| Foreword | xiii |
| Preface | xvii |
| Introduction | 1 |
Part 1 | Formulating the Issue | |
1. | The Issue in Context | 11 |
| The Question | 11 |
| Should an Answer Be Attempted? | 15 |
| The Topic within Evangelicalism | 20 |
| Two Essential Truths | 25 |
| Control Beliefs | 31 |
Part 2 | The Two Extremes: Restrictivism and Universalism | |
2. | Restrictivism: All the Unevangelized Are Damned | 37 |
| Key Biblical Texts | 38 |
| Theological Considerations | 42 |
| The Particularity and Finality of the Revelation and Salvific Work of Jesus | 42 |
| General Revelation Does Not Provide a Means to Salvation | 45 |
| Commitment to Christ Must Occur during One's Lifetime | 46 |
| The Unevangelized Deserve Condemnation | 47 |
| The Implications of the Restrictivist Position for Missions | 48 |
| The Doctrine of Limited Atonement | 50 |
| Leading Defenders | 51 |
| Augustine | 51 |
| John Calvin | 56 |
| R. C. Sproul | 58 |
| Evaluation | 60 |
| The Accessibility of Salvation | 60 |
| The Role of Christ in Salvation | 62 |
| The Character of General Revelation | 68 |
| The Boundary of Death | 70 |
| The Question of Missions | 71 |
| Limited Atonement | 71 |
| Historical Bibliography | 73 |
3. | Universalism: All the Unevangelized Are Saved | 81 |
| Key Biblical Texts | 83 |
| Theological Considerations | 89 |
| Sovereign Love | 89 |
| God's Eternal Persistence | 93 |
| The Justice of God | 94 |
| Leading Defenders | 98 |
| Origen | 98 |
| Charles Chauncy | 101 |
| John A. T. Robinson | 104 |
| Evaluation | 106 |
| Universalism vs. Universally Accessible Salvation | 107 |
| The Reality of Hell | 108 |
| Divine Love and Human Freedom | 110 |
| The Purpose of Divine Judgment | 114 |
| Excursus on Radical Pluralism | 115 |
| The Pitfalls of Radical Reinterpretation | 119 |
| Who Is God? What Is Salvation? | 119 |
| The Criteria for Truth | 122 |
| Historical Bibliography | 124 |
Part 3 | Salvation As Universally Accessible | |
4. | The Wider Hope | 131 |
| Historical Bibliography | 137 |
5. | Universal Evangelization -- before Death | 151 |
| God Will Send the Message | 152 |
| Key Biblical Texts | 153 |
| Theological Considerations | 153 |
| A Leading Defender: Thomas Aquinas | 156 |
| Historical Bibliography | 159 |
| Universal Opportunity at Death | 164 |
| Theological Considerations | 165 |
| Middle Knowledge | 167 |
| Evaluation | 171 |
| God Will Send the Message | 171 |
| Universal Opportunity at Death | 172 |
| Middle Knowledge | 173 |
6. | Eschatological Evangelization | 177 |
| Key Biblical Texts | 178 |
| Theological Considerations | 189 |
| The Insufficiency of General Revelation for Salvation | 189 |
| Our Destinies Are Not Necessarily Determined at Death | 190 |
| Implications of the Belief That Infants Who Die Are Saved | 191 |
| The Broad Implications of Universally Accessible Salvation | 192 |
| Leading Defenders | 195 |
| Joseph Leckie | 195 |
| Gabriel Fackre | 197 |
| George Lindbeck | 200 |
| Evaluation | 205 |
| Historical Bibliography | 211 |
7. | Inclusivism: Universally Accessible Salvation apart from Evangelization | 215 |
| Key Biblical Texts | 217 |
| Theological Considerations | 224 |
| Believers vs. Christians | 224 |
| The Role of General Revelation | 233 |
| The Work of God in Effecting Salvation | 236 |
| The Cosmic Work of Jesus Christ | 238 |
| The Implications of the Presence of Other Religions | 241 |
| Leading Defenders | 249 |
| John Wesley | 249 |
| C. S. Lewis | 251 |
| Clark Pinnock | 257 |
| Evaluation | 264 |
| Historical Bibliography | 267 |
| Conclusion | 281 |
Appendix | Infant Salvation and Damnation | 287 |
| Only Baptized or Elect Children Are Saved | 290 |
| Through Baptism | 291 |
| Through Election | 294 |
| The Destiny of Infants Who Die Is a Mystery | 296 |
| Evangelization in or after Death | 297 |
| All Young Children Who Die Are Saved | 298 |
| The Arminian Argument | 299 |
| The Reformed Argument | 300 |
| Conclusion | 304 |
| Index of Subjects and Names | 307 |
| Index of Scripture References | 311 |