© 2018 Cristina Seaborn
© 2018 The Urantia Book Fellowship
November 1st-7th 2018 in Toronto
by Cristina Seaborn
At the Parliament, people from over 350 different faiths and religions come together to celebrate what it is about each other’s faith that fills our souls. The beauty of watching a Tibetan Buddhist monk create a sand painting, chanting with the Sikhs, enjoying a concert of Hindu music worshipping and honoring God, Shiva, Vishnu, Ganesha, including instruments and voices from all around the world.
To me, the Parliament is the best seeding of revelation that we ever do. The results will happen over the next 30 to 50 years in ways that none of us can imagine. Because the act is ours and the consequence is God’s we cannot know the divine results until they happen over time. The growth is for us as well, in celebrating faith from many perspectives. Jesus was the best interfaith student that ever lived, studying the religions of his time. Shouldn’t we also be?
The greatest moments at the Parliament for me are when all my pre-existing knowledge about a religion is shattered. By having a personal, direct interaction with a Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, Jew, or Native American believer, I wake up to a new realization of faith from another perspective, a real person, from a newly found friend.
My idealistic self expects that we will be experiencing more of the signs of living in the era of light and life, including the elimination of war, personal inner peace, a focus on philosophy, ethics and reason, with scientists and teachers leading the way, rather than business men and politicians.
Ideally, the three major world religions that were born of the teachings of Melchizedek would strengthen each other by discovering the extent of their commonality. This is a workshop that Sheila Keene-Lund is giving at the Parliament entitled “How to Transition from Fragmentation to Integration.” I am looking forward to this bold call to action from Sheila to Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Sheila is sharing her time with others speaking about a similar topic under the heading of “Living Religious Pluralism.”
We are having a joint Urantia Book booth with the Urantia Foundation, the Urantia Book Fellowship, the Urantia Association International, and Truthbook. So far, there are over 60 students of the Urantia papers attending the Parliament. The booth materials will include beautiful postcards with Urantia Book quotes, bookmarks, the Parables of Jesus, a brochure about UB, and one copy of the Urantia Book in all languages we have translated. There will be plenty of English and French Urantia books if you need one! For more information about the Parliament of the World’s Religions registration you can go to their website: https:// parliamentofreligions.org/parliament/2018-toronto/2018-powr
Thanks to local Urantia reader Serge Jusyp, a reservation for 12 has been made on October 31st for a pre-Parliament dinner at 7pm, 312 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M5B 1R4, Canada. Please contact Serge Jusyp if you would like to join us at (416) 435-4918 or sjusyp@gmail.com
The Victoria Clark fund through Mind, Body & Spirit is pleased to announce a $1,500 contribution to the Youth and Young Adults for financial assistance in attending the Parliament of World Religions. Please contact Sean Privitera at sprivitera@gmail.com if you are a young adult and interested in going to this year’s Parliament in exchange for volunteer time at The Urantia Book booth.
¶ 2018 Urantia Parliament workshops
Saturday November 3rd 2018, from 3:15 PM - 4:15 PM
Love is the Greatest Thing in the World
Pato Banton Concert
Room Festival Stage
Saturday November 3rd 2018, from 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM
A Way of Life in the Family of God: The
Global Vision of The Urantia Book
Marvin Gawryn
Room 710
Tuesday November 6th 2018, from 3:15 PM - 4:00 PM
Beyond Prejudice, Bias & Bigotry, Toward the
Golden Rule - Camp Anytown
Gard Jameson:
Room 711
Tuesday, November 6th 2018 from 6:00- 7:00pm.
How to Transition from Fragmentation to
Integration
Sheila Keene Lund
Room 603
Through the work we are doing with the Interfaith Training class with Urantia University, a notebook will be created comparing world religions with the Urantia Book. This will be available at the joint Urantia Book booth, for when you need a comparison chart with a faith or religion and the Urantia Book.
In addition, if you would like to improve your interfaith knowledge, there is a free Interfaith Training through Urantia University from September 30th through October 20th
September 30th - October 6th Week 1: Interfaith Basics
Peter Laurence, Bettina Gray
October 7th - October 13th Week 2: Sacred Listening
Susan Meyers, Geoff Taylor
October 14th - October 20th Week 3: Prepare and Present our Revelation
Cristina Seaborn, Bruce Jackson
Interfaith Training Class Description:
https://urantiauniversity.org/page-1803937
Or contact Elisabeth Callahan at elisabeth.callahan@urantiauniversity.org
Interfaith Training Class Registration:
https://urantiauniversity.org/event-3051354
Thank you to Gary Tonge for the beautiful new Urantia booth design representing the four parts of The Urantia Book. The entire creative process was co-sponsored by the Urantia Foundation, Urantia Book Fellowship, Urantia Association International and Truthbook.
Per our joint policy, all four organizations need to be listed on any material that is at the booth. We would like the booth to be aesthetically beautiful and uncluttered. Contact any of these fine organizations with questions you may have.
For a life changing experience, I hope to see you at the Parliament!
Cristina Seaborn