Books

The following theological books are Universalist. Their listing does not
imply endorsement by the UNIVERSALIST HERALD.

Books

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Page Contents:

1. BOOK REVIEWS

Book: A New Universalism for a New Century
by A. J. Mattill, Jr.
.
Book: LIFE AFTER DEATH: THE BURDEN OF PROOF
by Deepak Chopra

Book: DESTINED FOR SALVATION: God’s Promise to Save Everyone
by Kalen Fristad

Book: AWAKENING THE SOUL
by John C. Morgan

2. UNIVERSALIST BOOK LISTINGS

______________________________________________________

A New Universalism for a New Century.

by A. J. Mattill, Jr.
Universalist Herald Publishing Company, Second Printing: 2008; $10

“A man before his time” is an apt phrase to describe Dr. A. J. Mattill, Jr. Very few of
the individuals who gathered for the first Universalist Convocation fully appreciated
the brilliant insight and theological thought A.J. Mattill brought to this 1990 event with
his introduction of A New Universalism for a New Century. However, interest in Mattill’s
book has grown over the years and many Universalists and Unitarian Universalists
who have read Mattill have come to identify with the ideas and concepts found in A
New Universalism for a New Century. Unfortunately, this book went out of print several
years ago, and it has been difficult for interested folks to locate a copy to read. With
this second printing, many Universalists, Unitarians, Unitarian Universalists, and other
religious liberals, who have been searching for a positive and practical religious credo
to match their modern understanding of the world, now have the opportunity to
acquire a copy of this book and consider Mattill’s very meaningful and practical
contribution to religious thought.

At the heart of Mattill’s theology is Fourfold Reverence: Reverence for Truth;
Reverence for Beauty; Reverence for Life; and Reverence for the Mystery of the
Universe.

The first element of his New Universalism is reverence for truth. By reverence for truth
Mattill does not mean boasting that we possess the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, for our conclusions are only approximations to truth and have only a greater or
lesser degree of probability rather than absolute certainty. Truth is too elusive for any
person ever to attain fully. Reverence for truth means a magnificent obsession for
coming ever closer to truth, an all-absorbing search for truth that is never ending. To
observe a reverence for truth requires that we become lifetime students. The greatest
truth seekers are learners to their dying day, realizing that the more they know the
more they have yet to learn.

The second element of a New Universalism is a reverence for beauty. A religion
without beauty is cold and sad and incomplete. As human beings, we hunger for art,
beauty, ceremony, music, and poetry. A religion which fosters beauty, appeals to our
sense of beauty, and satisfies our hunger for beauty is to that extent a true religion
and an uplifting influence to the human spirit. Reverence for beauty means to train
ourselves to see the maximum of beauty in the world around us. Once we can see and
recognize the limitless beauty all around us, then we can contemplate this beauty until
our hearts are on fire with ecstasy. Every day we can expose ourselves to a flower or
a mountain or a sunrise or a sunset. Reverence for beauty not only means to see and
contemplate beauty but it also means to cherish beauty as one of the most valuable
assets of life. Reverence for beauty is seeing and contemplating and cherishing and
creating all those sights and sounds and compositions and lives which are so
excellent in form or color or harmony or spirit.

The third basic element of a New Universalism is reverence for life. Reverence for life
requires a humane religion which is sensitive to the misery and suffering of both
people and animals and embraces both human rights and animal rights. Reverence
for life requires that we honor nature and respect nature. The non-violence of
reverence for life leads to the highest standards of conduct which are grounded in
compassion and kindness which are not limited to humanity but which embraces all
living beings. Whoever is filled with boundless compassion and kindness will respect
the rights of all other living things, harm none needlessly, and help every one so far
as possible. Reverence for life requires us to exercise a sense of benevolent kindness
and loving responsibility for animals and plants and people, for all will to live and not
to die, and all of us share in the marvelous mystery of life which flows through all living
things.

