The Inescapable Love of God

Rating:
Summary: This book may change your life....
Review: After a crisis in our lives my husband and me decided to really live our Christian faith and turned to the bible for answers as to how. We decided to read it straight through to determine what it really had to say to us. We never expected the words we found to crumble our entire Calvinistic way of thinking. The answers were surprising. The Word of God surely is sharper than any two-edged sword. It hacked away (and continues to do so) all the "doctrines and traditions of men" we had been deceived by. Praise His Name. (Bear with me; I'll get to the review shortly.)

Endless Torment didn't seem possible or plausible if God really is love, if His mercy really does endure forever, if His will really was that all be saved, if he really doesn't take ANY pleasure in the destruction of the wicked (a fact that is at odds with Jonathan Edwards wicked portrayal of God in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God). The bible clearly stated all these things, even more strongly in the original languages! So we set out on a journey to prove or disprove this doctrine of endless torment. We encountered the theory of annihilation, but the same problems arose. To believe it we had to swallow the belief that God created some people to destroy--forever. It was simply inconceivable that God wasn't even as merciful as we ourselves were for we would never do such a thing.

Finally we landed at the doctrine of universalism. It may seem to you that the doctrine of "all men saved" is incompatible with the Bible, but this is not true. Talbott's book, from all the reams and sources we have read (and I'm talking 100s of hours of research) is the most logical, well laid out, consistent and comprehensible explanation of how universalism and biblical authority can co-exist (and are in fact the only really plausible way for biblical truth to exist). I wish we had started with it, but perhaps we weren't ready. We hope that you are ready to receive this message--the real Good News!

Talbott takes you on a journey that starts with his own experience and leads you step by step through all the counter responses you may set forth. For instance in this book you will discover that you are being deceived. Wouldn't you want to know that one of the "heroes of your faith" was in fact a murderer who had had a peer executed for the "horrendous crime" of disagreeing with predestination? Calvin did just such a thing as Talbott exposes. And that's not the only "hero" under the microscope. Would you be angry if you were shown that the world translated "eternal" in the bible was in no way has a connation of "never-ending"? (If so then it says Jonah was in the belly of the whale forever). Would you be a little surprised to learn the majority of the early church held to the belief of universal reconciliation?

At the best part of the book in our opinion, you will learn that Esau is not forever hated--and the discovery may well bring you to tears of joy and deep understanding as it did both my husband and me. And Talbott explains why it is so important that we don't allow "teachers and preachers" to lead us past our God-given spiritual ability to recognize evil as evil. If everything in our souls cries out that a God of Love would NOT endlessly torment the objects of His creation then why should we accept the theologian's assertion in some perverted faith in men? If logic tells you that not forgiving your enemies is a sin and God is NOT a sinner there is no reason your logic is flawed. The unsearchable ways of God have nothing to do with this demonic reasoning of today's religious teachers.

We are grateful beyond measure for this book and we thank God for it. We had recently decided that we believed in universalism, but this book simply strengthened our faith and hope in such a manner that I would strongly recommend it. If you are a universalist looking for an evangelism tool this is a wonderful book to give struggling Christians. If YOU are a struggling Christian wondering why a God would "choose" you and not your children, husband, mother, daughter, etc...this book will flood beams of light into your darkened confusion. The amazing thing about this book is that it has helped make reading the bible a joy. In effect it helped remove the "traditions of men" that made the word of God of no avail.

Hope is real people. God is Love. Wake up and smell the redemption! :-) In the words of Saint Paul:

1I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; 2For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. 3For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; 4Who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

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Summary: The Dark Underbelly of Protestant Theology Exposed
Review: After witnessing 9/11 firsthand, I reflected on my faith with many others in NYC, while criticizing Islam for believing that non-Muslims were "infidels" worthy of death. My non-Christian friends responded "Youu Christians say the same thing - believe in Jesus, or burn in hell forever". Well, yeah, but we try not to think or talk about it too much. (Not an acceptable answer) This led to hours of biblical study and reflection, which culminated in finding this book.

I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, the reality of hell, and the ultimate and universal Triumph of Christ over Hell, Death and Sin. Talbott lays out this belief in a way that is strongly biblically supported and rigorously (!) logical. He also lays out the historical reasons for the theological ascendency Augustinian/Calvinist doctrine, with it's Biblically dubious doctrine of "limited atonement" (wherein Christ asks that you love your neighbor, but He Himself may not if they are not "elect".)

This is not a "tree-hugger" book. This is a book for serious Christians and seekers of all types who have difficulty reconciling their personal experience of God's Character with the implications of mainline Protestant theology.

Is God both All-Loving and All-Powerful? A robust and well-argued "Yes!"

Rating:
Summary: The Dark Underbelly of Protestant Theology Exposed
Review: After witnessing 9/11 firsthand, I reflected on my faith with many others in NYC, while criticizing Islam for believing that non-Muslims were "infidels" worthy of death. My non-Christian friends responded "Youu Christians say the same thing - believe in Jesus, or burn in hell forever". Well, yeah, but we try not to think or talk about it too much. (Not an acceptable answer) This led to hours of biblical study and reflection, which culminated in finding this book.

