Rebutting Necessitarian Universalism: Three Thomistic Arguments – Prof. Mats Wahlberg

<p>Prof. Mats Wahlberg argues that “necessitarian universalism”—the claim that hell is metaphysically impossible and that God must save all rational creatures—is incompatible with core Christian metaphysical commitments, and he develops three Thomistic arguments to show that the possibility of eternal damnation follows from God’s wisdom, respect for created natures, and desire for truly free self-gift.</p><p><br /></p><p>This lecture was given on September 6th, 2025, at Dominican House of Studies.</p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Through your gift to the Thomistic Institute, you will send the best scholars in the Catholic Intellectual Tradition directly to college campuses, bringing the light of Christ to students longing for answers.&nbsp;</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">Thanks to a group of generous donors, </span><strong style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">every dollar you send up to $150,000 before December 31 will be matched</strong><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">.&nbsp; This means that your gift will touch twice as many souls!</span></p><p><br /></p><p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;">To make your gift today, visit </span><a href="https://thomisticinstitute.org/donate-podcast" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204); background-color: transparent;" target="_blank">https://thomisticinstitute.org/donate-podcast</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); background-color: transparent;"> </span></p><p><br /></p><p>For more information on upcoming events, visit us at <a href="https://thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events" target="_blank">thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events</a>.</p><p><br /></p><p>About the Speakers:</p><p><br /></p><p>Mats Wahlberg, Ph.D., is docent and associate professor of systematic theology, a member of the Academy of Catholic Theology, and a research fellow in the Discipline Group of Systematic Theology and Ecclesiology at the Faculty of Theology, Stellenbosch University, South Africa. In 2021, he was the Aquinas Chair at the Pontifical University of St Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome.</p><p><br /></p><p>He has published two monographs, Reshaping Natural Theology: Seeing Nature as Creation (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) and Revelation as Testimony: A Philosophical-Theological Study (Eerdmans, 2014), as well as many articles in journals such as Modern Theology, International Journal of Systematic Theology, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion, European Journal for Philosophy of Religion, and First Things.</p><p><br /></p><p>His research interests include arguments for God’s existence, the problem of evil, the doctrine of revelation, theology and science (especially the theological implications of evolution) and the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. Wahlberg's research about the problem of evil and evolution has been funded by the John Templeton Foundation.</p><p><br /></p><p>Keywords: Beatific Vision, Catholic Doctrine of Hell and Damnation, Creator–Creature Distinction, David Bentley Hart and Universal Salvation, Divine Goodness, Divine Providence, Necessitarian Universalism and Possible Worlds, Permanent Separation from God, Thomistic Account of Debitum Naturae, Thomistic Defense of the Possibility of Hell, Universalism​</p>