© 2005 Jeff Wattles
© 2005 Urantia Association of Spain
Recognizing The Urantia Book as a wonderful gift, it’s natural for us to want to share it with others. The Book brings good news—the gospel, the fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man—in a way that is ideal from many points of view. We are called to proclaim the gospel to the whole world, but should we do the same with The Urantia Book? Some speak of intensive promotion of the Book, while others adhere to the tradition of a slow, gradual approach. Can we find any guidance in the Book?
There are three possible ways to use the book in dealing with controversial issues:
The main words of wisdom on this subject were given by Jesus: when you enter the kingdom, you are born again. You cannot teach the deep things of the spirit to those who have only been born of the flesh; first see that men are born of the spirit before seeking to instruct them in the advanced ways of the spirit. Do not endeavor to show men the beauties of the temple until you have taken them to the temple (p. 1592:6). However, even this wisdom does not fully instruct those who share the Book today, and we need further study to gain the balance we perceive in the Master’s life.
Sharing the truth as a normal part of personal relationships (UB 1:7.6) is also a sacred truth. The Solitary Messengers view the task of revealing truth as “the highest responsibility of their order” (UB 23:2.22). And, as we know from experience, no matter how hard we work in “natural, normal, difficult, and trying” methods, sharing the truth is a pleasure (UB 136:8.7). For those who aspire to “walk in the clear light of living truth” and who would heed the counsel of prayer rather than “yield to every desire of the mind and every appetite of the soul” in seeking divine counsel, we should be industrious, and this includes a thorough study of the Book for the guidance it offers (UB 140:3.18, UB 91:9.4).
This essay includes many references for study and discussion. A few years ago, a study group was considering the first version of this essay. They initially disagreed about its conclusions, but weeks of study and discussion convinced them otherwise. Since the current generation of readers generally seems to be hasty in sharing the Book and slow in sharing selected teachings (and since this is an essay about sharing the Book), this essay places great emphasis on the theme of gradual, evolutionary growth. I pray that readers with differing viewpoints can maintain spiritual unity even if they find this topic sometimes contentious. This essay will have been for nothing, however, if those who cherish the Book’s wisdom use it as a rationale for fear, elitism, inaction, and error in adapting the lessons of the early days to change current circumstances.
Obviously, The Urantia Book does not provide precise policy details for any generation of readers. This would betray the creative tensions deliberately introduced into the Book itself to pretend to summarize everything too easily. Since the Book’s guidance on this matter is very indirect, since the historical situation continues its course, and since individuals themselves find themselves under exceptional circumstances, it would be unreasonable to develop a dogmatic and inflexible policy. I emphasize that the interpretations and conclusions offered here are mine alone and in no way represent any official position.
Here are the principles for handling epochal revelation, distilled from the four parts of the Book. We don’t need to rely solely on the advice given by our unseen friends about the Book’s smooth and gradual spread, or on the extent to which that advice has become obsolete.
The reason for training teachers and leaders, forming thousands of study groups, and preparing translations is to be prepared for one of two things to happen:
Publicizing the Book recklessly encourages premature conflicts and violates the plan of those who have given us this precious gift.
The perspective of Part I transcends the specific sequence of planetary epochs. It announces a process that is underway, that began long ago, and whose completion will require countless generations in the future.
The revelation of the truth about God is dawning, the human race is destined to know the Universal Father in all that beauty of character and attributes so magnificently reflected by the Creator Son who resided on Urantia as the Son of Man and the Son of God (UB 4:5.7).
Among the many principles of shared truth expressed in Part I, we emphasize that those charged with revealing the truth of the universe are truly qualified for their work. They do not give excessive revelation, but rather give preference to the “highest existing human concepts” in their efforts to reach the human mind. (UB 30:0.2, UB 13:1.1, UB 18:0.1, UB 0:12.10, UB 0:12.12, UB 121:8.12).
Part II begins by establishing the normal pattern of evolution in which a planet receives a series of epochal revelations (UB 50:5.2 and doc. 52). In “The Post-Bestowal Age on Urantia” (UB 52:6.5), the most relevant chapter directly related to our subject, the author avoids any specific reference to the documents themselves. Instead, after emphasizing the importance of revealed religion, the author simply says that Jesus has shown us the way, and goes on to appeal to various “personal transformations and planetary adjustments”: social brotherhood, intellectual cross-fertilization, ethical awakening, political wisdom, and spiritual discernment.
Part III helps us distinguish wise and evolutionary methods from revolutionary methods by recounting stories of successes and failures from the first three epochal revelations. Sometimes the authors make general statements that are directly applicable today, although more often they present instructive narratives that we should judiciously adapt to current problems. Why do they give us so much detail about earlier epochal revelations?
If the purpose were merely to explain why the planet is in its present condition, so much detail would not be needed. Rather, it seems to give us the opportunity to gain wisdom by understanding past successes and failures, described in terms that invite judicious application by readers of The Book. Except for occasional universal statements, such as the warning against shortcuts (UB 75:8.5), most comments on the handling of epochal revelation are limited to the particular revelation in question and can only be extended with discernment to a discussion of the bases for sharing The Urantia Book.