I believe in the inerrancy of Scripture, the reality of hell, and the ultimate and universal Triumph of Christ over Hell, Death and Sin. Talbott lays out this belief in a way that is strongly biblically supported and rigorously (!) logical. He also lays out the historical reasons for the theological ascendency Augustinian/Calvinist doctrine, with it's Biblically dubious doctrine of "limited atonement" (wherein Christ asks that you love your neighbor, but He Himself may not if they are not "elect".)

This is not a "tree-hugger" book. This is a book for serious Christians and seekers of all types who have difficulty reconciling their personal experience of God's Character with the implications of mainline Protestant theology.

Is God both All-Loving and All-Powerful? A robust and well-argued "Yes!"

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Summary: Inescapable Logic
Review: As a mathematician and scientist (former Chief Scientist with the USAF), I found the Part II of the book worth the price of the book -- and much more! Thomas talbott lays out the arguments in a fair and balanced manner, but clearly demonstrates that the Bible, pure logic and common sense all conspire to suggest that all sinners (eventually) will be reconciled to God and enjoy eternity with Him. My path began in Roman Catholicism, moved through a period of sinful "what the heck?", landed in a true Faith in the salvation of Jesus ... but with one problem remaining. Universal reconcilliation (and I hate titles or labels) has closed that last "hole" in my belief system, such as it is. I hope that Talbott will write something more attuned to the non-mathematician/logistician with the arguments stated simply and powerfully. Some may be turned off by language that is beyond that of high school, and that is a shame. It should be read by EVERYONE!

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Summary: A Presentation of the Whole Gospel
Review: I am a born-again, conservative, evangelical Christian. However, I also believe in Universal Salvation. This book does an excellent job of presenting the case. I recommend it for any Christian or person interested in Christianity. It will broaden your view of God's plan of salvation.

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Summary: SUPERB
Review: I find this book a superb overview of the Christian case for belief in the ultimate victory of the love of God -- over every trace of sin, pain, death and hell. Talbott is a philosophy professor in a secular university, but he is also a Christian who knows the Bible and church history extremely well. He shares his own journey from traditional belief in eternal loss to his belief that in the end (which is in a sense the beginning) God's love will prevail and no one will be lost. Rigorous thinking, careful research, excellent writing.

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Summary: A powerful Scriptural and logical defense of Universalism
Review: I have spent most of the past year reading everything I can find on the Internet on the subject of Universal Reconciliation. But nothing has given me more food for thought than this beautiful book by Tom Talbott. Talbott argues against the doctrine of eternal hell from two points of view here: scriptural and philosophical.

His scriptural argument is based primarily on Paul's epistles. The book of Romans, which I had previously thought was a stronghold of Calvinistic thinking (or Augustinian thinking, as Talbott refers to it), turns out to support the belief that God has predestined ALL to be conformed to the image of His Son! It is startling to see how we have overlooked so many verses and mis-read others, based on our preconceptions. Talbott also addresses other passages of scripture that appear to teach a doctrine of eternal punishment. He shows how every theological position (in this case, Calvinism, Arminianism, and Universalism) has its pile of verses to use as proof, and its pile of verses to be "explained" or perhaps "explained away." And he shows that we cannot simply toss proof-texts at each other, but must also think about the overall meaning of Scripture. The fundamental questions that need to be answered are: is God loving and fair? Is God powerful enough to bring His will to pass? What is God's desire for His creation? Only after we have answered these questions can we have a basis for understanding one passage of Scripture in light of other passages.

The chapters in which he argues from a logical or philosophical standpoint are fascinating. For example, he completely disarms the popular argument that says, "Well, yes, God is loving, but He is also just, and His justice requires Him to send sinners to hell, even though He wishes he didn't have to." Talbott shows that it is impossible for love and justice to be in opposition to each other. And he demonstrates that those who teach predestination actually do not take seriously the fact that Love is God's defining characteristic. His thoughts on justice are powerful and thought-provoking. In fact, he will force you to reconsider what justice actually requires. (For example, how does punishment undo the damage that sin or evil or a crime has caused? What would it mean to actually repair the damage of sin? What is God's motive in punishing sin?

Another compelling argument that Talbott presents is the idea that it is impossible for God to love any individual and bring that individual to a state of happiness without also loving and providing for everyone s/he loves. If I am saved, but my child is lost, how can I be happy and at peace? Is it imaginable that God can remove my love for my child? Or that He can keep me in ignorance of my child's fate? Or that He can cause me to forget that I ever had a child? And the more people I love and the more deeply I love them, the more miserable I would be in eternity, if any of them were lost. This is not just a sentimental thought but a profound problem with any view of God other than the view of Universal Reconciliation.

