Ancient History of Universalism

The first serious work of historical scholarship produced by the American Universalist movement. Hosea Ballou 2d — grand-nephew of the theologian and later the first president of Tufts College — traces the doctrine of universal salvation from the apostles through the church fathers to the Fifth General Council of 553, with an appendix carrying the story to the Reformation. Its careful use of patristic sources won respect well beyond the denomination, and it remained the standard treatment for decades.

(Note: this summary was automatically generated and may be inaccurate.)