The first epochal revelation was administered to cover the full range of human needs: spiritual, intellectual, and material. The Planetary Prince’s staff carried out a preliminary phase in which they assembled their associates, organized their headquarters, and established the ten service councils (UB 50:4.3, UB 66:6.4). They enjoyed 300,000 years of success by following the classic policy of evolutionary revelation: no one in the Prince’s staff presented the revelation to complicate evolution, but as the climax of the exhaustion of the forces of evolution (UB 66:5.14, cf. UB 91:9.3). “Sometimes error is so great that its rectification by revelation would be fatal to those slowly emerging truths essential to the experiential replacement of error” (UB 48:6.31). Although word of the Prince’s entourage spread slowly, very significant changes occurred under its influence (UB 66:4.1). Although the college of revealed religion was slow in operation and was completely integrated into the program of the entire entourage (UB 66:5.13-16, UB 66:5.26), they were proclaiming a bold gospel of personal initiative to challenge the tradition-bound tribes of those days (UB 66:6.2, UB 68:4.4).
There is a successful way to present spiritual truth within the context of a spiritual and cultural revelation, and Hap’s college of revealed religion is a typical example. His teaching was completely integrated into the program of the entire entourage (UB 66:3.3, UB 66:5.14-17, UB 66:5.26). In other words, the college of revealed religion did not go out ahead of everyone else to proclaim its message. You were not ready to meet Hap and his associates until you were ready to meet the rest of the counsel of the Prince’s entourage. The analogy today (to the extent that one wants to model it on the politics of the first epochal revelation) is this: one does not go around proclaiming, for example, the fourth part, without considering the other parts of the Book.
In describing gradual policies in UB 66:6.4, the author highlights (with the help of a twentieth-century example) the “confusion and consternation whenever the superior enlightened beings undertake the upliftment of backward races in the form of excessive scholarship and enlightenment.” One of their principal methods for advancing their goals “slowly and naturally” was this: “The corporeal staff of the Prince incessantly gathered together the superior elements of the surrounding tribes and, having trained and inspired these students, sent them back as teachers and leaders of their respective peoples.” (UB 66:3.8) Their epochal revelation failed when some of them allowed pride and false freedom to destroy the plan given them.
The second epochal revelation was also a ministry to cover the full range of planetary needs. An Adamic bestowal normally consists of two phases, from restricted contact with the planetary population to full interaction (UB 51:5.2). However, although our Adam and Eve had been informed of “the folly of attempting planetary advancement apart from the divine design of progression” (UB 74:3.3), their progress was so slow and their situation seemed so hopeless that they grew impatient for immediate results and thus fell prey to “the insidious propaganda of personal liberty and planetary freedom of action” (UB 75:1.6, UB 75:8.4). The lesson is universal and sobering, pertaining to personal growth as well as to the direction of epochal revelation.
Never, on our entire Paradise journey, will we gain anything by impatiently attempting to circumvent the established divine plan with shortcuts, personal inventions, or other expedients for improving the path of perfection, to perfection, and for eternal perfection (UB 75:8.5). One of the most important lessons of that failure was that the Luciferian sophistries of personal freedom and planetary freedom of action can infect even those who believe in the Universal Father and are working to elevate the planetary destiny.
The third epochal revelation was of a new kind: an exclusively spiritual mission. Like Jesus, Melchizedek was strictly dedicated to the performance of his bestowal mission. He made no attempt to reform or change customs, nor even to promulgate health practices or scientific truths. He came to accomplish two objectives: to keep alive on earth the truth of the one God, and to prepare the way for the next mortal bestowal of a Paradise Son of that Universal Father (UB 93:4.15).
I want to emphasize that the comparison of Melchizedek with Jesus establishes a type of revelation that contrasts with the previous type. Melchizedek’s mission, however, also went through a series of phases, and it didn’t accelerate until after he won Abraham over.
Part IV deals with another exclusively spiritual epochal revelation, the life and teachings of Jesus. Jesus’ strategy and tactics were neither impulsive nor compulsive, but his spontaneity was based on decisions made in the light of careful consideration. As a young man, Jesus thought exhaustively about the forest of problems associated with his mission (UB 126:3.1). Later, after he had fully devoted himself to it and begun his public career, it took him 40 days in the wilderness to formulate the great decisions that would shape his strategy for directing the epochal revelation. He began to meditate on “the entire history of human life on Urantia, from the days of Andon and Fonta, through the default of Adam, to the ministry of Melchizedek of Salem.” (UB 136:4.5). The central theme of these decisions was his carefully articulated resolve not to use the revelatory powers available to him; further, he would rigorously avoid compromising himself with fear and subordinate his inclinations in all other matters to the will of the Father. (UB 136:5.1). Jesus “was always torn, in his human heart,” between his strong desire to gain the world and the way of the Father. (UB 136:4.7-8) Rejecting the false generosity and easy thrill of overwhelming people with an overdose of revelation, Jesus chose “natural, normal, difficult, and trying” methods (UB 136:8.6). Armed with these magnificently clear decisions about strategy, he went forth with great enthusiasm like the great teacher he had been: focused, responsible, positive, free, full of life, and confident. In these early years of the fifth epochal revelation, it is good for students to conduct themselves in the same way: to take the time to patiently solve problems through a detailed review of planetary history and the design of careful strategy.
