Recently Pope Francis has said he likes to think hell is empty and Bishop Robert Barron has also defended the view that we can reasonably hope that all men will be saved.

In response a lot of Catholics have called this heretical, but they focused on secondary issues more than the primary problem with this view.

So let's talk about the real problem with Christians who say that they hope hell is empty.

First, we need to distinguish what Pope Francis and Bishop Barron say about hell

from heresy known as universalism.

This is the view that we can have definite knowledge

that every single human being or even every single creature,

including the devil and all the demons, will eventually be saved and spend eternity in heaven,

even if they have to go through purgatory first. But if that's true, then those who reject

the gospel would not be the lost that Jesus came to save, as it says in Luke 1910.

They would just be the delayed who have to wait a little bit longer for their heavenly rewards.

That's one reason why universalism has been rejected throughout church history.

The Protestant scholar Richard Boccombe writes,

until the 19th century almost all Christian theologians

taught the reality of eternal torment in hell.

Here and there outside the theological mainstream, were some who believe

that the wicked would be finally annihilated. Even fewer were the advocates of universal

salvation. Universalists cite passages in scripture that speak about Christ dying for

everyone, which is true, but that doesn't mean everyone will freely accept the

graces that Christ's death on the cross merited for them. Universalists also cite passages

like 1 Corinthians 1522 where Paul says, for as an atom all die, so also in Christ

shall all be made alive. But this doesn't mean through Christ all people shall be brought

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