The fourth and final element of a New Universalism is reverence for the Mystery of the
Universe. As we meditate upon mystery, we are filled with an overwhelming emotion
concerning the inherent limits to the competence of our minds and the limits to our
knowledge. We are forced to acknowledge that there are ultimate limits to what we
may know both now and probably forevermore. Because of these limitations, we have
to accept the fact that there are unfathomable mysteries in the world which are
altogether beyond our comprehension. This Mystery of the Universe is what many, if
not most, people have in mind when they refer to God. The name “God” has long
been used to symbolize the Unexplainable Mystery of the existence of the universe, of
life, and of the lawfulness governing all things. The reverential awe we experience
before the Mystery of the Universe is the fundamental religious feeling, the permanent
and irreducible hard core of religious experience. The intense emotional thrill derived
from contemplating this Mystery is the ultimate religious experience. This Mystery of
the Universe is the Tremendous Mystery or Mysterium Tremendum. Before this
Tremendous Mystery, be it personal or impersonal, we feel so utterly small and
insignificant. As we meditate on the Mystery of the Universe, we are lifted above our
everyday concerns and we begin to lose our inflated sense of our own importance.
Observing a reverence for the Mystery of the Universe creates a life-long sense of
awe and wonder.

After presenting the outline of his religious philosophy, Mattill describes eleven
characteristics of a New Universalism and provides several expositions of this world
view to include The Jubilee Avowal which is a rewrite of the 1935 Washington
Declaration of the Universalist Church of America.

This is a wonderful book. Mattill’s theology is intellectually compatible with modern
science and he provides practical disciplines for the expression of his theology that
are compassionate and healing to the Earth and all its living inhabitants.

A. J. Mattill, Jr. has earned three degrees: B.A. from the University of Chicago; B.D.
from Evangelical Theological Seminary; and Ph.D. in Biblical studies and theology
from Vanderbilt University. He has done post-doctoral work in Israel, Canada, and
Germany. Dr. Mattill was a frequent contributor to the Universalist Herald in the 1980s
and 1990s. He and his wife, M.E., are retired and live on a small farm near Gordo,
Alabama where they follow a vegetarian lifestyle and practice organic gardening.

To order a copy of the second printing of A New Universalism for a New Century,
send check or money order payable to Universalist Herald and mail to Joyce Gilbert,
70 Harper Street, Rochester, NY 14607. Cost per copy is $10 postpaid to any US
address and $12 postpaid to any international address.

Vernon Chandler is a military chaplain, former pastor, prison chaplain, and also a
former editor of the UNIVERSALIST HERALD.

