apocatastasis

Apocatastasis, from the Greek apokatastasis meaning restoration or reconstitution, is a term used in Christian theology to denote the belief that all beings will ultimately be restored to a right relationship with God, and that creation will be brought to its intended perfection. In its strongest sense it refers to universal reconciliation, the idea that even the wicked will be saved in the end.

Historically, the doctrine is most closely associated with Origen of Alexandria (c. 185–254), who argued that the process of salvation extends to all rational beings and that the material creation moves toward a final restoration. Later patristic writers, such as Gregory of Nyssa, developed and nuanced the theme, though scholars continue to debate the exact scope and meaning of Origen’s writings. The notion of apocatastasis has been controversial within Christian tradition, with some authorities emphasizing potential universal restoration and others warning against speculative speculation about the fate of particular beings.

Reception and doctrine differ by tradition. The late antique church condemned certain Origenist tenets, and the Fifth Ecumenical Council (553) criticized Origenist ideas, including universal salvation and pre-existence of souls, as inappropriate for orthodox teaching. In the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox traditions today, apocatastasis is not a dogma; views range from cautious openness to strict rejection. In some Protestant and liberal Catholic contexts, universalist interpretations are advocated as a hopeful eschatology, while many theologians maintain that final judgment remains compatible with divine justice without asserting universal salvation for all.