Jesus’ public career proceeded in unforced phases, with different reasons for his activities and appropriate restrictions at each step. In the first phase, Jesus made every effort to save the preexisting religion, quietly and gradually, continuing the work of John the Baptist (UB 144:7.1), preceding a more intensive phase of public work, initially, though not exclusively, directed toward the Jews, with persistent efforts to win over the religious leaders. Until the last phase of his earth career, the epochal fact of Jesus’ combined nature was concealed. In seeking instructive analogies between the ministry of Jesus and the work of the fifth epochal revelation, remember that Jesus’ career on earth spanned a few decades, whereas The Urantia Book is projected to last a thousand years (UB 30:0.2).
As a consequence of the specific nature of this project, and in accordance with the instructions of Emmanuel (UB 120:3.4), Jesus excluded certain subjects from his public preaching.
He warned his apostles to be discreet in their observations regarding the strained relations then existing between the Jews and the Roman government; he forbade them under any circumstances to become involved in such matters. He was also careful to avoid falling into the traps of his enemies, always answering: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” He refused to be deviated from his mission of establishing a new way of salvation; he allowed himself to become involved in nothing else. In his personal life, he was a scrupulous observer of all civil laws and regulations; in all his public teachings, he ignored the civil, social, and economic spheres. He told the three apostles that he was concerned with the inner principles of man and with the personal spiritual life (UB 140:8.9).
Jesus, as we have previously emphasized, also imposed a second type of restriction on his evangelistic messages, based on his knowledge of the psychological laws of spiritual growth: we should not give advanced teachings to those who have not yet been born of the spirit (UB 141:6.4).
We can infer from Jesus’ strategy the principle of acting in this way and avoiding or delaying an epochal confrontation until it is inevitable and imminent. Let us recall how the young Jesus handled the shock of witnessing the scene in the Jerusalem temple for the first time. He repeatedly withdrew to meditate; he called the attention of the religious teachers with questions that imparted lessons, yet he remained free from any attempt to achieve victory (p. 1377ff). Let us emphasize that once Jesus’ public career began, even the opposition in Jerusalem (UB 142:8.1) and the rejection in Nazareth (UB 150:8.9) did not justify changing the tactics of Jesus’ memorable sermon (UB 153:1.7). Only the organized opposition of the religious leaders led him to declare open war (UB 153:1.3). Again, delaying epochal confrontation does not mean avoiding all controversy. Rather, the wise teacher proclaims that truth that is most influential for the growth of the people at that time.
The last two documents, which conclude Part IV, review history since Pentecost and provide a refreshing and balanced conclusion to Part IV and the Book as a whole. They also say several things, which we will now discuss, that directly relate to our question.
Revealed religion is excellent as well as authentic. You demonstrate this excellence by your willingness to study the Book on this very important issue.
Attitude is the foundation of method. Is a patient attitude one extreme along a spectrum of reasonable attitudes, or could patience itself possibly be the golden mean? A passage in Part II describing the Morality Enhancers presents patience as the means to avoid falling into stagnation and excessively rapid growth. Impatience is “a poison of the spirit” (UB 48:7.20). True patience is not passivity; it is an active attitude filled with enthusiasm for the cosmic rhythms in which we participate as we fulfill our farsighted destiny (UB 118:1.6). Patience is compatible with decisive and properly directed action.
We can be zealous about our goals and follow wisdom over methods. The documents contain many clear calls that alert the reader to the goals. For example, at the end of document 94, “The Melchizedek Teachings in the East,” the author discusses twentieth-century Buddhism and wonders how it will respond to the “presentation of the new concepts of God and the Absolute” (possibly by those who hold the teachings as closely as the book itself).
All Urantia awaits the proclamation of Michael’s ennobling message, free from the doctrines and dogmas accumulated during nineteen centuries of contact with religions of evolutionary origin. The time is coming to present to Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism—to people of all faiths—not the gospel of Jesus, but the living, spiritual reality of the gospel of Jesus. (UB 94:12.7)
There is another clear call pointing to the urgent need for truth throughout the planet. The records of religious tradition “are unreliable as guides to religious living or as sources of true information about the Universal Father” (UB 4:5.1). Furthermore, “Revelation is the only technique for restoring this deficiency in conceptual data which man so urgently needs in order to construct a logical philosophy of the universe and to arrive at a satisfactory understanding of his secure and settled place in that universe.” (UB 103:6.13). We live in turbulent times, and “these times of great testing and threatening defeat are always periods of great revelation” (UB 195:9.4).
If we take these statements about purposes out of context, without considering the Book as a whole, they might justify revolutionary policies for sharing The Urantia Book. Or they might make us believe they conflict with other statements in the Book about wisdom and evolutionary progress. But as long as we distinguish enthusiasm about purposes from wisdom about methods, we can be inspired by these statements without being confused. Our interest in methods should channel our enthusiasm, not block it.
The clearest and simplest principle, cited above, is this one from Jesus.
“When you enter the kingdom, you are reborn. You cannot teach the deep things of the spirit to those who have been born only of the flesh; first see that men are born of the spirit before you seek to instruct them in the advanced ways of the spirit. Do not undertake to show men the beauties of the temple until you have first taken them into the temple” (UB 141:6.4-5).
