Future probation
Future probation is an eschatological question about the fate of the dead in the afterlife in Christianity. The question is whether salvation is possible after death, and whether eternal life may similarly be gained after the time of death.[1][2] The general scope of the subject encompasses many variants that range from the Catholic doctrine of invincible ignorance through Mormon practices of postmortem baptism.
It is unique to Christian and Jewish belief and can be viewed as a way of extending salvation to all people without being dogmatically universalist. The subject attained great prominence in the second half of the 19th century and has continued into recent times. Prior to 1800, the teaching is difficult to distinguish from universalism as many of the questions involved were framed by different cultural, prophetic and ecclesiastical issues.
A treatise on this subject by Albert Hudson, editor of the Bible Study Monthly, was published in 1975 by the Bible Fellowship Union in England. It contains both an appendix describing the history of this doctrine and a bibliography.[3]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Leathes, Stanley (1886). "Article I". Future Probation: A Symposium on the Question "Is Salvation Possible After Death?". London: James Nisbet & Co. pp. 1–24. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ Cochrane, William (1886). Future Punishment, Or, Does Death End Probation?: Materialism, Immortality of the Soul; Conditional Immortality Or Annihilationism; Universalism Or Restoration; Optimism Or Eternal Hope; Probation Or Purgatory. Brantford, Ontario: Bradley, Garretson and Co. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- ^ Albert Hudson (1975). Future Probation in Christian Belief
Further reading
[edit]- Anonymous (1885). The Endless Future: Showing the Probable Connection Between Human Probation and the Endless Universe That is to Be. Nashville, Tennessee: Southern Methodist Publishing House. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- Pond, Enoch (1837). Probation. Bangor, Maine: Duren & Thatcher. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- Strong, James (1891). The Doctrine of a Future Life: From a Scriptural, Philosophical, and Scientific Point of View : Including Especially a Discussion of Immortality, the Intermediate State, the Resurrection, and Final Retribution. New York: Hunt & Eaton. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
- Vernon, Samuel Milton (1886). Probation and Punishment: A Rational and Scriptural Exposition of the Doctrine of the Future Punishmnent of the Wicked, as Held by the Great Body of Christian Believers of All Ages, with Special Reference to the Unscriptural Doctrine of a Second Probation. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott. Retrieved 5 May 2025.
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