The Evangelical Universalist Forum

Word, like Christocentric, that means "only through Christ"?

Is there a word, like Christocentric, that means “only through Christ”? Sola-Christo? Christo-sola?

Sola-Christo Universalism…

How about “Christocentric”? :mrgreen:

Christocentric Universalism.

Christocentric Reconciliationist. :mrgreen:

I like the term Christocentric. It makes its point and makes it well and leaves little room for argument - unless someone wants to insist on arguing just for the sake of being argumentative.

I can see the conversation now…

“I believe in the doctrine of Christocentric Universal Salvation and Reconciliation”

“So you’re a Universalist?”

“I suppose you could say that, I believe-”

“So you believe that it doesn’t matter what anyone believes or does, they’re going to Heaven? That all religions are valid?”

“No that’s not what I-”

“But you’re a Universalist! That’s exactly what you believe. What about the value of the cross? If everyone goes to Heaven that completely negates the whole value of the cross, and makes Jesus worthless!”

“Did you even bother to listen to what I said my doctrinal position was? I said Christocentric Universal Salvation and Reconciliation - your argument is invalid.”

Mutter grumble

I think plain old already-in-use “Christian Universalist” would fit just as well. I’ve had exactly the same kind of discussion as Lefein reports using that term (with similar mumble grumbles afterward. :wink: )

Indeed Jason, doctrinally other words like reconciliationist and christocentric work wonderfully.

But for a general term; Christian Universalist is simply the easiest, and least confusing term. Least confusing in that it is actually easier to understand to the layman - ignoring the theologians need to twist and fudge. I’ve found that it doesn’t matter what term you use, it will inevitably go back to Universalism, or else it will inevitably be bent out of shape and misrepresented. Take for example; Pentecostal. Most people generally understand what it means, but some who are anti-charismatic theologians will take the term and make it mean “someone who rolls on the floor and lets themselves get possessed by devils and emotional frenzies while jibbering in babble”, and Catholics are referred to by anti-catholics as “those filthy hell-bound pagan Mary worshipers and idol kissers”. It only makes sense that anti-universalists (of whom there are many) would likewise twist the term out of context as much as possible.

:sunglasses: :sunglasses:

It’s surprisingly difficult to get people to understand the distinction between a Christocentric universal salvation and a pluralistic inclusive universal salvation. And I think it’s because of the focus being on salvation from Hell rather than salvation from sin. The only thing in focus is whether or not people “get in.”

Tradition says, “You need a ticket to get into Disneyland.”
We say, “Everyone will get in.”
They say, “So you think everyone gets in, even if they don’t have a ticket?!! Heresy!!! You think tickets aren’t important!!”

Sonia