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Hopeful universalism

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 October 2020

MICHAEL REA Open the ORCID record for MICHAEL REA [Opens in a new window]
MICHAEL REA*
Affiliation:
Department of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame, 100 Malloy Hall, Notre Dame, IN46556, USA
*
e-mail: mrea@nd.edu
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Abstract

This article argues against the rationality of ‘hopeful universalism’, the components of which include the unconditional considered hope that soteriological universalism is true, and an absence of belief that it is true. Some proponents maintain that there is simply not enough evidence to affirm or deny universalism; others believe that it is probably false but nonetheless hope they are mistaken. This article argues that worshippers of God who maintain unconditional considered hope in the truth of universalism ought either to believe universalism or seek to abandon their hope in its truth, depending (in part) on how their confidence in the considerations that steer them away from universalism measure up against the beliefs that underwrite their hope in its truth. For such people, neither withholding belief in universalism nor believing that it is false while continuing to hope that it is true is a rational option.

Type
Original Article
Information
Religious Studies , Volume 58 , Issue 1 , March 2022 , pp. 266 - 283
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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