know where I’m coming from it might make a difference. Anyway…
UR has been big for well over a century and as some point out, since the early church. It may be getting larger now, but its been around and established for some time. As far as freak-outs go…maybe. Real churches committed to the ministry of Word and Sacrament will continue to do what we’ve (they’ve) always done…preach the Word in season and out of season, i.e. Christ crucified. We may just start having to do it underground. Some churches (stereotyped as “fundamentalists”) will have knee-jerk reactions against Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Obama, the pornification of our culture, UR etc. But often times these churches are just moralistic and lacking in any doctrinal conviction. But it is important for churches to keep their fingers on the pulse of society and to warn their flocks of what they believe to be false gospels. You can’t blame them for that, anymore than you can be blamed for coming to this site. We, by nature, seek our own.
I’m not seeing anything mean in your post. 
I am aware that UR has “always” been around, I’m familiar with Origen and other early writers etc., Many of the Catholic saints saw it, Andrew Jukes, Hanna Whitall Smith, etc. But still, lately I am seeing it make it’s way out into public view in a way I think is unprecidented…Probably because of the internet. By “established” I don’t mean it’s a new teaching, I mean cutting into mainstream Christian thought.
Scott McKnight himself for Relevant Magazine said, “Universalism, or at least the prospect of it, is the single most significant issue running through the undercurrent of evangelicalism today.”
So while it has always been around I agree it’s recent surfacing and focus is unprecedented. I know of a few churches outright teaching UR integrating it into their “normal” doctrine. One is Peter Hiett of The Sanctuary. And he is anything but theologically liberal–always Gospel/Christ-centered, “word and sacrament” and continually declaring that “theology matters”. He is no Joel Osteen. He packs a powerful law/gospel punch. He is everything my Presbyterian pastor was, with simply a bigger picture in mind. In my 45 years in the church I have never seen anything like this before.
That’s great Sherman that you have been entering in the conversation over UR at Jesus Creed. McKnight has a very unique position being well esteemed by both the theologically liberal and the conservative.
I have highlighted a number of his quotes on our site to show how he is supporting UR with his sweeping statements of restoration with no qualifying, for example:
I would LOVE it if a good UR church set up in my town! We have a “Unitarian Universalist” church but I think they just embrace all faiths don’t they? Anyway, my church sends people to “witness” to those poor lost souls who go see Osteen when he comes to town, so if a UR church did set up? My church would probably be be picketing it! 
Very well put. 
My posts have had mixed reception. Most tend to read and dismiss them, I think. Some are challenged and and few will engage a little. I think Scot sees this as the hot topic it is right now and wants to facilitate discussion on it as much as he can without upsetting people too much.
Well, as usual it seems that few, if anyone, desires to engage in a conversation with me on threads like this on Jesus Creed. I hope though that my posts are helping to broaden people’s minds a little and maybe helping UR to become somewhat more accepted in the church, like Armins accept Calvins and visa-versa.
I also like a Jesus Creed post on 2/3/12:
patheos.com/blogs/jesuscreed/2012/02/03/is-christian-hope-speculation/
I especially likes comments 24 and 25:
Wipf and Stock sent him the book, and McKnight has it by now with many evidently many other books to review. I am praying that God touches him when he reads the book and that he would write a review.