The Conditionalist Faith of Our Fathers, vol. 2

III. Brilliant Array of Witnesses Marks Twentieth Century

As the nineteenth century saw certain entire denominations adopt Conditionalism, so in the twentieth century the past three decades have witnessed augmenting radio and television mass communication coverages present the Conditionalist faith on occasion. At the same time an increasing number of outstanding scholars in Britain and on the Continent, as well as in the United States and Canada, have become champions of Conditionalism. Anglican and Free Church leaders have adopted the Conditionalist faith, endorsing it in whole or in part. CFF2 1268.1

1. GROUND SWELL OF REVOLT AGAINST TRADITIONAL POSITIONS

A group of some six Swedish and Norwegian bishops repudiated the dogma of Eternal Torment amid heated debate. In truth, a wide-ranging ground swell of revolt against the traditional positions has swept over large sections of Christendom. The issues are being more sharply defined and the battle lines drawn between the three great schools concerning this age-old theological trilemma-Eternal-Tormentism, Universalism, and Conditionalism. Men are choosing sides-and changing sidesin harmony with what they discern to be truth. CFF2 1268.2

The spread is impressive. In this twentieth century, scholarly Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, German, French, British, American, Canadian, and Japanese voices have broken forth. University professors, college presidents, archbishops, deans and canons of cathedrals have spoken-such as in Canterbury, St. Paul’s, and Birmingham. Bible translators, commentators, editors, rectors, and pastors have borne witness. And these voices have appeared in Anglican, Episcopalian, Baptist, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Reformed, Congregational, Methodist, and various other communions. CFF2 1268.3

Many hold high posts in famous universities-such as Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Erlangen, Zurich, Harvard, Yale, Princeton, McGill, Toronto. And they are found in such theological seminaries as Union, General, Augsburg, Drew, Hamma, and Butler, for example. Books and periodicals have been augmented by the use of radio and television channels. Conditionalism is growing, spreading through largely unpublicized contemporary development. CFF2 1269.1