One of the most enduring controversies surrounding the beliefs of George MacDonald for 150 years has been the question: Was George MacDonald a universalist? Though his own books contain hints of his theological perspectives on hell, the purpose of fire, the atonement, and everlasting punishment, MacDonald never clearly and concisely stated his doctrinal positions unambiguously and without room for misunderstanding. The controversy has therefore raged about what exactly MacDonald believed. MacDonald biographer, redactor, and publisher Michael Phillips at last tackles the "great hell debate" head on. With numerous quotes from MacDonald’s writings, amplified, interpreted, and understandably explained by his own insights and extensive knowledge of MacDonald’s work, Phillips blows the lid off the debate with a clear illumination of the full scope of MacDonald’s afterlife vision. This is surely one of the most significant studies of MacDonald’s theological perspectives written—a must-read for all serious students of George MacDonald.

As an unofficial spokesman and representative of George MacDonald in the minds of thousands who have discovered Phillips’s editions of MacDonald’s writings since the 1980s, Michael Phillips has been sought out by men and women from around the world to shed light on the complex conundrum presented by the doctrine of eternal punishment. Seeking to address these inquiries in the least controversial way possible, in 1998 Phillips prepared a private compendium of quotes from writers through history, laying out scriptural evidence on both sides of the controversy. His motive was not to argue for or against any perspective, neither to persuade to a particular point of view, but to give information that would help each individual objectively investigate the matter quietly and personally. Though not made public at the time, Phillips’s booklet proved helpful to many. It is now made more widely available in this new edition. His subtitle aptly summarizes the book’s contents: "A selection of quotations by some Christian individuals of repute who have held to the doctrine of universal reconciliation and a list of scriptures upon which their beliefs are based."

Following the enormous response to his updated editions of George MacDonald’s novels in the 1980s, Michael Phillips felt the need to introduce MacDonald’s fiction readers also to the Scotsman’s poetry and theological perspectives. At the time none of MacDonald’s non-fiction writings or poetry was available. Phillips therefore compiled two anthologies of selections, topically arranged, from those writings. Almost thirty years later, the two volumes—Discovering the Character of God and Knowing the Heart of God—remain classics in the MacDonald bibliography that have helped multiple thousands probe their understanding of God more deeply. These two clearly organized and understandable illuminations of MacDonald’s wisdom distill the essence of MacDonald’s thought in manageable topical groupings suitable for devotional reading or more extensive study. Each chapter also draws upon selections from the novels and poetry to illuminate MacDonald’s vision of the infinitely loving and forgiving Fatherhood of God.