If Grace Is True: Why God Will Save Every Person

by James Mulholland and Philip Gulley

Book Overview

"Gulley and Mulholland have extended and deepened the meaning of God's grace in decidedly thoughtful and lovely ways." -- Arkansas Democrat Gazette In this controversial bestseller, authors and Quaker... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 006251704X
• ISBN13: 9780062517043
• Release Date: July 2003
• Publisher: HarperOne
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.63 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.7" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

When grace is not grace . . . and when it is.

Most Christians go through life being told that grace is God's unconditional love, but never think through what that means. Gulley and Philip have, and in their book "If Grace Is True: Why God Will Save Every Person", they come to the logical conclusion that if God is truly all-powerful, and grace is truly unconditional then God's love eventually wins us all. To do this the authors imploy all the insights of modern scripture scholarship, though anyone who is looking for a scholarly treatment will be disappointed. Gulley and Philip do what they evidently do best; they preach, and "If Grace is True" is essentially a sermon which uses personal examples and experiences to challenge and comfort readers with reasons "Why God will save every person", a phrase which is unpacked systematically throughout the book and functions as its organizational principle. Be warned: Gulley and Philip challenge views of the sacrifcial atonement of Christ, the last judgment and hell which are deeply entrenched in Christian tradition and are part of the biblical witness. Fundamentalists will categoricaly reject their argument because of this. Those who believe that scriptural inspiration means that every word of the Bible is true will judge the authors to have left the Christian faith. Those who value Christian tradition as normative will see Gulley's and Philip's views as having been repeatedly rejected by that tradition. The authors realize that their message will frighten many a sincere Christian. But they hope that it will also challenge them to see that for every passage in scripture, and every witness in the tradition, which seem to limit God's grace, there are others which proclaim God's intention to save all. . . . for me personally I was left deeply troubled and perplexed by this book; but only because I am utterly convinced of its truth. The question that it leaves with me is the same one that every great preacher leaves with their hearers: If grace is true . . . now what? How do we rethink our faith and reform our lives so that we better reflect the message which Gulley and Philip find at the heart of the biblical witness? That will form the basis of my reflection and prayer for quite some time to come.

Give it a try

I'd like to recommend this book to all grappling with this very difficult subject. No, it is not likely to convince those firmly committed to biblical inerrancy. But it may help those who are deeply disturbed by the implications of the doctrine of hell to see that there are alternative viewpoints held by other no-less deeply committed Christians. The authors both exhibit a wonderful graciousness, courage and compassion in their writing that is truly exemplary of Christian maturity and love. One reviewer was put off that the book was substantially anecdotal and emotional. While other books key in on more biblical and philosophical argumentations for Universalism (Thomas Talbott and Jan Bonda as examples), I frankly welcome this approach to the discussion as well. In fact, perhaps a significant missing element in conservative articulations of hell as eternal torment is the lack of emotional coherency. To consign any living, feeling human to such an excessively tortuous existence is truly emotionally gut wrenching to say the least, if not down right ghastly. (And don't overlook the implication of the conservative position that those who are "destined to fry" are not only Hitler and Attila the Hun but the friendly next door neighbor or relative who die unsaved as well.) Perhaps our felt emotional responses have important ways to clue us about truth as well as our intellects or our fidelities to orthodox belief. But both authors are in no way guilty of shallow emotive propagandizing in articulating why they came to their Universalistic convictions. I write this review as once a believer in biblical infallibility and one who grimly conceded the reality of hell as the destiny for the unsaved after death. However, over the course of my own theological odyssey I have come to the belief that this and really all biblical doctrines ultimately point to the essence of who God is. How one responds to this doctrine very much characterizes how one understands God's nature. Is God's essence consistently, fully LOVE or does it need to be substantially qualified by other attributes such as wrath and retributional justice? Certainly, one may believe God expresses anger and "wrath" towards human sinfulness but perhaps this is better understood as an expression of his love, somewhat analogous to a parent who would not let their son or daughter commit destructive acts towards others or themselves without "redemptive" discipline and restoration. However, the goal is always redemptive not destruction of the person. Hell as eternal torment surely confuses this and in the end God tragically comes off as a cosmic sadist. One reviewer described the authors' views of Universalism as "warm-and-fuzzy". However the authors surely contest that viewpoint throughout. One of the most difficult and demanding teachings of Jesus was his call to his followers to love their enemies and pray for those who persecute them just as God responds in goodness to "his enemies". Hardly warm-a

wonderful book

Philosopher Immanuel Kant once wrote a speech on "What is Enlightenment." Among many things said in the speech, one point he stresses heavily is the need for one to break free of "self-incurred tutelage" to become fully enlightened. Basically he's saying that in order to see the truth, you must question what you know like the back of your hand. After all, if all your life you're only looking through the lens of one perspective, you're missing out on a lot. This book is for those who desire enlightenment. It is absolutely necessary to read it with an open mind, or else you will get nothing from it, which would be incredibly unfortunate. When I read this book, I couldn't stop thinking that someone had actually managed to put into writing what I always had in my head. It's a fast read, and it isn't a long book anyway. I definitely suggest that Christians and non-Christians alike read this work.

Just read it

Read this book and then come back and read through all the reviews written here. If you are like me, you will have a new understanding and greater compassion for those offering the most criticism.This book challenges many long and strongly held beliefs about Christianity. Yet goes on to show, rightfully I believe, that these beliefs survive more on repetition than experience or even sound reasoning or scriptural backing.The image of a mean, vindictive and often petty God never rang true with me. But until recently, I had found little to support my alternative view of God as 100 percent loving and forgiving. This book and other reviews give me hope that I am not alone and more importantly, not crazy or on my way to Hell.If you disagree with this book or even the premise all people will be saved, just ask yourself why. As the book points out, too many people are concerned with defending what they believe rather than asking the important question of why they believe what they do.Be honest with yourself and ask why. If you are true to the question, you will be surprised. Yet love, not Hell fire, awaits you on the other side.

How can we deny grace and salvation to God's children?

I grew up in a Southern Christian tradition where those who did not believe in Jesus and beg for forgiveness were to be banished to the fires of Hell for all eternity. Somehow this bothered me. What about all the souls born in the BC years? What about all those who never knew about Jesus? Moslems? Jews? So many other belief systems? What about the mentally handicapped who are not even aware that they need to ask for salvation? Are all those people not God's children too? In fact, one of my ministers told me, people were unworthy in God's eyes until they "come to Christ", "repent of their sins" and are "saved". I failed to see the logic, but still went to church.Then as I travelled around the world in my 30s and 40s, and discovered that most of the human race was not Christian, and were decent and kind nonetheless, I slowly drifted away from the church.Years later I found a church that accepted the possibility of universal grace. It was, of all things, Methodist, the same denomination I had drifted away from. One of the Ministers there recommended "If Grace is True". It finally gave voice to what I have felt in my heart for so many years - we are all "saved" by God's perfect love.To those who would deny this as truth I would ask you to look into your own heart and ask why you think as you do. How do you, a mere human, set the boundaries between heaven and hell? Are you not bothered by the fact that there seem to be so many different lines drawn in the sand by so many different Christian and non-Christian belief systems? I am, and that's why I have come to think that the authors are right. God is perfect. God is love. Perfect, unconditional, love draws no line in the sand.Tom Elam