Universalism in Anglicanism

Here’s an excerpt from a thoughtful comment by the Rev. John Wilkins, the Salty Vicar.  John posted the comment in a worth-reading discussion, at the TitusOneNine blog, about recent National Public Radio interviews of liberal (and gay) Bishop Gene Robinson and conservative Bishop Robert Duncan.

… [T]here is a long tradition of universalism in the Anglican tradition. We should be careful, because there are different forms of universalism.

One [universalism] might be that, after death, there is a moment where people meet Jesus Christ and are asked if they love him.

Another universalism might be that hell is always an open door.

Another universalism might be that eventually all is brought to God.

Then there is a universalism that presumes that everything’s going to be all right.

Then there is a univeralism as a practice – that every person is worthy of dignity, everyone can be transformed, as people made in the image of God.

I’ve heard some evangelicals be universalists practically, even though they’d be shocked to hear me describe them as such theologically.

(Extra paragraph breaks added.)