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Peeps, this is going to be one of those fun structured discussions to keep all Posts on track. So If I can ask kindly, can we focus on one subject here at a time, as this OP covers several.

Can we start with the first question here: How do you define Universalism?

Once that horse is beaten to death, we'll move on.

I like this quote -

“I believe in the fundamental Truth of all great religions of the world. I believe they are all God given and I believe they were necessary for the people to whom these religions were revealed. And I believe that if only we could all of us read the scriptures of the different faiths from the standpoint of the followers of these faiths, we should find that they were at the bottom all one and were all helpful to one another.”

M K Gandhi

I see Universalism as the belief that we will all eventually come into God’s Kingdom. For myself I believe that we could choose to stay out – but it would be totally our decision and without time limit. In other words I believe in God’s unconditional love.

Universalism looks at the nature and character of God. The nature of God is Love. His love is infinite and endless. In character, God is kind, good, full of grace, merciful and just. God's attributes are omnipotence omniscience, omnipresence, infinite wisdom, holiness, justice, mercy and truth.

God created us to be happy and productive and useful - and He created us for Himself, to enjoy His presence and to walk with Him.

Agree with Cat and Boogie comments

And, as the OP implies, the clinching argument is not with this text or that but is grounded in the nature of God.

And that nature is revealed in Jesus.

Is the God who revealed himself in the life and character of Jesus compatible with a God who consigns the majority of humankind (who after all are His children too) to eternal suffering in hell on the basis of what might have been decided in a mere 70 year lifespan.?

It is entirely disproportionate even if it we were true

which I dont believe it is.

Such is the almighty power of Love that I believe it will win a free response from all of us.

Like Cat, I also believe that universalism is an essential "oneness".

God created us for a reason, and while we can't possibly know or understand that reason, I believe that the life force he has imparted to us is intended to return to him. Somewhere along the way it can all go a bit awry, and only God knows what he thinks about that or how he will deal with it. But for me the overall thrust of the Bible, and in particular what we learn about Jesus, leads me to believe that he came into this world to bring us ALL to God - or as Bucca said above

Unfortunately, many people take exception to this view on the grounds that it means that it doesn't matter if we "sin", and that there is no need for "repentance". But that just doesn't follow! I don't think for one moment that Universalism means that we won't be answerable for the way we have used the life God has given us. I believe we will have to face the consequences of our life choices - and that those consequences might mean that we are somehow separated from God. But I also believe that God holds all human life in his hand, and that no one can be lost to him forever - in other words all human life is universally connected to him.

(I think)

Yes. Wikipedia makes this point. Hence a distinction can be made between Christian Universalism and other forms of Universalism.

For me, the core belief of Universalism is that all people will ultimately be reconciled to God. Regarding the other beliefs listed under Christian Universalism, I think I would go a bit further than "the spiritual leader of humankind" in my understanding of Jesus, but otherwise I don't have any immediate problems with any of them.

I would also say that I simply don't have enough personal experience of other religions to know how far along Bucca's paths they can take us. But I certainly don't think it is essential to know about Jesus in order to have a relationship with God.

Universalism doesn't hold sway for me. It reminds of the song "I'd like to teach the world to sing...in perfect harmony" Let's all sit down and hold hands and say peace to each other.

I think God makes it clear in the bible that there are those who will be separated from him. He shows it practically in the flood, in the ransackings of Israel and her time of being taken away by Neduchadnezzar. Jesus talks of it when he talks of Lazarus and the rich man. John 3 Jesus talks of having life, eternal life if we believe in Him, but those who do not believe shall not see life but will see the wrath of God. Romans 6 v 23 "the wages of sin is death", -physical and spiritual.

Sin equals separation from God. Jesus died so that we may not be separated from God, but only if we believe in him. John 14 v 6 "I am the way, the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through me"

If God is holding out his hand underneath all of this, so that we ultimately will be before him and will be given life again, then why bother with all of the Jesus bit?

And then we come to some more difficult questions, for example, What about the likes of Adolf Hitler and all the notorious people we hate across the planet throughout history. Oh yes, they were human after all, made in the likeness of the Father. Are they to be saved?

Only if they repented of their sin and believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

A mere 70 years on this planet is not long, in the grand scheme of things. It is a mere whisper of time, yet it is long enough for us to realise we sin and we are lost to God if we do not repent and believe in Jesus as our Saviour, as the only way, truth and life to God. It is long enough to find that narrow path, or to ignore it and keep on the wide track. It is long enough to build our house on the rock or to ignore it and build our house in the sand. It is long enough to return to the waiting Father and to be received back into his arms.

I was not familiar with the doctrine so I looked on Google and found this as part of a long article.

"Christian Universalism is therefore Biblical Universalism, the belief that the Bible itself teaches the universal reconciliation of all souls to God at the end of time. The Bible says that this will happen because of the power of Jesus Christ to save souls from hell. There is no 'point of no return,' such as committing an 'unpardonable sin' or dying without accepting Christ, that could ever cause a soul to be lost forever. No one is beyond hope, because Jesus Christ has absolute power and as much time as he needs to bring God's goal of universal salvation to fruition. Hell is a redeeming, cleansing, purifying fire that destroys the satanic ego and reforms the human personality in the image of Christ -- not an eternal vindictive torture by an angry and sadistic god."

Unknowingly, I have believed most of the doctrine, except the Bible does says that all sins can be forgiven except blashemy against the Holy Spirit. I believe if a person hates/abhors the Holy Spirit he/she isn't likely to pray to be led to repentance by him. Also I don't see anything in Rev.20 about those cast into the lake of fire ever coming out. I believe the lake of fire may burn up all physical evidence of the millenial rule of Jesus and move on to the new heavens and new earth age. (See 2Peter chapter 3. In v12 he says,"Looking for and hasting unto the coming day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? v13 Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness.")

I therefore believe that God is capable of saving everyone who ever lived, but people have a choice and say in the matter.

Judgement is not incompatible with universalism Steven

Condemnation might well be

the two are not the same.

I am wary of the 'heresy' word being bandied about. A look through the posts on a recent Trinity thread would indicate that every one of them ( including mine!!) could be described as heretical.

Yet if we paint God to be one who gets his jollies off punishing people eternally, and can never forgive them - and are wrong in that - then surely that would be a blasphemy? (which is far worse than heresy). (Fortunately, if we are wrong in that way, our wrongness would mean that God can get over it.)

There is a problem with being 'sure' mymoss. I think certainty is the opposite of faith and leads to the kind of attitudes the pharisees had - attitudes Jesus spoke against.

Openness to listen, accepting that other's ideas are valid and respect for other's beliefs is an important part of universalism imo