The False Compassion of Universalism

I’ve only heard nonsense from David Bentley Hart. He tries to cloak an argument for universal salvation in Christian language, an endeavor popular to our cultural ears and foreign to God’s Words.

In his book that All Shall be Saved, Hart says, “If Christianity taken as a whole is indeed an entirely coherent and credible system of belief, then the universalist understanding of its message is the only one possible.” Apparently, “coherence” is not in any way bound to being consistent with everything in Scripture and Tradition.

The biggest problem with a necessary universalism — aside from that small problem — is that it makes Almighty God out to be as morally lazy as we are. The problem of evil becomes hundreds of times more acute, if not only will God not set things right, but if we even attempt to say that the worst injustices in history really weren’t that bad.

Comparing ourselves to the worst in history will make us complacent. In the end, Aunt Ida really isn’t as bad as Stalin, and to suggest otherwise, even as a favor to fallen humanity, is a monstrosity. Would the Harts of the world seem so compassionate once we admit their efforts do more to say “Aunt Ida is just like Stalin” rather than the opposite?

What does the Cross mean, if I don’t have to carry it, even in the smallest degree? The Savior, after all, called us to pick up our crosses and follow Him.

The problem with being human is that we can miss what Christ did. We can ignore the paschal mystery — the path of most sinners — or we can empty it of all meaning.

This is what Hart and others want to do. Don’t fall for it.

Mystically link arms with our heroes and friends, Dr. Billy Graham, and Archbishop Fulton Sheen, proclaiming as they did that any minister or disciple who does not preach the Cross —i n one way or another — has failed to preach Christ.

Does not St. Paul say, “I determined to know nothing among you, except Christ, and him crucified”?

To be sure, there is too much equating that which is feminine with that which is weak, to our detriment. But we dare not even hint that God Almighty, Maker of Heaven and Earth, is a soft-spoken 30-something that wears hoodies at home, works in an office, is a “dog parent” and goes to counseling twice a month to learn how to “communicate cooperatively.”

No offense.

Hart appeals to our cultural desire for a Gospel that doesn’t require anyone to actually follow Him. We can just be that cooperative dog parent, do whatever we think seems good to us and call it a day. He gives us a Jesus who gives us what we want.

A Jesus who gives us what we want isn’t the Jesus who gives us what we need; namely, Himself.

Jason Kettinger is Associate Editor of Open for Business. He writes on politics, sports, faith and more.