Dear friends, this first topic is so controversial that the only way to begin is with “unfailing forgiveness, matchless goodwill, and abounding love.”
I suggest that you read through these summaries to get an overview, and then follow the proposed sequence, or modify it as you like.
Reveal in power and wisdom—this quick summary of principles is a good place to start. Not only is it brief, but it has been welcomed by readers of diverse perspectives.
Two revelations, five projects, seven principles. This is my most up-to-date (revised October 15, 2023) and highly evolved (smile) synthesis of my thought on this topic.
The purposes of The Urantia Book. This is a chronological list of the author’s references to the book which guide us in the human outworking of the fifth epochal revelation.
If we understand how harmful poor study was to the fourth epochal revelation, we better appreciate the importance of excellent study for our handling of the fifth epochal revelation. We remedy confusion by clear thinking.
The Timing of The Urantia Book. This brief document has direct, clear, practical advice. It gives specific conditions that indicate when the planet will be receptive to The Urantia Book–and what students of the book need to do to get ready for the time when the gold rush for truth is on. When planetary conditions are ripe–hopefully we will be ready–and the time for The Urantia Book to play its world-wide mission will have come. There is a logic in the article that makes it independent of whether or not the reader agrees that this document is revealed. Most of all, the extensive support for this document in The Urantia Book makes it highly valuable to consider seriously. When we understand as this essay is also called, we have a much better idea of priorities to be pursued with the book. This document is also known as “The Publication Mandate.”
Introducing The Urantia Book in Accord with its Teachings. One-sided warriors present quotes out of context that favor their side. The pluralistic pacifist reacts against the battle of the warriors, and appeals to loving tolerance as a substitute for sustained inquiry, and concludes that everyone can choose their own policy–as though there were no overall guidance from The Urantia Book.
This essay transcends simplistic approaches and simplistic ideas about fast and slow. All four parts of the book are surveyed; part IV is discussed in detail. Two types of epochal revelation are distinguished. Several quotes are presented that seem to justify aggressive policies of introducing the book–and answers given. By distinguishing enthusiasm about goals from wisdom about how to pursue them, the reader is left with a practical, down-to-earth, coherent, meaningful, and logical understanding of the book as a whole on this topic.
Is the time ripe for the revolutionary revealing?. One example of a quote that is often used to justify what I regard as confusion begins with the words, “The time is ripe,” and speaks of “revolutionary change” toward the end. The paragraph is priceless and full of hope. But the paragraph may appear to advocate fusion of the movement of gospel (which we are to proclaim now to all the world) with The Urantia Book movement. This short article interprets the quote in a way that is consistent with other relevant teachings in the book.
Getting the gospel movement back on track. This essay pioneers an ideal model for teaching. A quote is presented. Then a question is raised. And readers are urged to work out their own answer before consulting what is given if they click on the hyperlink to answer given at the end of the essay.
Fostering a religion, philosophy, and cosmology commensurate with man’s intellectual and cultural development. Urantia Foundation, The Urantia Book Fellowship, and Urantia Association International all are formally committed to this crucial teaching. Whether or not we regard it as revealed, there is insightful guidance worth paying attention to.
Limitations of this analysis. High quality thinking acknowledges exceptions to one’s overall position.
These essays present many principles and guidelines. Experimenting within the guidelines is needed. Experimenting with the guidelines takes risks for us all and for future generations.
In no small measure, this collection of articles is designed to promote a new level of prayer on the topic. There is much to learn from the last two sections of Paper 91, The Evolution of Prayer. For example, we are told how God answers prayer, what conditions enables us to find divine wisdom through prayer, to be “industrious” and to “surrender every wish of mind and every craving of soul to the transforming embrace of spiritual growth.”
This concludes the collection on principles of epochal revelation management.
In what follows are links and materials on gender in The Urantia Book, questions on all the Papers and essays on how to study them; principles for leaders and teachers, essays on religion and philosophy, and a section interfacing with Spanish-language readers.
Gender debates and The Urantia Book
With profound respect for those with whom I disagree, aspiring to become a minister of mercy, and hoping to reduce confusion and to enhance clarity, I offer here reflections on a disputed topic.
The Urantia Book is given to serve our world for a thousand years. It is not a tool of evangelism or mass communication. It is up to us to express truth appropriately to the individual, group, or generation that we are privileged to address. The Urantia Book is a resource guiding us in its application in a very wide variety of situations.
The book refers to the personality of the First Source and Center as Father. It speaks of “brotherhood” and “man” as inclusive terms intended to include women. People are encouraged to find their own names for God (1:1.3/22.6). Moreover, “with each advancing epoch in human knowledge the philosophic concept and the theologic definitions of God must change” (5:5.12/69.7). This authoritative revelation makes remarkable room for freedom, flexibility, and growth. Spiritual unity does not depend on people thinking alike.