Jesus presented this requirement without qualification, not as a lofty ideal to be gradually approached, nor as a high standard for apostles that would distinguish them from disciples. How, then, are advanced truths to be promulgated? Jesus intended his messengers to learn to live the truth, so that these people would then seek additional teachings (UB 155:1.6, UB 141:6.2; cf UB 44:7.3; UB 195:10.1). Today we tend to regard that ideal as unrealistic. Or are we the unrealists? There is such wisdom in the laws of growth and in the ways of teaching implicit in this teaching that it is worth investigating. Melchizedek followed the same strategy, presenting advanced teachings only to those who could handle them (p. 1916-7). The Urantia Book presents the beauties of the temple. So we should present the Book only to those we know to be born of the spirit.
Despite its importance, this teaching is not an absolute guide for us even today. If we applied it carelessly, we would stop talking about the Book on websites or placing it in bookstores and libraries (although presumably the purpose of making the Book publicly available is not to attract the attention of those simply passing by, but rather of those receptive to encountering it). Nevertheless, Jesus’ principle guides us wonderfully in our search for wisdom as we design projects and strategies.
It is clear that revelation is going to come in some sense through the lives we live. “The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men.” (UB 195:10.1). Of course, the Book itself is there to play an important role. “The great hope of Urantia lies in the possibility of a new revelation of Jesus, with a new and enlarged presentation of his saving message, which would spiritually unite in loving service the numerous families of his professed followers today.” (UB 195:10.16). “What a momentous service would the present revelation render if, through it, the Son of Man were rescued from the grave of traditional theology and presented as the living Jesus to the church that bears his name and to all other religions!” (UB 196:1.2). It is far easier to give someone a book than to impart the gospel, and an even greater feat to love someone so that they will incorporate the gospel and the Book in due time.
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you will treat everything as if it were a nail. If we make The Urantia Book mandatory in our ministry, we will fall into this great error. It would destroy the sagacity and good taste of feeling honorable to reveal our source every time we mention a truth we have found there. By this I do not mean to deny that the Book can achieve results that human efforts cannot. The practice of presenting revealed teachings without mentioning the fact of epochal revelation is sometimes called “contraband,” connoting something devious. Yet the first two epochal revelations did precisely that. Melchizedek did not initially announce the epochal fact (that he was superhuman) and left when he began to be regarded with superstitious respect. He did not overload his teachings, but presented what the hearer was capable of receiving and assimilating (UB 93:3.4-6) (note the high marks given to Akhenaten and Moses for judiciously adjusting the higher teachings to the receptivity level of their hearers) (UB 95:5.6, UB 96:4.2). When the epochal event was prematurely announced by Anna and Simon (UB 122:9.2), the child Jesus was criminally persecuted (UB 122:9.11). Consider how Jesus handled his epochal revelation for most of his career. He prepared the teachings in Rome with a message that would reach them only later. He often taught without divulging the complete package, greatly delayed announcing his divine sonship, and insisted that the gospel not be overshadowed by the epochal event (UB 149:2.4, UB 193:0.4). Why did Melchizedek and Jesus postpone mentioning the epochal fact? They knew that attention would be focused less on the main message than on the extraordinary and fascinating source. When the proper sequence of gospel truth and advanced teachings was reversed, the religion of Jesus became a religion about Jesus (UB 195:10.15). It could happen again with this book, even unconsciously and with good intentions.
In most situations, it is wise to disseminate the teachings of The Urantia Book without mentioning the Book itself. As an expert who writes publications, I cite T_he Urantia Book_ in footnotes as required by integrity and professional ethics. I recall, however, that years after I published an article in which I alluded to a great debt to The Urantia Book, a colleague who read it asked me about my interest in the Book. In his mind, my connection to the Book overshadowed what I had to say. Therefore, I often try to write with enough originality and engagement in ongoing debates so that I do not need to cite The Book as the primary source. This matter calls for good judgment, and I continue to seek it in particular cases.
Some people object to presenting the teachings of The Urantia Book without presenting the book itself because it seems like secrecy, and many people feel uncomfortable about that. Throughout The Book, however, the authors respectfully address certain types of secrecy. In evaluating the ethics of omitting or delaying certain information, we might consider the following points.
There are secrets for various reasons (UB 13:1.1, UB 18:0.10). The information may be incomprehensible (at the time or always) (UB 6:7.1, UB 13:1.4, UB 13:1.6, UB 19:5.2). There could be a violation of personal privacy (UB 18:1.5, UB 18:1.6) or out of reverence (UB 53:3.2). The information may be irrelevant to one’s work (UB 13:1.5, UB 13:2.1, UB 13:3.3, UB 31:8.3), harmful (it may confuse and hinder one) (UB 13:1.6, UB 13:2.6, UB 13:3.3), or stifling to the imagination (UB 30:0.2).
