Category Archives: Thomas Talbott

The Inescapable Love of God: Saved by the Gehennic Christ

“Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire; and if any one’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: Hell Lite

I think it is is accurate to say that over the past 100 years the free-will theodicy has become the go-to defense of the doctrine of hell. Its popularity crosses ecclesial boundaries. Even Baptists (maybe not many but some) can … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , | 35 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: Saving Sinners From Themselves

But what if the Talbottian argument1 that eternal damnation is incoherent fails or at least fails to convince? What if we still find the free-will defense of hell (somewhat) persuasive? After all, how can so many smart philosophers be wrong?2 … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology, George MacDonald, Thomas Talbott | 11 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: The Absurdity of Eternal Damnation

“The very idea of someone freely rejecting God forever,” writes Thomas Talbott, “is deeply incoherent and therefore logically impossible.”1 Given that eternal damnation—whether considered as the infliction of unbearable pain or maximal privation of happiness and satisfaction—represents a fate that no … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: Human Freedom and the Incoherency of Self-Damnation

God does not coerce! Without question, this is the most popular, and perhaps most powerful, objection raised against the universalist hope, at least in those circles where the retributive construal of damnation does not hold sway. God has given human … Continue reading

Posted in Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: St Paul and Eternal Damnation

2 Thessalonians 1:9—this is the verse most frequently invoked to prove the thesis that the Apostle Paul teaches God’s everlasting damnation of the wicked. Before preceding any further, I’d like to ask you to read the first twelve verses of … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: The Aiónion Punishment of Gehenna

But what about hell? This is the question we all want answered. Did not Jesus and his Apostles explicitly warn us of the dire consequences of disbelief and impenitence? Did they not plainly teach that those who reject the divine … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

The Inescapable Love of God: Was St Paul a Universalist?

The universalist confessor faces what appears to be an insurmountable challenge—reconciling his convictions with the plain and obvious testimony of the Holy Scriptures. Traditional Christians have long believed in the real possibility of everlasting damnation because this is, so they … Continue reading

Posted in Bible, Book Reviews, Eschatology, Thomas Talbott | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 41 Comments