© 1991 Meredith J. Sprunger
© 1991 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
The Lilly Endowment publication, Progressions (January, 1990), gives an eloquent account of major research efforts to understand the decline of mainline Christianity over the past 25 years. The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), which celebrated the 200th anniversary of its first General Assembly last year, has lost one-third of its membership since 1965.
Dr. Robert H. Bullock, Jr., editor of Presbyterian Outlook, recalls the prophetic words of the moderator of the Southern Presbyterian Church in 1961: “Our greatest concern…should not be the rising or falling of statistics but whether… we are an instrument of God’s purpose for these times.” And Dr. Dorothy C. Bass, associate professor of church history in Chicago Theological Seminary, insightfully comments: “The decline of mainstream Protestantism’s ability to address American culture in a clear and authentic voice is a much more serious matter than the declining size of its membership.”
The most important factor in the resurgence of mainline Christianity is being an instrument of God’s purpose for these times and confirming the authenticity and power of its spiritual message. We believe The Urantia Book, which claims to be a new epochal revelation to our planet, has the conceptual view of reality and the spiritual dynamic to generate a spiritual renaissance in the church.
This is why our Clergy Network recommends a critical study of The Urantia Book by church leaders and scholars. The church historically has depended on consensus to guide its pathway. It is, therefore, important for many minds to evaluate this unusual book. If it survives this rigorous test, as we believe it will, the church will have a tremendous resource which will inspire humankind for centuries to come.