ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Hypothetical universalism

Hypothetical universalism is like when someone says, "I'll give you a cookie if you behave well." It means that person wants to give you the cookie, but only if you act good.

In religion, hypothetical universalism is when someone believes that God wants to save everyone, but only if they believe and follow certain rules. This belief is different from other religious beliefs that say God only chooses certain people to save and others are doomed.

So, hypothetical universalism means God wants to save everyone, but only if they follow certain rules. It's like getting a cookie if you behave well, but in this case, it's getting saved by God if you believe and follow the rules.