Progressive Orthodoxy at Andover

This is another very interesting approach by professors from the Congregationalist seminary at Andover. They deal with a couple of the criticisms concerning future probation. This is some good, deep thinking here.

Progressive Orthodoxy
A Contribution to the
Christian Interpretation Of
Christian Doctrine
By
The Editors of “The Andover Review”
Professors of Andover Theological Seminary

Boston, New York
1886

page 98
“What, now, are the passages is Peter’s allusion in the third chapter of his epistle to Christ’s preaching to the spirits in prison. The preponderating conclusion of scholarship is that Christ appeared in the adobe of the dead between his crucifixion and resurrection. That his message was other than the gospel, least of all that it was an exultant condemnation of the lost, we find it impossible to believe. The inference is natural, though not necessary, that if Christ preached to the contemporaries of Noah, the wickedest of former generations, his gospel is also made known to the heathern nations who have had even less than the warnings of Noah. The belief of the ancient church, a belief which has held its ground till the present time, that Christ descended into Hades, is a legitimate inference from Peter’s teaching, taken in connection with Paul’s parenthetical question in the fourth chapter of Ephesians, “Now this, he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended far above all the heavens.”

"Even more significant is 1 Peter iv. 5, 6 : “Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For unto this end was the gospel preached even to the dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” Here it is expressly taught that, in order to make the judgment universal, the gospel was preached to all the dead as well as to the living. There is the identical connection of thought which we have indicated. Judgment by Christi is preceded by the preaching of the gospel to the living and the dead. The passage is unequivocal. It can no longer be maintained that the dead referred to are the spiritually dead, or that any others are meant than all the dead of former generations. Both the fifth and the sixth verses have the same general application to all the dead. And the very object of preaching the gospel to them is that they might be judged in the way according to which all men are judged in respect to the life in the flesh, but might yet in the way characteristic of God have opportunity t live in the spirit. The interpretation of Professor Kellogg that the preaching to the dead was to the martyrs who are now dead but who heard the gospel when alive is too fanciful to deserve serious consideration. "

"Another passge is that in the gospels concerning the sin against the Holy Ghost, which shall not be forgiven, neither in this world nor in that which is to come. These words of Jesus do not affirm that any sins will be forgiven in the world which is to come; but the inference is natural from his solemn declaration that the sin against the Holy Ghost cannot be forgiven in the world to come, that other sins may be forgiven hereafter. And, inasmuch as this sin is generally thought to be no other than the willful rejection of Christ, the inference is still more natural. It is possible, however, that Christ meant only to speak strongly, and was employing an “emphasized negative.” Professor Kellogg argues that the world to come was, in the opinion of the Jews, to begin with the resurrection, and that Christ had no reference to an age between death and resurrection, but to an age following the intermediate state. If we correctly understand this explanation, the inference would be that all sins can be forgiven all the way on up to the resurrection; that is, in this age or world; and possible, except the sin against the Holy Ghost, in the period which is ushered in by and follows the resurrection…. "

Page 100
"Again, if the inhabitants of Tyre and Sidon are to be condemned to everlasting woe, in what sense can their judgment be more tolerable than that of Chorazin and Bethsaida? If Sodom, with the knowledge of Christ would not have been overthrown, and if Tyre and Sidon would have repented, can we believe that the knowledge of Christ will forever be withheld from them? And is it certain that our Lord had in mind more than the temporal calamities to which those cities had been exposed by reason of their sins? Was he thinking of the everlasting destiny of all the individuals who dwelt in them? "

Page 102
"The Scriptures plainly teach the universality of Christ’s work in its intent, its application, and its consummation. The burden of proof, even on the Scriptural side, rests upon those who aver that any portion of the race is excluded from the privileges of the gospel. It is not incumbent on us to quote Scripture which shall show that the heathen do have the gospel before they are judged. It is incumbent on those who oppose our view to quote Scripture which shall show that the heathen do not have the gospel before they are judged…. "

Page 102-103.

"The objection which are urged most strenuously against the hypothesis of future probation for the heathen are prudential. The consequences of such a hope are held to be dangerous. If it is admitted, so the argment runs, that there are any who may have opportunity after death, will not the hope be encouraged that some in Christian lands will also have such opportunity? Many to ready to say that they have not had a fair chance here; and as men are so prone to delay, they will be more secure than ever. We do not deny that there is force in this consideration. Such misues might be made of the breadth of the gospel. Men defer repentance for various insufficient reasons, presuming too much on the mercy of God, or on the more convenient season. But we do not accpt this objection as conclusive against the theory. It is difficult to judge of the usefulness of a particular belief. No one can tell how many are hardened against the gospel because the opinion has been advanced that all the heathen are hopelessly lost. Perhaps the harm done by encouraging delay would be more than offset by the harm done through narrow conceptions of the love of God. It is certain that many more have been prejudiced against the gospel by representations of God which make Him a severe and tyrannical Sovereign. It is certain that conscientious, intelligent men have shrunk from identifying themselves with a church and from embracing a religion whose God leaves the vast majority of the race without opportunity of salvation. There is danger on both sides, and it is impossible to decide on which side it is greater."