Universalism
From Freepedia
Universalism refers to concepts and issues which are said to be "universal" in appeal—i.e. trancending any existing localizing boundaries. The term may refer to:
- In comparative religion, universalism is the belief that true and valuable insights are available in many of the religious traditions which have grown up in various human cultures. It posits that a spiritually aware person will respect religious traditions other than his own and will be open to learning from them. It does not deny that immersion in one tradition is a useful anchor for an individual's spiritual development. While it celebrates the richness and value to be found among humankind's religious traditions, it does not necessarily deny that some things done in the name of religion, and some religious practices, are not constructive. But it distinguishes itself from the view that there is only one true faith, that all humanity is destined eventually to be converted to it, and that those outside of such a faith community are imperiled by divine wrath.**The name Universalist refers to certain religious denominations of universalism, which as a core principle adhere to standards and rituals which are convergent rather than divergent, often espousing themselves as alternatives to denominations based on dogmatic or factionalized differences.
- A universal religion is one that holds itself true for all people; it thus allows all to join, regardless of ethnicity. In contrast, ethnic religions, like ethnicity itself, can be determined not just by genealogy, but by geography, language, and other social boundaries. In that sense, Islam, Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism are universal religions. Judaism would be an ethnic religion (although conversions are often allowed). Contrast with Chosen people.
- Universalism is also used as a synonym for moral universalism, as a compromise between moral relativism and moral absolutism.
- Universalism can also mean the wish for a closer union between all people of the world (the emergence of world citizens) and/or the aim of creating common global institutions (democratic globalization)
- Universalism may be associated with Catholicism, through the etymology of the Greek "katholicos", meaning "universal". The term Catholic originally referred to its "One Church" model as a "universal church", for all to participate. However, in Catholic theology, Universalism is the name of a heresy that teaches that all men will be saved and that no souls will be eternally damned (See Catholic defintion of the Universalist heresy, Apocatastasis & entry below). The adherents of Universalism merged with the Socinians or Unitarians to form the Unitarian Universalist Church.
- In Christianity, Universalism, Universal reconciliation, or universal salvation, is the doctrine that all people will eventually be saved and go to heaven at some point after they are dead. This is based on the belief that a loving God would not submit any person, regardless of their sins, to everlasting torment, but would instead reform them. This is a belief held by some protestant denominations. An extension of this, called "strong universalism", holds that no person, even the greatest sinner, is sent to Hell, and therefore Hell does not need to exist.
See also
| The following religious groups are often confused for one another: Unification Church | Unity Church | Universal Life Church Unitarian Universalism: Unitarianism | Universalism |