As Jesus grew older, he revealed less and less about himself (UB 126:3.14-15). He dissociated the phases of his career (UB 129:3.3-6). He avoided speaking of the voice he had heard at his baptism (p. 1545;4). He refrained from public preaching during the earliest phase of his kingdom work (UB 138:1.1). He forbade censuring Caesar or his servants and told the apostles to stay out of political, social, and economic trouble (UB 138:5.4, UB 140:8.6). He tried to keep his healing power quiet. He presented his teachings in parables, partly as a defensive measure to confuse casual hearers (UB 157:6.5). He gave special teaching to those (e.g., Nathanael) who were ready for it and who promised not to share it with others (UB 159:4.2). He restricted some meetings for counseling and planning to those who were tried and tested disciples (UB 154:1.1). We also note his selective response to questions at his trial (UB 184:1.5, UB 184:3.6, UB 184:3.12; UB 184:4.1, UB 184:5.11, UB 185:2.13, UB 185:4.3, UB 185:7.2). Also the contrast between the Master’s discretion and Peter’s evasive denial. Jesus recommended that our prayers be in secret (UB 146:2.13). We were warned not to waste our time trying to clarify the mysteries of his incarnation (UB 119:7.6) and excarnation (UB 189:1.5-10).
What will be our conclusion? At the very least, we needn’t be troubled by guilt if, in more than one situation, we don’t reveal our support for The Urantia Book, but instead take care of the immediate needs of others.
We could classify epochal revelations according to the types of projects they promote or avoid promoting. The first type of epochal revelation is a spiritual and cultural revelation. Such revelation includes spiritual teaching and also addresses social, economic, and political issues. The Planetary Prince’s entourage had a college of revealed religion with a gospel to proclaim; they also taught how to irrigate fields, trap wild beasts, select mates, improve tribal governments, and so on. Adam and Eve taught the basics of religion and directed worship, and they also established a school system, worked for racial uplift, and promoted cultural progress.
The second type of epochal revelation, exemplified by Melchizedek and Jesus, is a specifically spiritual revelation. The second type does not engage in projects of cultural elevation.
So to speak, each type of revelation has its own speed of propagation. A Mack truck is not a Ferrari. The motto of spiritual revelation is, expressly, “Proclaim this gospel forcefully to all the world.” More people are receptive to the simple gospel than to spiritual and cultural revelation, and responding to a gospel message brings about little change in the recipient (UB 81:6.40). The motto of spiritual and cultural revelation is “steady, gradual growth.” Failure to follow the advice of the instructions and blindness to patterns and principles doesn’t work. You can’t drive a Mack truck like a Ferrari, at least not for long. Take a turn too fast and the truck flips. When exclusively spiritual revelation becomes involved in social and cultural reform, disaster ensues. After the leaders of the early epochal revelations accelerated their pace, the enterprise was halted for 50 years. (UB 67:4.7). After Adam and Eve failed, Plan A failed, and Plan B had to be improvised (UB 75:5.3). Purely spiritual revelations have had similar problems. The Salem gospel was progressing well in Mesopotamia until the leader decided to attack a practice associated with the local cult (UB 95:1.6-9). Christendom was affected by the mingling of religion with other matters (UB 195:0.3, UB 195:10.20, UB 99:2.1-2). Past epochal revelatory races who violated its instructions could scarcely have predicted the consequences. Had anyone adequately warned them of what lay behind their proposals, he or she would have been expelled as a fearmonger. One lesson of the Adamic failure is that the sophistries of Luciferian personal liberty and planetary freedom of action can infect even those who believe in the Universal Father and work for a high planetary destiny. Only hindsight would tell them what they have done.
How does The Urantia Book fit into the preceding classification of epochal types of revelation? Is it a spiritual and cultural revelation or an exclusively spiritual revelation? Some readers are confused because the Book describes both types. However, the fact that The Urantia Book includes instructions for all sorts of projects places it in the first category. It presents teachings on spiritual and religious priorities as well as on science, eugenics, world government, and other social, economic, and political matters (and it is important to keep these projects separate, lest religious groups become political parties (UB 99:0.1, UB 195:10.13)). The fact that The Urantia Book is a spiritual and cultural revelation implies that the Book is not considered an evangelistic tool; Rather, The Urantia Book student movement should continue at a steady pace of growth. On the river of truth, the gospel is the icebreaker; The Urantia Book is the merchant ship that follows.
The epochal revelations are geared toward groups with a high average receptivity in order to actually reach receptive individuals. The first two epochal revelations sought superior individuals (UB 50:4.1, UB 51:5.2, UB 66:4.1), and analogous factors were at work in the third and fourth epochal revelations (UB 93:5.2, UB 122:0.2). Jesus gave advanced teachings to selected individuals (UB 132:0.5, UB 159:4.2).
We would like to present the revelation to those who are receptive and avoid those who might harm it. Therefore, it would be appropriate to use some visualization of epochal revelation panoramas. This is a tough subject, but we can use intuition to know what is appropriate to say in a given conversation. Putting a log on a small, newly lit fire may put it out, whereas once it is burning brightly, the large log is well laid. There is a danger of elitism and pride when the question of who is ready for the Book arises, and we don’t want to judge anyone. However, if we want to learn what The Urantia Book can teach us about this matter, we must consider the matter. Discernment does not involve judging people or souls. Projection is a matter of being wise as serpents, even if we pretend to be harmless as doves.
The projection policies of previous epochal revelations demonstrate two basic types of projection. The first type is projection by receptivity. Those of us who have a complex epochal revelation to share need a complex concept of receptivity. Receptivity to the Book is not the same as the need for new truth or even receptivity to select ideas from the Book. The practices of previous epochal revelations suggest four main points to consider:
To whom is the fifth epochal revelation intended? Another key is to try to discern from the text itself what beliefs and knowledge the authors seem to presuppose. This can indicate what type of reader it is initially (though not exclusively) intended.
