Posted: Wed Sep 22, 2010 1:07 pm
Hey Luke,
First, I agreed that aionion in Matthew 25:31-46 implies "everlasting". However, Matthew 25:31-46 is a parabolic prophecy, so the imagery of everlasting fire and everlasting punishment might be nonliteral. And given the wider NT eschatological context, I conclude that the imagery of everlasting punishment is nonliteral. You might find me expressing different views on aionion in the past, but reading Bauckham and Hart, Hope Against Hope (1999) convinced me of their view.
Second, many ideas in biblical studies and church history clinch my views of universalism. My following two articles summarize my reasons for universalism:
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/10/orthodoxy-and-gregory-of-nyssas.html
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2010/02/kings-earth-heaven.html
I'll also develop a lot of these ideas in my book with Wipf & Stock:
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2010/07/conditional-futurism-new.html
First, I agreed that aionion in Matthew 25:31-46 implies "everlasting". However, Matthew 25:31-46 is a parabolic prophecy, so the imagery of everlasting fire and everlasting punishment might be nonliteral. And given the wider NT eschatological context, I conclude that the imagery of everlasting punishment is nonliteral. You might find me expressing different views on aionion in the past, but reading Bauckham and Hart, Hope Against Hope (1999) convinced me of their view.
Second, many ideas in biblical studies and church history clinch my views of universalism. My following two articles summarize my reasons for universalism:
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2007/10/orthodoxy-and-gregory-of-nyssas.html
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2010/02/kings-earth-heaven.html
I'll also develop a lot of these ideas in my book with Wipf & Stock:
http://theoperspectives.blogspot.com/2010/07/conditional-futurism-new.html