A stunning reexamination of one of the essential tenets of Christian
belief from one of the most provocative and admired writers on religion
today
"A scathing, vigorous, eloquent attack on those who hold that that
there is such a thing as eternal damnation."--Karen Kilby,
Commonweal
"[A] provocative, informative treatise. . . . [Hart's] resounding
challenge to orthodox Christian views on hell and his defense of God's
ultimate goodness will prove convincing and inspiring to the
open-minded."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
The great fourth-century church father Basil of Caesarea once observed
that, in his time, most Christians believed that hell was not
everlasting, and that all would eventually attain salvation. But today,
this view is no longer prevalent within Christian communities.
In this momentous book, David Bentley Hart makes the case that nearly
two millennia of dogmatic tradition have misled readers on the crucial
matter of universal salvation. On the basis of the earliest Christian
writings, theological tradition, scripture, and logic, Hart argues that
if God is the good creator of all, he is the savior of all, without
fail. And if he is not the savior of all, the Kingdom is only a dream,
and creation something considerably worse than a nightmare. But it is
not so. There is no such thing as eternal damnation; all will be saved.
With great rhetorical power, wit, and emotional range, Hart offers a new
perspective on one of Christianity's most important themes.