The second type of projection is the projection for safety to revelation. “Unarmed observers were freely admitted to Eden for short visits. To sojourn in the Garden a Urantian had to be “adopted.” He received instructions in the plan and purpose of the Adamic bestowal, signified his intention to adhere to this mission, and then made declaration of loyalty to the social rule of Adam and the spiritual sovereignty of the Universal Father.” (UB 74:7.11). The prohibition against weapons reminds us, of course, that visitors could harm the inhabitants of the Garden. The initial projection here is protective. Recall that Jesus recommended a protective projection in the Ordination Sermon: “Do not offer what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample your jewels underfoot and turn to tear you to pieces” (UB 140:3.19).
What dangers does projection pose in our time? More obviously, we would prefer to avoid making revelation known to those who would become its enemies. Less obviously, it would be good to visualize our revolutionary friends (those whose enthusiasm for revelation would lack respect for evolution). Revolutionary efforts multiply enemies and precipitate premature conflict.
The Urantia Book confronts the powers of this world. It challenges the nationalism of every self-regarding nation, the materialism of every business enterprise that subordinates service to profit, the authority of every religious tradition, and the secularism of every society that attempts to live without God. And the response to the Book may be proportional to the Book’s power, now seldom considered. Those of us accustomed to centuries of civil liberties may take much for granted (UB 118:8.7). This leads me to imagine that we readers will never suffer persecution. If this were inevitable, let us rejoice in sharing the experiences of the prophets who went before us. But let us not evoke a stormy atmosphere prematurely over those who would otherwise have an opportunity to grow up in peace.
The main point of this observation is not that we should avoid all controversy. The Planetary Prince’s entourage, for example, proclaimed “the gospel of individual initiative” within the tradition-oriented social groups of those days (UB 70:9.9). The main point is that the most strategic points should be selected where controversy is opportune.
In practice, how do we make our projection? We are told that we can never know a person as a result of a mere encounter (UB 12:9.2). Furthermore, understanding requires knowing the individual’s motivation (UB 100:4.5). This is a demanding requirement—sometimes too demanding. In my own experience, there is a qualitative difference between the times I notice that someone seems “ready” to me, and the times when someone asks a question that is unconsciously but unmistakably a question about The Urantia Book. I actually pray that the person will ask that question as an aid to discerning whether I should introduce them to The Urantia Book. We cannot operate humanly if we take the guidelines as absolute or grow impatient over our inability to apply them perfectly. But if we go to the other extreme and reject the responsibility of discernment, I think we let the revelators down.
In sharing the truth, some risks are reasonable, and others are not. And those elites who take unreasonable risks do so not only for themselves, but for all of us and for the fifth epochal revelation. If we do the best we know how in light of all the instructions we can glean from higher sources, we can be reasonably content. During this first phase, when the Book’s mass exposure guarantees us near-universal rejection, if we pursue projects that fall clearly within the playing field indicated by The Urantia Book, we will see a great reduction in energy-consuming organizational controversy and prepare for those anticipated and exciting planetary developments for which no one can be overly prepared when the time comes (or which we will not see in our own lifetimes).
In practice, we’re usually far more relaxed about mentioning the Book to others than those who had to protect the early revelations of the time, and I think this is almost always a good thing. The main point of this study, however, is to make us stop and consider a little.
One pattern of epochal revelation is that they do not explode upon the planet, but rather unfold in stages. The Adamic bestowal exemplifies a two-stage epochal revelation: a phase of partial contact with the planetary population, and a phase of full contact (UB 51:6.2). There is some analogy to this two-stage revelation that can be found in other revelations. The retinue of the Planetary Prince had an initial period of gathering their associates (including the procreation of the primary midwayers), organizing their headquarters, and establishing their ten service councils. The Melchizedek mission did not accelerate until after they had gained control of Abraham. And the mission of Jesus progressed through a series of stages even after he had begun his public career.
How will we know when it’s time to attract a wider audience to The Urantia Book? There is an impressive consensus that we need thousands of study groups, translations into most languages, and trained teachers and leaders. We must be prepared to handle the intense questioning and inevitable confusion that will occur when the gold rush for truth has arrived. Another criterion is a calm, stable, and peaceful world order.
As a teacher, I know that my first job is to “spark the question,” to get others to ask me the question I want to focus on. If I proceed by giving teachings in response to a question I haven’t been asked, I am largely wasting my message. I believe there is also a planned meeting between the planetary question and the universal answer. What if we anticipate the pace of appropriateness with premature publicity? The drama of the planned meeting of the planetary question and the universal answer will have been partly lost. Casting pearls precipitates premature rejection and conflict.
Aggressive publicity for The Urantia Book could be a step backward. It has happened before: “the weakening of Vedism through rejection of the higher truth” (UB 94:2.2). Let us be warned that such neglect in failing to properly grasp the Book’s teachings can also interfere with planning. Foolish haste or laziness could abort a great hope, with consequences we cannot imagine. And what if we work with wise methods? Let our hearts beat strongly to behold the harvest!
