The Devil's Redemption: A New History and Interpretation of Christian Universalism

McClymond's comprehensive two-volume study presents the most extensive historical examination of Christian universalism to date, tracing the doctrine of universal salvation from its ancient origins through contemporary expressions. The work argues that universalism represents a persistent but problematic deviation from orthodox Christian theology, one that has repeatedly emerged in various forms throughout church history while fundamentally undermining core biblical teachings about divine justice, human freedom, and the nature of salvation.

The author employs a genealogical method that combines intellectual history with theological analysis, examining how universalist ideas have developed, mutated, and spread across different cultural contexts. McClymond identifies what he terms an "esoteric tradition" running from Origen through various mystical and philosophical movements, including Kabbalism, German Idealism, and modern progressive Christianity. He contends that universalism often emerges at the intersection of Christian theology with non-Christian philosophical systems, particularly those emphasizing emanation, the divine nature of the human soul, or deterministic metaphysics.

Central to McClymond's critique is his argument that universalism necessarily compromises human freedom and moral responsibility. He maintains that if salvation is ultimately guaranteed for all, then human choices become meaningless and the biblical emphasis on repentance, faith, and obedience loses its urgency. The work engages extensively with contemporary universalist theologians like David Bentley Hart and Thomas Talbott, offering detailed refutations of their philosophical and exegetical arguments.

The study makes a significant contribution to debates about divine nature and human destiny by demonstrating how different conceptions of God lead to radically different soteriological conclusions. McClymond shows that universalism typically requires either limiting divine justice to make it compatible with universal mercy, or reconceiving human nature to eliminate the possibility of final rejection of God. His analysis reveals how these moves often involve importing foreign philosophical concepts that transform the biblical narrative.

This work matters for the God debate because it illuminates how theological controversies about ultimate destiny reflect deeper disagreements about divine attributes, particularly the relationship between justice and love. McClymond's historical survey demonstrates that far from being a modern innovation, universalism represents a recurring challenge to traditional theism that raises fundamental questions about coherence in concepts of God, the meaning of human freedom, and the interpretation of religious texts.