Editing Problem of Hell (section)

===Universal reconciliation===
{{Main|Christian Universalism|Universal reconciliation}}
{{citations|date=October 2022}}
Universal reconciliation is the doctrine or belief of some Christians that all will eventually receive [[salvation]] because of the love and mercy of God. Universal reconciliation does not commit one to the position that one can be saved apart from Christ. It only commits one to the position that all will eventually be saved through Christ. Neither does universal reconciliation commit one to the position that there is no Hell or damnation—Hell can well be the consuming fire through which Christ refines those who turn from him (Matthew 3:11). Universal reconciliation only claims that one day Death and Hades themselves will be destroyed and all immortal souls will be reconciled to Him.

It was traditionally claimed by some western scholars such as the Universalist historian [[George T. Knight (Universalist)|George T. Knight]] (1911) and [[Pierre Batiffol]] (English translation 1914) that a form of universal salvation could be found among some theologians in early Christianity.<ref>Knight claims that in the first five or six centuries of Christianity, there were six known theological schools, of which four (Alexandria, Antioch, Cesarea, and Edessa or Nisibis) were Universalist, one (Ephesus) accepted conditional immortality, and one (Carthage or Rome) taught the endless punishment of the lost. [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc12.u.ii.html The Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, 1953, vol. 12, p. 96; retrieved 30/04/09]</ref> [[Origen]] interpreted the New Testament's reference (Acts 3:21) to a "restoration of all things", (Greek: [[apocatastasis]] of all things), as meaning that sinners ''might'' be restored to God and released from Hell, returning the universe to a state identical to its pure beginnings.<ref>Westminster Origen Handbook</ref> This theory of apocatastasis could be easily interpreted{{who|date=December 2010}} to imply that even devils would be saved, as was the case during the later Origenist controversies.{{Citation needed|date=July 2010}} Some Greek Orthodox scholars do not count [[Gregory of Nyssa]] (AD 331–395) as a believer in Universal Salvation,<ref>"We know well that all evil that happens admits of being annihilated by its opposite (Against Eunomius, Book I). Then he affirms apocatastasis stating that "The Son has accomplished the Father's will, and this, in the language of the Apostle, is 'that all men should be saved, '" (Against Eunomius, Book XII).</ref> although some do,<ref>e.g., [[Andrew Louth]], [[Hilarion (Alfeyev)|Hilarion Alfeyev]], [[Kallistos (Ware)|Kallistos Ware]], [[John Behr]], et al.</ref> given that multiple passages in his writings appear to explicitly affirm [[apocatastasis]].<ref>''Catechetical Discourse'', 26.8-9; ''Life of Moses'', 2.82, etc.</ref>

In the 17th century, a belief in [[Christian universalism]] appeared in England and traveled over to what has become the present-day US Christian Universalists such as [[Hosea Ballou]] argued that Jesus taught Universalist principles including universal reconciliation and the divine origin and destiny of all souls. Ballou also argued that some Universalist principles were taught or foreshadowed in the [[Old Testament]]. Critics of universalism maintain that the Bible does not teach universal salvation,<ref>Robin A. Parry ''Universal salvation?: the current debate'' p. 55</ref> while proponents insist that it does.

Recent examples of advocates for the position are [[Kallistos Ware]], a [[Greek Orthodox]] bishop and retired [[University of Oxford]] [[theologian]] who states that some of the 'Fathers of Church' postulated the idea of salvation for all, and [[Saint Silouan]] of [[Mount Athos]], who argued that the compassion and love of those in heaven and on earth will extend to eliminating suffering even in hell. In terms of Biblical citations, Father David A. Fisher, Pastor of St. Anthony of Padua
Maronite Church and professor of philosophy at [[Ohio Central State University]], has argued that total reconciliation seems to arise from the [[First Epistle to the Corinthians]] such as {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|15:22|KJV}}, "As all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ", and {{bibleverse|1 Corinthians|15:28|KJV}}, "God will be all in all."<ref name=stmaron>{{cite web|url=https://www.stmaron.org/The_Maronite_Voice_for_December_2011.pdf|access-date=July 2, 2014|title=The Question of Universal Salvation: Will All Be Saved?|first=David A.|last=Fisher|publisher=The Maronite Voice, Volume VII, Issue No. XI.|date=December 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130508152506/http://www.stmaron.org/The_Maronite_Voice_for_December_2011.pdf|archive-date=May 8, 2013}}</ref> Verses that seem to contradict the tradition of complete damnation and come up in arguments also include {{bibleverse|Lamentations|3:31–33|NIV}} (NIV), "For no one is cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love, For he does not willingly bring affliction or grief to anyone.",<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Lamentations+3%3A31-33&version=NIV |title = Bible Gateway passage: Lamentations 3:31–33 – New International Version}}</ref> {{bibleverse|1 Timothy|4:10|NIV}} (NIV), "We have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of all people, and especially of those who believe.",<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Timothy+4%3A10&version=NIV |title = Bible Gateway passage: 1 Timothy 4:10 – New International Version}}</ref> and {{bibleverse|Luke|3:6|NIV}}, "And all people will see God’s salvation."