© 2006 Antonio Moya
© 2006 Urantia Association of Spain
Translator’s Note: Appendix VIII (Transformative Techniques) of “A Study of the Master Universe” by Bill Sadler (it’s a very long appendix, 30 pages in total), deals with all the techniques used in the current universe to give birth to a new being. Sadler says the following:
There is more than one way in which things and beings emerge from potentials to become actual—to become actual—but in every case, it is a transformative process. For us who live in an evolutionary world, it should not be too difficult to imagine creation by fiat, in contrast to slow evolution. There are various other transformative techniques (besides evolution and creation) by virtue of which things and beings are brought into existence, and through which changes and modifications are wrought in already existing things and beings.
In this very long Appendix, Sadler develops the following studies:
The Papers mention only three procreative orders: human beings (UB 49:0.1), the Material Sons (UB 45:6.3), and the midsonite order (UB 36:4.2). The ability of these three creature orders to reproduce their own kind should not be confused with an act of creation. Creation and procreation have very different meanings:
Creation is a transformative technique for bringing new things and beings into existence. Procreation is a transmissive technique for reproducing one’s own species, for transmitting germ plasm from one generation to the next. Put another way: creation is a productive process; procreation is a reproductive process. (From a strictly genetic point of view, a chicken is the method one egg employs to produce another egg.)
When a Creator creates new beings, his creative intent determines—within certain very broad limits (UB 21:2.3)—the nature, character, and attributes of these new creatures. In contrast, when two procreators bring forth their own kind, their personal intention and parental desire have absolutely nothing to do with the nature, character, and attributes of the resulting offspring. The procreative intention of the parental beings merely determines the fact of procreation.
Creators can create a wide variety of beings; procreators are limited to reproducing within their own species. Humans only beget humans; Adams only beget Adamites.
Creation and trinitization result in bringing new orders of beings into existence. Creation is limited to the subabsolute levels; trinitization is not.
The origin of the Infinite Spirit is the original and perfect example of an act of “limited trinitization.” The Infinite Spirit is the equal in deity of the Father and the Son (UB 22:7.6). There can never be another Infinite Spirit; only one is possible (UB 22:7.3). When the Father and the Son subsequently unite to engender a creator, they succeed in giving birth to a Creator Son; such a Son is truly a creator, but he is subinfinite in the scope of creative action.
The Original Trinitization. We have been told in this connection that the “technique of trinitization” is the method by which the Universal Father escapes from the absolute limitations inherent in the “Absolute Personality” who becomes the Eternal Son (UB 6:7.1). The Father sheds this “unqualified spirit personality, the Son…” by the technique of trinitization (UB 10:2.2). We do not view this as an act of trinitization initiated and consummated by the pre-Father alone. It is an operation that appears to have three conceptually sequential—but actually simultaneous—steps: duplication, trinitization, and trinity formation. First, the Father duplicates the initial personalization of Deity—himself and the Eternal Son. Second, the two trinitize the full personalization of existential Deity—the Infinite Spirit. Finally, they consummate their union as Deities in the Paradise Trinity. We venture the opinion that Deity is undivided at any moment of this threefold operation. Deity remains at every moment undivided in the simultaneity of this threefold action. At the very moment that the Father separates from the Son, he and the Son trinitize the Spirit; and also at the same moment the three Paradise Deities unite as the Paradise Trinity (UB 0:3.22). This appears to be a threefold and simultaneous act. When the pre-Father withdraws (as a person) from his diffuse state into the Totality of Deity, he substitutes his presence for that of the Paradise Trinity, the presence of the undivided-existential Deity; and in this operation are contained the duplication of the Son and the trinitization of the Spirit.
“Eventuation” is a term used to describe the manner of the origin of transcendental (absonite) beings (UB 30:1.93-99, UB 30:1.93). The origin of these beings is known, but the authors of the Papers were forbidden to reveal it (UB 31:9.2).
Definition of “eventuate” and “event”. In analyzing the origin of the Transcendental order, the authors of the Papers chose to use the English word “eventuate” “…in order to avoid using a new term—an arbitrary and meaningless appellation…” (UB 31:8.3) But the joint authors of Paper 31 must have had some special reason for choosing this particular word from among all the words available in the English language. They chose this word to avoid a “meaningless appellation.” However, their choice must have been “significant.” If this word is supposed to have been significant, then we should see what meaning is given to it in the English language.
Eventuate, as an intransitive verb, is defined in part (in Webster’s) as follows: “To come out finally or in conclusion; to come to pass; to be the consequence of; to result.” As a transitive verb, it is defined as: “To lead to a result or conclusion.”
This verb, “eventuate,” is obviously derived from the root noun “event.”
Let’s look at the meanings associated with the use of this noun in English:
Event is defined in part (in Webster’s) as follows: “The fact of taking place or occurring… That which passes, happens, or occurs… That which occurs…”
And now, how is the word “eventuate” used in the Documents?
It designates the origin of beings who are “neither creators nor creatures” (UB 30:1.92-93). They are also designated as “uncreated non-creators” (333-1).
God, as a person, creates; as a superperson, he eventuates (UB 30:1.99). Eventuated beings are absonite superpersonalities (UB 31:7.4). They are called “…the concluded sons of divinity, ultimacy, and eternity.” (UB 30:1.92).
