About Patristic Universalism

Patristic Universalism was born from a lifelong pursuit of truth, a love for Scripture, and a conviction that the character of God revealed in Jesus Christ is far greater than many have ever imagined.

Married for over 40 years and serving in ministry for more than 30 years, David and Wendy combine their unique gifts to help others discover a faith that is rooted in Scripture, supported by history, strengthened by reason, and ultimately experienced through a personal relationship with Christ. Together, their mission is to share the historic Christian hope of restoration and God’s unfailing love for all humanity.  

From an early age, Wendy sensed a calling to ministry. At just five years old, she was reading her Bible and sharing what she learned with others. By the age of eight, she had started a small Bible study in her home. Despite growing up in a non-Christian home, her desire to know God and share His love has always been her calling.

Over the past thirty years, Wendy served in a variety of Christian ministries, including evangelism, discipleship, pastoral care, apologetics, and a former Board Member with the Christian Universalist Association. She ministered alongside organizations such as Billy Graham Worldwide Missions & Crusades, Need Him Global Ministries, Fish-the-Net Ministries, and Voice of the Shepherd Apologetic Ministries. These experiences gave her a deep appreciation for the many traditions within Christianity while also exposing her to difficult theological questions from believers and skeptics alike. In 2014 she received a full scholarship to Tyndale Seminary. She is the author of two books on Christian Universalism, The Love and Compassion of God and Abundant Mercy. Most recently, she joined a team of authors as a contributing writer to the collaborative book Love Unrelenting: Christian Universalist Testimonies, continuing her passion for sharing the hope of God's grace, mercy, and redeeming love.

David Burnfield has devoted more than three decades to the study of Christian apologetics, biblical history, and the historical reliability of the New Testament. David believes that rather than asking people to believe blindly, evidential apologetics demonstrates that Christianity is grounded in historical events that can be investigated and examined. The Christian faith is not built on myth or blind belief, but on historical reality, supported by reason, and experienced through a personal relationship with the risen Christ.

In the late 1990s, David began serving alongside the pastoral staff of a large Southern Baptist church in Dallas, Texas. As part of a congregation of more than 5,000 members, he taught apologetics classes twice each week, equipping Christians to confidently defend their faith and thoughtfully engage with, skeptics, and those questioning Christianity.

His years of research culminated in the publication of Assessing the Synoptic Problem, a book that explores the relationships among the Synoptic Gospels and presents a historical case for their reliability. Rather than accepting popular scholarly assumptions without question, David encourages readers to examine the evidence, weigh competing theories, and appreciate the remarkable consistency of the Gospel accounts.

In the early 2000’s Wendy shared her spiritual awakening and her discoveries regarding the teachings of early Church Fathers such as Origen, Gregory of Nyssa, and other Greek-speaking theologians, David was inspired to investigate the subject for himself. Drawing upon his background in historical research and evidential apologetics, he began an extensive study of the writings of the early Church Fathers, the New Testament, and the history of Christian doctrine. That research ultimately led to his book Patristic Universalism, which presents the historical and biblical case for the early Church’s understanding of God’s plan to restore creation through Jesus Christ.

David is currently writing his third book, which addresses many of the questions, objections, and intellectual challenges that both Christians and non-Christians encounter when exploring the Christian faith. Drawing on decades of research in biblical scholarship, church history, and evidential apologetics, the book seeks to provide thoughtful, evidence-based answers that encourage readers to examine Christianity with both faith and reason.

"The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness."

— Lamentations 3:22–23

Prayer for Today

Heavenly Father, thank You for Your unfailing love and Your mercies that are new every morning. Help us to walk in Your grace, trust in Your faithfulness, and reflect Your love to everyone we meet today. Fill our hearts with hope, peace, and joy as we follow Christ. May our lives bring glory to You. Amen.