Book Reviewed: LIFE AFTER DEATH: THE BURDEN OF PROOF
by Deepak Chopra

Sometimes we modern day Unitarian Universalists forget the original meaning of the
term “Universalism.” Universalism has its genesis in the belief of an immortal soul and
the belief that all souls were eventually reunited with that which we call God. For
those of us for whom the original meaning of Universalism and immortality remain a
basis of our personal theology, you will find in Chopra’s latest book a comforting,
powerful, and insightful investigation into the great mysteries of existence: death and
eternal life.
Deepak Chopra grew up in a Hindu family in India and was later exposed to Christian
teachings via Catholic schooling. Trained as a medical doctor in both India and the
United States, Chopra bridges Eastern and Western thought in addressing the most
profound mystery: What happens when we die?
In Life After Death, Chopra draws upon recent medical discoveries, cutting-edge
scientific knowledge, quantum physics, near-death experiences (NDEs) and the
wisdom of various religious traditions to provide the reader a very hopeful glimpse into
the world of consciousness that follows the human death experience.
Chopra rejects the notion of Satan as an all-powerful opposite of God. Everything
Satan stands for is included in our own self-judgment. What we call Satan is a
massive reflection of self-judgment and is a creation of our own consciousness.
The only hell to which Chopra believes exists is psychological hell. We create our own
hells. Hell is farthest from that which we call God because hell represents the low ebb
of consciousness.
The spiritually mature person, regardless of religious faith, is someone who pursues a
meaningful life through the following: self worth; love; truth; appreciation and
gratitude; reverence; and nonviolence. To live outside these values is painful, and if
intense enough, perhaps the pain puts a person in his or her own psychological hell.
When we become disconnected from ourselves, a sense of deserving to suffer
begins. Hell is the suffering you think you deserve. When connections with that which
we call God are repaired or restored, we no longer believe we deserve punishment
and we are back in the flow of life with all its healing properties.
Although Chopra does not use the term, “Purgatory,” his writing alludes to this
concept. Bad Karma and/or low consciousness at the time of human death does have
an impact upon the souls of the departed. If we have created a psychological hell in
this life, aspects of this hell will continue in the next life.
For some souls entering the afterlife, there will be torment and suffering. Chopra calls
this hellish experience the condition of karmic suffering. However, this suffering is not
eternal, but is rather remedial and rehabilitative. This concept is very compatible with
early American Universalism.
For Chopra, death deserves to be called miraculous, a “doorway to a far more
important event—the beginning of the afterlife” and a mode of being that “can be as
creative as living . . . the cosmos that you and I are experiencing right now, with trees,
plants, people, houses, cars, stars, and galaxies, is just consciousness expressing
itself at one particular frequency. Elsewhere in space time, different planes exist
simultaneously.” It is on these other planes, created by the imagination of that which
we call God, that the souls of the departed continue the adventure of consciousness.
Chopra gives numerous medical and mystical accounts to support his belief in the
continuation of the soul following the death of the human body. Life After Death: The
Burden of Proof is full of spiritual wisdom. It is a wonderful guide for life after death
exploration and it is so compatible with what Universalists have been teaching for
centuries. I highly recommend this book to UNIVERSALIST HERALD readers.

Vernon Chandler is a military chaplain, former pastor, prison chaplain, and also a
former editor of the UNIVERSALIST HERALD.

Book: DESTINED FOR SALVATION: God’s Promise to Save Everyone
by Kalen Fristad

Rev. Fristad is a dedicated Universalist who writes about Christian Universalism in a
logical and loving fashion. The strength of his book comes from his twenty-seven
years’ experience as a United Methodist minister in communicating to parishioners
rather than to academics. He feels so intensely about the need to spread the Good
News of Universal Salvation to everyone that, in the tradition of St. Paul and John
Murray, he has been traveling around the country in a mobile home speaking to
groups from various denominations. When he was recently in Houston, I had the
privilege of hearing him speak and conversing with him.

Interestingly, he begins his book by presenting the scriptures that are commonly sited
as raising questions about Universal Salvation. After dealing with these questions, he
moves on to a sampling of major verses supporting Universal Salvation. Additional
Universalist proof-texts are scattered throughout. Next, he deals with Judgment and
the fact that all punishment is “to make the wrong-doer a right-doer”. Rev. Fristad
sites Biblical verses stating that God’s love is eternal and that God does not give up
on us, even in Hell. He notes that after Jesus’ crucifixion, Jesus went to Hell to bring
out “all the people who in former times did not obey” (I Peter 3:18-20, 4:6). He adds
that modern-day near-death experiencers report that such rescues are still occurring.
Rev. Fristad says that God is more gracious than the best of we human parents and
that God is always waiting for us to come home --- not only Here but in the Hereafter.
Rev. Fristad uses M. Scott Peck’s developmental theory of four stages of spiritual
growth to illustrate how humans at different stages of development view God. He
notes that people at Stage II (formal/institutional level) are the ones most likely to
oppose Universalism. Those who oppose Universalism are sometimes doing so
because of the theological lens through which they view Biblical verses, but more
often their opposition is based on wanting to be in God’s exclusive club. (This
problem is as old as Jesus’ disciples jockeying for position in the Kingdom of God.)
Next, the history of Universalism is presented from the 2nd Century to the present.
The final chapter deals with how the traditional message of Christian exclusivity
alienates people from God. The book ends with an Appendix on how to spread the
word of Universal Salvation.