Talbott also answers the other most common argument against the salvation of All, namely that people have a free will and if they refuse to turn to God, God cannot or will not force them to. He argues that no one can freely chose something that is self-evidently in their own worst interest. And that therefore once individuals have been confronted with the reality of God's complete love and acceptance of them, they will have no grounds for chosing to reject His love. Such a choice would be so irrational that it could not even be called a free choice. I can only want happiness for myself, and if I know that God also wants happiness for me, on what grounds could I reject Him? Such a rejection is only possible when I am under some sort of delusion, and is therefore not truly a free choice. So when we see Him as He is, we will freely love Him, because how could we not?

This book will stretch your mind at the same time that it warms your heart. If you are sure that hell is true, please read this book and see how your arguments stand up. If you wish or hope that hell will not be the eternal fate of any human being, read this book and allow yourself to believe that God is even more wonderful than you imagined. If you are already convinced that eternal hell cannot be true, read this book to deepen your understanding of the strength of your position. This is a book of great beauty.

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Summary: A Compelling and Detailed Argument for Universalism
Review: I read Talbott's book ("studied" and "absorbed" might be better words than just "read") after studying "If Grace is True" by Pastors Phillip Gulley & James Mulholland. Both of these books are arguments for a Universalist view of the Gospel -- that is, God will through His love and grace ultimately reconcile all persons to Himself; some people may end up in a place of punishment such as Hell for a time, but that will not be permanent and everlasting. If I found Gulley & Mulholland's book to be compelling (and I certainly did for the most part), Talbott's is twice as good. "The Inescapable Love of God" is more systematically researched, more Biblically-based, more scholarly in every way than "If Grace Is True." Talbott is a professor of philosophy and religion at a university in Oregon, and eagerly embraces his belief in Jesus and a love for Christianity. His background in philosophy allows him to apply the best logic I've ever heard or read to the study of Christianity. Plus, Talbott doesn't have that wacky, radical view of the role of Jesus that Gulley & Mulholland offer in chapter five of "If Grace Is True."

Talbott, Gulley, and Mulholland offer a refreshing and logical view of Christianity that I certainly welcome having spent thirty years in the Baptist church where much of the time the only incentive and motivation taught for becoming a Christian was/is fear.

Rating:
Summary: A strong case for universalism
Review: I read Talbott's book ("studied" and "absorbed" might be better words than just "read") after studying "If Grace is True" by Pastors Phillip Gulley & James Mulholland. Both of these books are arguments for a Universalist view of the Gospel -- that is, God will through His love and grace ultimately reconcile all persons to Himself; some people may end up in a place of punishment such as Hell for a time, but that will not be permanent and everlasting. If I found Gulley & Mulholland's book to be compelling (and I certainly did for the most part), Talbott's is twice as good. "The Inescapable Love of God" is more systematically researched, more Biblically-based, more scholarly in every way than "If Grace Is True." Talbott is a professor of philosophy and religion at a university in Oregon, and eagerly embraces his belief in Jesus and a love for Christianity. His background in philosophy allows him to apply the best logic I've ever heard or read to the study of Christianity. Plus, Talbott doesn't have that wacky, radical view of the role of Jesus that Gulley & Mulholland offer in chapter five of "If Grace Is True."

Talbott, Gulley, and Mulholland offer a refreshing and logical view of Christianity that I certainly welcome having spent thirty years in the Baptist church where much of the time the only incentive and motivation taught for becoming a Christian was/is fear.

Rating:
Summary: Excellent Case for Universalism
Review: This book by Thomas Talbott is wonderfully organized and logically presented. His section on his personal move to universalism and also the one defending universalism philosophically are both very interesting, though not terribly successful in forming a strong argument. What is really fascinating is the middle section which defended universalism on biblical grounds.

Two of the primary passages Mr. Talbott utilized in his biblical argument for universalism (he uses many passages) are from Romans 5 and 1 Corinthians 15. Until I read both in context I considered his position very reasonable. Indeed, I do believe that Mr. Talbott succeeds in disproving classic Augustinian and Arminian views regarding these passages. However, there are more views than the three he presents in his book.

Reading Romans 5 it appears that the "death" being spoken of as coming into the world through Adam was physical death. Thus, even those who had not sinned like Adam suffered death (Romans 5:12-14). That this is the case becomes even clearer in 1 Corinthians 15, where the apostle Paul is proclaiming that Jesus really was risen from the grave and that all will be resurrected because of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:21 discusses how death came into the world through one man, so resurrection of the dead can also come through one. Unless the "resurrection of the dead" is speaking of a spiritual resurrection (as in Romans 6), the "death" the same passage refers to cannot be spiritual death. The opposite of spiritual death would be spiritual resurrection. The opposite of physical death would be physical resurrection. Since Paul was very painstakingly making the case for the reality of Christ's physical resurrection, the latter contrast seems the correct one for this passage. Thus, Christ's resurrection guarantees the general resurrection of all humanity, but not the spiritual salvation of all humanity.

As much as I would like universalism to be true from a sentimental standpoint, it does not appear that I can believe in it and still affirm the authority of Scripture. That being said, I gladly give this book 5 stars because it makes a remarkably coherent, intelligent, logical and compelling case for universalism. If you will only have one book on the doctrine of Universal Reconciliation from a Christian perspective on your bookshelf, I really believe that this will be the one you want.