But some people regard the father concept of God as a projection of a biological and sociological male onto God. This is the confusion that concerns me. Jesus clarified it.
142:7.17 (1605.2) Jesus replied: “Thomas, Thomas, how long before you will acquire the ability to listen with the ear of the spirit? How long will it be before you discern that this kingdom is a spiritual kingdom, and that my Father is also a spiritual being? Do you not understand that I am teaching you as spiritual children in the spirit family of heaven, of which the fatherhead is an infinite and eternal spirit? Will you not allow me to use the earth family as an illustration of divine relationships without so literally applying my teaching to material affairs? In your minds cannot you separate the spiritual realities of the kingdom from the material, social, economic, and political problems of the age? When I speak the language of the spirit, why do you insist on translating my meaning into the language of the flesh just because I presume to employ commonplace and literal relationships for purposes of illustration? My children, I implore that you cease to apply the teaching of the kingdom of the spirit to the sordid affairs of slavery, poverty, houses, and lands, and to the material problems of human equity and justice. These temporal matters are the concern of the men of this world, and while in a way they affect all men, you have been called to represent me in the world, even as I represent my Father. You are spiritual ambassadors of a spiritual kingdom, special representatives of the spirit Father. By this time it should be possible for me to instruct you as full-grown men of the spirit kingdom. Must I ever address you only as children? Will you never grow up in spirit perception? Nevertheless, I love you and will bear with you, even to the very end of our association in the flesh. And even then shall my spirit go before you into all the world.”
On topics relating to gender, it is important to recall revelation is a top-down gift of higher perspective, not a bottom-up projection of human images or positions that enter into the culture wars–clashes of mind and wars of opinion–that obscure the quest for insight.
And as we attempt to participate responsibly in these topics as the will of God seems to direct, let us always remember the abundant mercy, the compassionate understanding, and the generous patience with which we are divinely led–if we really desire to attain the heights–step by step in wisdom and gentleness.
Here’s a short essay on the importance of replacing confusion by clear thinking.
Here’s one that goes more into difficulties of speaking of God as father today.
This one goes more into gender in The Urantia Book.
With all the room in the Urantia Papers for flexibility and freedom, I believe it is permissible and more than permissible to close with this statement of the importance of the father concept of God.
Jesus said that “Buddha, having failed to envision God and as spirit and as a Father, failed to provide in his teaching the moral energy and the spiritual driving power which a religion must have if it is to change a race and exalt a nation” (132:7/1467.2).
Happy using your moral energy and spiritual driving power wisely!
Study the Urantia Book
Good questions promote discovery and transform the experience of reading. The quality of our study affects our personal growth and the wisdom of our participation in spiritual renaissance projects. Study and study groups prepares us for Questions on the papers.
What does The Urantia Book teach about study?
Contradictions or creative tensions?
Questions accompanied by a Spanish translation:
Studies for leaders and teachers . . . and on topics in philosophy and religion
Leadership and teamwork: Patterns, 20 principles, and stories
Teaching and Receptivity (30 principles)
Worshipful living (a workshop for the Summer Study Session 2019: Recognizing the Father’s matchless personality, one task at a time
Mother’s adjutant mind-spirits
Conditions of effective prayer
Jesus and the philosophy of living
A summary of philosophy in The Urantia Book
How does the new philosophy of living address the planetary crisis?
A child of the Supreme, a presentation that includes Sequence, a cosmic principle for revealing truth.
The mosaic of the post-bestowal age An artistic philosophy of history gives a framework for the Urantia Book movement.
The age of light and life and how to get there
What do the Thought Adjusters do?
Conflict and spiritual brotherhood
Welcome to the portion of this site dedicated to interface with Spanish-speaking readers. I begin with some results of the April 24-25, 2021, conference on cosmic citizenship hosted in Peru. In addition you find links to various articles translated into Spanish.
- The Art of Cosmic Citizenship, taking this website’s five projects to a new level plus the Q&A based on the presentation
- Cosmic citizenship workshop
- On the new books page, see the bilingual introduction to the new Spanish translation–by Olga Lopez–of Living in Truth, Beauty, and Goodness: Vivir en Verdad, Bellaza y Bondad where you can order your copy (pide tu copia).
- Ambición y Servicio
- Preparando para Proclamar el Evangelio de Jesús
- Profundidades en el Evangelio de Jesús
- La Vida en el Evangelio de Jesús
- Introduciendo El Libro De Urantia de Acuerdo con sus Enseñanzas
- Los documentos de Urantia: Preguntas
For the questions in English, scroll down down about two-thirds of the way.
For the cosmic citizenship workshop by Professor Jinwoog Kim, here is the exercise on decision-making.