Our sincere desire to do things right meets with wonderful promise. Patiently pursuing wise evolutionary policies can have rapid and significant results. “Evolutionary” seems synonymous with “slow,” and to a first approximation it is (UB 66:6.4). But evolutionary patience does not mean permanent slow movement. If we grow larger, the effectiveness of our outreach will multiply. Sometimes evolution proceeds rapidly. “The order of progressive evolution is subject to periodic, sudden, and unexpected changes, both in the material and in the spiritual worlds.” “When physical conditions are right, sudden mental evolutions may occur; when the condition of the mind is propitious, sudden spiritual transformations may occur…” (UB 65:8.6). The teachings and conduct of the newly arrived Prince’s retinue had a tremendous influence on the nearby tribes (UB 66:4.1). There is a similar immediate impact on a normal Adamic mission (UB 51:6.1). And great possibilities are again with us. After being assured of the long time that will be necessary to eliminate social class differences through racial, educational, and religious progress, we are told that “much social improvement will immediately result from the intelligent, prudent, and patient manipulation of these accelerating factors of cultural progress” (UB 70:8.16). And there is a fascinating possibility: “Indeed, the social readjustments, the economic transformations, the moral rejuvenations, and the religious revisions of Christian civilization would be drastic and revolutionary if the living religion of Jesus should suddenly supplant the theologic religion about Jesus.” (UB 196:1.2).
Suppose someone says that, in this time of accelerated change, the old evolutionary methods are obsolete. This is like saying that when you hit whitewater rapids, you can throw off the fundamentals of canoeing. During a period of rapid change, we must be faithful to the essentials. “And only by adherence to these essentials can man hope to maintain his present civilization, contributing both to its continued development and to its assured survival.” (UB 81:6.44)
We need not be afraid. The revelators of the papers anticipated the world war just as they predicted a spiritual renaissance (UB 195:8.13). Being true to the essences blocks foolish and harmful projects but does not check the progressively aggressive individual (UB 94:0.1).
There are many projects with the teachings of the Book that clearly fall within the scope of reasonable action, projects that call for public work now.
Evolution isn’t always slow, but it always works. It succeeds where even revelation fails (UB 81:1.3, UB 84:5.9, UB 90:3.10). So if we handle our epochal revelation in a way that aligns directly with the tried-and-true methods of evolutionary revelation, we are sure to contribute to its success. Following evolutionary methods, however slow they may seem, is certainly successful. The contribution of revelation is fragile: it needs to be handled with evolutionary, wise hands.
What is the plan for The Urantia Book? Interpretations vary. Here is mine. I emphasize that the first two epochal revelations had a Plan A, but had to improvise a Plan B. Jesus’ Plan A was to win over the Jewish leaders and have a network of synagogues that would become a distribution channel for the new gospel, while Plan B was to shift the central gospel movement westward.
The teachings of Jesus are also to serve as the foundation of a new and higher civilization (UB 154:4.6). This project is in some ways quite unusual. Normally, there is a sequence of revelations, each building upon the preceding. On the basis of missions that establish general cultural integrity (educational, familial, intellectual), spiritual revelation operates. The spiritualizing mission of the bestowal Son comes as the centerpiece of the precious ring fashioned by the retinue of the Planetary Prince, the Adamic mission and intellectual achievements sponsored by the Magisterial Son (UB 52:2.6). But Jesus came to spiritualize a planet whose culture was at best partial and fragmentary. Because of the Adamic rebellion and failure, the relative absence of spiritual and cultural revelation on our planet reversed the normal relationship between the type of epochal mission that serves as a foundation and the type that thrives on that foundation. We are now called upon, so to speak, to rebuild culture on a spiritual foundation. The Urantia Book can help us achieve that civilization by providing guidelines that will help us compensate for the lost revelations.
Christianity is in crisis (UB 195:9.4). It is the ruling world religion, the greatest exponent of Jesus’ teachings, and at the same time its greatest obstacle (UB 195:10.9-10). The religion of Jesus is destined to triumph (UB 143:1.4). Will Urantia’s great hope—for the new revelation to unify Jesus’ followers—be realized?
This epochal revelation is intended to benefit all religions and all peoples; it serves precisely to break down religious barriers, such as those between those who consider themselves followers of Jesus and those who do not (UB 92:5.16). But Plan A seems to be for The Urantia Book to be presented to Christendom in a way that will be accepted by a critical mass of believers. If we present the Book poorly, will it be forced out of libraries, and will the study groups of an enthusiastic minority await another Son to claim their allegiance? Our policies and conduct will greatly influence the outcome. I don’t mean to imply that readers should focus solely on Christianity, or distort his teachings to appeal to Christianity, or join Christian worship if they have no desire to do so, or regard Christians as “better” than those of other faiths, or as the chosen recipients of the fifth epochal revelation. I mean that there are some historical insights clearly evident in Jesus’s politics that have analogies today.
Readers who come to Papers 195 and 196 having digested the lessons of previous epochal revelations are prepared to make wise use of the vigorous and specific directives given there. Plan A for The Urantia Book appears to be based on the recognition of Christendom’s need for “a new vision of the Master’s life on earth” and the promise of a “new and fuller revelation of the religion of Jesus” to overcome mechanistic naturalism (UB 195:9.2).