This easily readable and well-organized book is a “must” for any Universalist and a
source of comfort for all traditional Christians who have agonized over the fate of their
non-Christian loved ones.

Ken R. Vincent,Ed.D. is the webmaster for the UNIVERSALST HERALD (www.
universalist-herald.net)

Book: AWAKENING THE SOUL
by John C. Morgan

Awakening the Soul is a wonderful “download” from a
seasoned minister’s soul --- a cornucopia of
thought-provoking, spiritual readings from a variety
of sources, seasoned with the hopeful message of
Christian Universalism. John C. Morgan is a Christian
Universalist minister with sixteen years of pastoral
experience in the theologically diverse Unitarian
Universalist denomination.

Although structured as daily devotionals, this book
provides a treasure-trove of material appropriate for
Christian or interfaith ministers and lay leaders to
use during group worship. This is the stuff that
“Orders of Service” are made of! Liberal Christians
will be especially delighted with the classic
quotations and stories from prominent Universalists,
including John Murray and George De Benneville. One
example is this from Olympia Brown (the first woman in
the United States to be ordained by a denomination):
“The foundation of democracy is the realization that
every human being is a child of God…, always trusting
in the one God which ever lives and loves.”

The overall tone of the book is best described by John
Morgan himself at the end of the Preface: “In the
end, it won’t matter how much you have, but rather how
much you have given. It won’t matter how much you
know, but rather how much you love. And it won’t
matter how much you profess to believe, but rather how
deeply you live the few enduring truths you claim as
ultimate. All the rest is discipline.”

Awakening the Soul by John C. Morgan is available
from: Amazon.com and the publisher, Skinner House
Books (www.uua.org/skinner).

Ken R. Vincent is webmaster at
www.universalist-herald.net and author of THE GOLDEN
THREAD, GOD’S PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION.

UNIVERSALIST THEOLOGY

HOPE BEYOND HELL
by Gerard Beauchemin

This book is a Bible literalist's guide to Universalism.

THE EVANGELICAL UNIVERSALIST
by Gregory Mac Donald
This book is very scholarly . Buy it for the wonderful chapter on the Universalist
interpretation of the Book of Revelation.

THE GOLDEN THREAD, GOD'S PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION
by Ken R. Vincent
This book begins with the Bible verses that ancient and modern Universalists have
used to show that God is the parent of ALL and in the end will save ALL. It continues
with 2000 years of Christian mystical religious experience and modern-day near-death
experiences.

EVERY KNEE SHALL BOW:THE CASE FOR CHRISTIAN UNIVERSALISM
by Thomas Allin and Mark T. Chamberlain
This is a 21st Century update of a 19th Century book. The result is an excellent
introduction to the Bibical basis for Universal Salvation.

IF GRACE IS TRUE: WHY GOD WiILL SAVE EVERY PERSON
by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland
This is an easy-reading book about two Quaker ministers' journey to Universalism.

IF GOD IS LOVE
by Philip Gulley and James Mulholland
This is a sequel to IF GRACE IS TRUE. The main premise of the book is that what we
believe does matter and that believing in Universalism could change the world.

GOOD GOATS
by Dennis Linn, Shelia Linn, & Matthew Linn
This is a "basic read" on Universalism. It is suitable for Middle School-age children to
adults. It is written by three Roman Catholics and has won a seal of approval (Imprimi
Potest) from the Catholic Church.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY SAY ABOUT HELL?
by Randy Klassen
This is an excellent book on Universalism in spite of its title. Rev. Klassen is a
Mennonite minister with a very well thought-out Universalist theology.

THE INESCAPABLE LOVE OF GOD
by Thomas Talbott
This scholarly book is readable. Prof. Talbott presents an excellent overview of
Universalist theology.

