McClintock-Strongs Cyclopedia of Biblical Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature has this to say about the next church leader of the early church: Theodore, who is called the crown and climax of the school of Antioch and whose writings were textbooks in the school of Eastern Syria, was a prominent and influential Universalist. His theory was that sin is an incidental part of the development and education of the human race; that while some are more involved in it than others, God will overrule it to the final establishment of all in good. He is the reputed author of the liturgy used by the Nestorians, a church which at one time equaled in its membership the combined adherents of both the Greek and Latin communions. In the addresses and prayers of this liturgy Universalism is distinctly avowed. Schaff-Herzogs Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge says that, His influence for some centuries was more extensive than that of Augustine. Theodore, of whom the average modern Christian does not even know ever existed, has this to say: That in the world to come, those who have done evil all their life long, will be made worthy of the sweetness of the divine bounty. For never would Christ have said, Until thou has paid the uttermost farthing unless it were possible for us to be cleansed when we have paid the debt (quoted from Christ Triumphant by Thomas Allin). Of John Cassian (c. 360-435), the Schaff-Herzog encyclopedia says: Under the instruction of these great teachers (i.e. Theodore of Mopsuestia and John Cassian, etc.) many theologians believed in universal salvation; and indeed the whole Eastern Church until after 500 A.D. was inclined to it.
Posted on: Mon, 03 Feb 2014 05:33:15 +0000
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