Very insightful thoughts, thank you Chris!
The way I think about total, libertarian free will and compatibility with the idea of eventual universal reconciliation is with the theological concept of molinism, which argues they are completely compatible without any limitation of free will. This is championed by William Lane Craig and Alvin Plantinga, and discussed in the Evangelical Universalist by Robin Parry (see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molinism ). It argues the following:
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God has foreknowledge of our actions. Yet Him knowing what we will do doesn’t equate to Him causing it, just as us knowing that the earth is rotating today doesn’t imply we are the cause of said rotation. We were and continue to be free to act otherwise; God simple has an incredible degree of knowledge, even about our free actions.
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More than just foreknowledge, He has ‘middle knowledge’. This is the knowledge of what a given free creature would choose were they placed in a given situation. Again, this is not the same as us being determined to do something (it is a free choice that God has knowledge of) as knowledge is not the same as cause.
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In relation to UR, this means God knows exactly what set of circumstances a given human being must be placed in, in order for him or her to freely choose life with Jesus Christ. Again, I emphasise this choice is free, not caused by God or any external factors. God’s middle knowledge in (2) allows Him to be able to know what situation a given creature.
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God could, in theory, create a world where every single free creature is placed in circumstances in which they will freely choose Him eventually, even if after death or post-judgement. This may be a long and complex process for some, but He can ensure it comes to be for every person by simply giving them the circumstances He knows they need.
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Thus, without restricting our freedom, God in theory is able to create a universe where all creatures eventually choose Him, simply by being incredibly clever (as we know He is!) about circumstances to make them so favourable that He knows (via middle knowledge) that everyone will freely choose Him. They are not compelled, or coerced - they make free, informed choices.
I find this a powerful answer to the apparent contradiction, without restricting creaturely freedom or God’s knowledge Thank you for your thoughts again!