Michael Papazian: Universal Salvation in the Works of St. Gregory of Narek

This paper examines the theme of universalism in the writings of St. Gregory of Narek, a tenth century Armenian monk, theologian, and poet, and since 2015 a doctor of the Catholic Church. Belief in the possibility of universal salvation is an ancient teaching in Christianity that dates at least as far back as Origen but also is found in later patristic authors such as St. Gregory of Nyssa and St. Isaac of Nineveh. So far there has not been much scholarly attention given to universalism in the Armenian tradition. Adding Gregory’s name to the list of early adherents of universalism is significant because it adds an important representative of a miaphysite church to the roster of early universalists. As well, Gregory’s universalism is of interest in its own right for its distinctive features, most notably its grounding in his sacramental theology and his understanding of penance. I try to show that Gregory’s universalism, which I call pentitential universalism, anticipates some modern versions of the doctrine, especially that of Hans Urs von Balthasar.