How will the “great revelation” (UB 195:9.3) be made effective?
Religion needs new leaders, spiritual men and women who dare to depend solely on Jesus and his matchless teachings. If Christendom persists in neglecting its spiritual mission while remaining preoccupied with social and material problems, spiritual renaissance must await the coming of these new teachers of the religion of Jesus who will be exclusively dedicated to the spiritual regeneration of men. And then will these spirit-born souls furnish the requisite leadership and inspiration for the social, moral, economic, and political reorganization of the world (UB 195:9.4).
These passages are followed by a call for “firsthand religion” and a salient reflection on how exhilarating it would be if people could “see Jesus as he actually lived on earth and learn firsthand of his life-giving teachings.” (UB 195:9.8). If this apparent fantasy is disconcerting, the suspense is quickly eliminated: “The great hope of Urantia lies in the possibility of a new revelation of Jesus, with a new and enlarged presentation of his saving message, which would spiritually unite in loving service the numerous families of his professed followers today.” (UB 195:10.16).
The creative design of Paper 196 is instructive. It begins with a powerful portrait of the same Jesus we can reveal in our lives, and then returns to Plan A in the first section. “What momentous service would the present revelation render if, through it, the Son of Man were rescued from the grave of traditional theology and presented as the living Jesus to the church that bears his name and to all other religions!” (UB 196:1.2). The document doesn’t end by sending us off like missionaries shot out of a cannon. Instead, it culminates with a section that integrates the dynamic vision of religion with the balanced perspective of the book as a whole. The authors emphasize that progress results from the “evolution of revelation” (UB 196:3.15). It seems reasonable to interpret our (evolutionary) way of living as revelatory, and our use of the fifth epochal revelation as evolutionary. The final paragraphs redirect us toward “the great challenge of modern man,” to achieve better contact with the indwelling spirit, to the life of the Creator Son, and back to the Father.
Plan A for the fifth epochal revelation appears to have the following characteristics:
I infer that putting the lion’s share of our energies into participating directly in this plan and supporting it indirectly is the most appropriate way to ensure the success of the fifth epochal revelation. The corollary is that making the Book our primary project is taking a short-sighted shortcut.
Every epochal revelation has its disciplines. The beneficiaries of the first had to return to their home region as teachers. The Garden guests had to leave many friends. The early messengers of the third and fourth revelations had to leave social, economic, and political reconstruction to their listeners. Perhaps students of the fifth epochal revelation are expected to refrain from treating The Urantia Book as gospel. We tend to want to do it all, for ourselves or our organizations to perform both functions: the function of disseminating a profound and comprehensive spiritual and cultural revelation, and the function of the kind of dynamism befitting the gospel movement. We cannot drive a Mack truck like a Ferrari. The numerous urgent calls to proclaim the gospel should not be taken out of context and applied to The Urantia Book itself. The Book does not precede or accompany the public gospel message, but rather follows it. From the day of the outpouring of the Spirit of Truth, Peter and his associates inverted the gospel and placed truths that were supposed to be secondary at the forefront of its proclamation. As a result, the acceptance of Jesus’ divine sonship became the gateway to the Christian proclamation of the Father’s love. Countless people have stumbled against that gateway, and the brotherhood of man has suffered. Today, an over-regard for the Book rather than the realities it unveils unwittingly fosters a religion about The Urantia Book (UB 195:10.15).
Those who wish to actively participate in bringing the Book to those ready for it have many frontiers for a completely legitimate and heroic activity. They can travel to areas where study groups don’t exist, meet people to whom they can selectively introduce the Book, and organize a study group. They can meet local religious people or other groups where they are likely to meet many candidates for the Book. They can even correspond with Internet acquaintances or authors who have published articles along the lines of the Book’s thought and introduce the Book in the context of a fruitful relationship. There are many other projects that fall within the playing field outlined by the above principles. We don’t have to choose between the stagnation of doing nothing and risky publicity. There are many magnificent efforts that have been widely undervalued.
Students who wish to share The Urantia Book with others in accordance with its teachings learn to work with evolutionary resources and attract future readers by living according to the revelation. By seeking out highly receptive groups and sharing appropriate truths, they do not mistake the Book for the gospel or cast pearls before swine. They get to know receptive individuals by meeting with them more than once, and thus see if the individual has been born of the Spirit. When they discern both cultural and spiritual receptivity, they share the fifth epochal revelation with loyalty, joy, and confidence.
These ideals are so challenging that it’s tempting to take the easy way out. It’s understandable that we might err, given the complexity of our book, the errors of certain leaders, and the material emotions that run through our limited minds. But experimenting with unreasonable publicity for the Book is taking risks for ourselves and for posterity; and such behavior consumes precious time from our invisible friends, who are obligated to dedicate themselves to damage control.
Thank God, we can do better. We can enlist as mortal companions in a great team. We can prepare to harvest the mixed seed that has been sown and to build a solid foundation for the future. Responsible readers will experiment within the main lines, not with the main lines. What a gift to posterity to conduct ourselves henceforth in accordance with the teachings of the Book entrusted to us! We will spread selected teachings, especially the gospel, and wisely share the Book with receptive individuals whom, for their part, we will already find “in the temple.”
(Translated from English by Olga López)