THE ONE PURPOSE OF GOD: AN ANSWER TO THE DOCTRINE OF ETERNAL
PUNISHMENT
by Jan Bonda
This is a very scholarly analysis of Universalism by a Dutch Reformed pastor.

DESTINED FOR SALVATION: GOD'S PROMISE TO SAVE EVERYONE
by Kalen Fristad
This is a readable book by a Methodist minister who is a dedicated Universalist.

UNIVERSAL SALVATION: ESCHATOLOGY IN THE THOUGHT OF GREGORY OF
NYSSA AND KARL RAHNER
by Morwenna Ludlow
This is a very scholarly comparison of the Universalist theologies of an ancient
Universalist and a modern one.

EVERY KNEE SHOULD BOW: THE BIBLICAL RATIONALES FOR UNIVERSAL
SALVATION IN EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHT
by Steven Harmon
This is a scholarly study of the Universalism of Clement of Alexandria, Origen,
Gregory of Nyssa by a Cooperative Baptist Fellowship theologian.

DARE WE HOPE "THAT ALL MEN BE SAVED"? WITH A SHORT DISCOURSE ON
HELL
by Hans von Balthasar
Father von Balthasar was a Roman Catholic priest whose theology is a hopeful
Universalism.

OLDIES BUT GOODIES

UNIVERSALISM: The Prevailing Doctrine of the Christian Church During Its First Five
Hundred Years
by J.W. Hanson
This book needs to be next to every Bible in the world. It is a must read for all
Universalists. It is available from amazon.com or online at Tentmaker.

A TREATISE ON ATONEMENT
by Hosea Ballou
Rev. Ballou was one of the great Universalist thinkers of the 19th century. This book
has been reprinted countless times.

BIBLE PROOFS OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION
by J. W. Hanson
The title says it all. This is a great book on Universalism by an outstanding theologian.

BIBLE THREATENINGS EXPLAINED: OR PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE SOMETIMES
QUOTED TO PROVE ENDLESS PUNISHMENT SHOWN TO TEACH CONSEQUENCES
OF LIMITED DURATION
by J. W. Hanson
The title tells you what this book is about. If you argue with Fundamentalists, don’t be
without this one.

ANCIENT HISTORY OF UNIVERSALISM
by Hosea Ballou II
This book covers the first 500 years of Christianity and makes a case for Universalism
being the dominant theological position in Christianity during that time.

THE MODERN HISTORY OF UNIVERSALISM FROM THE ERA OF THE
REFORMATION TO THE PRESENT TIME
by Thomas Whittemore
This book covers the history of Universalism from the Reformation up to the mid 19th
century.

MYSTERY HID FROM AGES AND GENERATIONS MADE MANIFEST BY THE GOSPEL
REVELATION OR SALVATION OF ALL MEN
BY Charles Chauncy
This is an 18th Century Book. It's English is a bit flowery, but it is not without charm.

FOOTPRINTS HEAVENWARD OR UNIVERSALISM THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY
by M. J. Steere
The author has a good heart and is a good Universalist, but the book rambles a bit.

VOICE TO UNIVERSALISTS
by Hosea Ballou
This is a collection of Hosea Ballou’s writings, hymns, poetry, etc.

There are a number of excellent books on Universalism that are out of print that are
on the Internet and can be found at:

Tentmaker

And also,

True Grace Ministries

UNIVERSALIST HISTORY

JANE LEADE: BIOGRAPHY OF A 17TH CENTURY MYSTIC
by Julie Hurst
The is an excellent book on the life of a 17th century English Universalist.

THE LARGER MESSAGE: UNIVERSALIST RELIGIOUS EDUCATION'S RESPONSE TO
THEOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL CHALLENGES 1790 TO 1930
by Elizabeth Strong
The title says it all.

AMERICAM UNIVERSALISM,4TH ED.
by George Williams
This is a basic overview of various Universalist theological positions.

