© 2001 Meredith Sprunger
© 2001 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
The Editorial in the January, 2001 issue of Theology Today begins with the statement, “The jury is still out on whether mainline Protestantism can be saved.” The author, Ellen T. Charry, goes on to point out that two heroic attempts are being made to restructure Protestant Christianity. The evangelical option stressing personal salvation and in-your-face evangelism poses a threat to the institutional church. The progressive-secular option is appealing to “people who find organized religion irrelevant, ineffective, or repressive.” The Center for Progressive Christianity maintains that “Jesus Christ is no longer the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity, the redeemer, but one of many gateways into the realm of God.” There is a general recognition that denominationalism has lost its relevance.
Christianity has lost much of its spiritual dynamic. As the leaders of the Christian churches search for spiritual renewal, they may gradually be exposed to the Urantia Papers. This exposure will probably continue for decades. During this time the latent spiritual hunger of society will create conditions that are favorable for the organization of churches or religious institutions inspired by the Fifth Epochal Revelation.
We should remember that changes in religion always come through the influence of individuals and organizations at the grass roots of society. I believe the most effective carriers of the Fifth Epochal Revelation will be individual religious activities and religious organizations in local communities. Sooner or later there will be inspired religious leaders with ability who sense a calling to initiate such churches or religious institutions.