We also deduce, from other uses of the word “eventuate” in the Documents, that it is a superfinite action related to the “origin” of certain absonite (transcendental) beings. God must conclude beings on the transcendental level of reality and in eternity; this is quite different from the creation of creatures on the finite level and in time.
We propose the theory that when God makes plans, there are certain repercussions that are inherent in, and inseparable from, the formation of those plans. When God makes plans, everything eternally necessary for the initiation, fulfillment, and culmination of those plans will inherently and inevitably (in eternity) make its appearance; it will happen, it will come to pass, it will eventually come to pass, it will be the consequence of, it will take place, it will occur—in short, it will “conclude.” If it were not so, God would not be making real plans; He would be “daydreaming.”
When God conceives the master universe, this conception must be separated from total reality, and consequently it emerges from the static level as a structured potential, as a definite plan; and inherent in the conception of this plan is the emergence, the completion, of the Architects of the Master Universe—those beings who embody God’s plans for the master creation. If this reasoning is valid, then the completed beings have a pre-creative origin because they are related to, and their emergence is a consequence of, God’s act of separating and defining certain potentials.
This line of reasoning is consistent with the assertion that the Transcendentals are neither creators nor creatures (UB 30:1.92). They were never created—they are conceptual repercussions of God’s plans and, consequently, not creatures. They are not creators because they do not create—they are “initiators” (starters, firers), and as “initiators,” they do their work long before the “creators” appear on the stage of space.
We believe that God initiates the origin, directly or indirectly, of all absonite beings—the Transcendentals and their governing body, the Architects of the Master Universe. But God does not “create” these beings; He appears to “ideate” their existence as a natural and necessary part of the formation of serious plans and the expression of separate potentials—potentials that will emerge as actual in the development of the master universe.
The Mechanism of Conclusion.- We depend upon speculative logic in an effort to understand the method of conclusion. When God makes plans, He “thinks.” He may plan future events in time and space, but He must “think” far above the finite, time-space level of existence; He probably “thinks” above the absonite, transcended time-space level. We believe He “thinks” into eternity. Consequently, God’s plans must reverberate (through the Paradise Trinity) into the Modified Absolute. The Modified Absolute must react to those plans by throwing out of the potentials of infinity those factors, forces, entities, and beings that are indispensable to the initiation (the setting in motion and beginning) of the plans in question. In other words, beings must emerge concluded (directly or indirectly) from the Modified Absolute as a consequence (direct or indirect) of the conception of some plans by God.
To summarize our findings and conclusions regarding the transformative technique designated as “conclusion,” God “creates” both creators and creatures; God “ideates” the existence of the Transcendentals as part of His “thinking” when making plans for the master universe, and whether or not these concluded beings appear in this manner is of little importance. We believe that this study of the possible manner of their appearance will enhance our “sense” of the word “eventuate” and make the unfathomable origin of the Transcendentals less mysterious.
Evolution is a transformative technique that might be defined as “creativity in time.” It is so time-related, so time-sequentialized, that every creature involved in this growth process can perceive the changes taking place, can partially understand them, and can personally participate in them. As with trinitization and the fragmentations, evolution also has its “secrets”—they are the secrets of Ascendington, and among them is the secret of the evolution of an ascendant’s immortal soul. (UB 13:1.22)
Evolution means that the creative plan unfolds gradually and progressively by meeting the needs of, and fostering the slowly growing capabilities of, the creatures concerned (UB 32:0.2). A created being begins with an original status that he has not earned; it was bestowed upon him by the act of a pre-existent Creator (UB 3:5.16). In contrast, an evolutionary being earns everything—“…including his status as a candidate for ascension.” To make this point very clear, let’s examine three examples of creation contrasted with evolution:
The uniqueness of evolution. Evolutionary beings encompass values and meanings that cannot be created. The legal experts, the Technical Counselors, “could not be created” (UB 25:4.16). The Perfectors of Wisdom embody the existential wisdom of the Paradise Trinity (UB 19:2.3), but they also require the complement of experiential wisdom brought to them by the Trinitized Sons of Attainment (UB 19:2.5). And there are other examples.
The Mechanics of Evolution. We speak of evolution and evolutionary growth, but what are we speaking of? What exactly occurs in this evolutionary process? On the inhabited worlds, evolution is set in motion as a mechanical process that develops the capacity for mind ministry. With the development of human life, the direction of this technique of growth becomes potentially spiritual (UB 65:0.2-6). We have been informed that the intellectual self originates in the cosmic mind, just as nebulae originate in the cosmic force. On the human level, this evolution can become spiritual through cooperation between the Adjuster and the personality of man (UB 111:1.2).
How exactly does man evolve, in this life and the next? We are informed in the Papers that “the keys of the kingdom” are sincerity and even more sincerity, and that we make progress in this by decisions and even more decisions (UB 39:4.14). The Papers say elsewhere that “action is the consummation of decisions” (UB 110:6.17). What does this mean? It seems to say that creature growth begins in honesty, is accomplished through courage, and culminates in doing something.
Without decision and action, the creature would remain relatively inactive in relation to its environment, the same environment that contains the potential (sustenance) for experiential-evolutionary growth. We have been told that faith determines the qualitative status (survival) of the soul, but its quantitative status depends on action.
(Translated from English by Antonio Moya)
June 2006