UNIVERSALISM IN AMERICA: A DOCUMENTARY HISTORY OF A LIBERAL FAITH
by Ernest Cassara
Selected writing from Universalists 1741 to 1961

UNIVERSALIST MOVEMENT IN AMERICA, 1770-1880
by Ann Lee Bressler
This book focuses on the early years of Universalism in America.

UNIVERSALISM IN AMERICA
by George W. Cooke
The title says it all.

A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSALIST CHURCH FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
by L.B. Fisher
Because it was written in 1912 much of it is dated, still this book is not without its
moments.

THE LARGER FAITH: A SHORT HISTORY OF AMERICAN UNIVERSALISM
by Charles A. Howe
This is an excellent overview of the Universalist Church of America.

MAGLIPAY UNIVERSALISTS
by Fredric John Muir
According to Joseph Gentili, “this book is about a homegrown Universalist
denomination with 26 churches and fellowships, which evolved with support from the
Universalist Church of America, Negros Oriental, the Philippines.

IN THE HANDS OF A HAPPY GOD: THE “NO-HELLERS” OF CENTRAL APPALACHIA
by Howard Dorgan
This book is about the Primitive Baptist Churches of Central Appalachia.

THE OTHER SIDE OF SALVATION: SPIRITUALISM AND THE NINETEENTH CENTURY-
RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE
by John B. Buescher
This book looks at the interest in spiritualism by Universalists.

AN EXPOSITION OF VIEWS RESPECTING THE PRINCIPAL FACTS CAUSES AND
PECULIARITIES INVOLVED IN SPIRIT MANIFESTATIONS TOGETHER WITH
INTERESTING PHENOMENAL STATEMENTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
BY Adin Ballou
Written in 1852 this book is a series of case studies of spirit manifestations.

THIS DAY IN UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST HISTORY
by Frank Schulman
This is an excellent reference book for preachers and religious educators.

HISTORICAL DICTIONARY OF UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM
by Mark Harris
This is a library reference book.

REVEREND ELHANAN WINCHESTER: BIOGRAPHY AND LETTERS
Editor: Edwin S. Gaustad
The story and letters of a Universalist sage.

BOOKS THAT INCLUDE UNIVERSALISM

AWAKENING THE SOUL
by John C. Morgan
A collection of daily devotions which feature some elements of Universalist theology
and history.

NEVER FAR FROM HOME
by Carl Scovel
Universalist, Derek Lee Parker writes:"this famed Unitarian Christian preacher brings
us a Universalist spirituality of courage, hope, and universal reconciliation.

UNIVERSAL SALVATION ?
by Robin A. Parry and Christopher H. Partridge
Two-thirds of this book is by Universalists. The Universalists include Thomas Talbott,
Morwenna Ludlow, and Eric Reitan.

LIFE AFTER DEATH
by Tom Harpur
Virtually all books on the Near-Death Experience are Universalist in their orientation.
This book is included because the concluding chapter has a strong Christian
Universalist statement.

NOTHING BETTER THAN DEATH
by Kevin Williams
This Near-Death Experience book also has a Bible based Universalist chapter.

VISIONS OF GOD FROM THE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE
by Ken R. Vincent
This book looks at the near-death experience in the context of world religion. It is
Universalist in its orientation and the Bible is the relgious text most frequently quoted.

DEATH AND ETERNAL LIFE
by John Hick
Professor Hick is a United Reformed theologian and the most prominent Universalist
scholar living today. This is a treatise on eternal life and includes a chapter on
Universal Salvation.

DISPUTED QUESTIONS IN THEOLOGY AND THE PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION
by John Hick
Professor Hick's books address many topics but about forty percent of this book is
relevant to Universalists.

GOD DOES NOT FORECLOSE: THE PROMISE OF UNIVERSAL SALVATION
by David Lowes Watson
Prof. Watson is a Methodist theologian and committed Universalist. In spite of it's title
the book is mainly about the need for Universalists to evangelize.