© 1998 Meredith Sprunger
© 1998 The Christian Fellowship of Students of The Urantia Book
It occurred to me as I finished reading Billy Graham’s 735 page autobiography, Just As I Am, that there are parallels between the social dynamics of the Fourth and Fifth Epochal Revelations. The amazing popular appeal of the ministries of Billy Graham and Robert Schuller are similar to the widespread popularity of the preaching of John the Baptist preceding the Fourth Epochal Revelation. The religioustheological tension between the strict Pharisees and the more worldly Sadducees is not unlike the controversy between Christian conservatives and Christian liberal theologians influencing the ministries of Billy Graham and Robert Schuller. The “fullness of time” of both eras is characterized by a decline in the appeal of traditional values and widespread spiritual hunger and expectancy. To the credit of both Billy Graham and Robert Schuller, they recognize that theological differences should not prevent one from accepting and loving others who come from different faith positions.
Just as the teachings of Jesus transcended the divisions of the Pharisees and Sadducees in the inclusive concept of the Kingdom of God, so the Fifth Epochal Revelation transcends the boundaries of religious differences in an inclusive view of the family of God. The spiritual cosmology of the Fifth Epochal Revelation establishes a universe-wide concept of salvation that transcends religious-theological differences. We look forward to the day when the religions of the world, especially those that have divisive theologies, will discover this inclusive new spiritual paradigm and a new era of spiritual creativity will transform our world.
Although the resistance to change in human nature is basically the same as it was in the first century A. D., our means of communication and transportation is radically different. With radio, television, computers, and the Internet, communication can be almost instantaneous in our Information Age. When a “critical mass” of people discover the enlarged vision of reality and the inspiring presentation of truth in the Fifth Epochal Revelation, this information can spread with startling rapidity throughout the world. Its integration into world culture, however, will likely take centuries. It is a rare privilege to serve as pioneers of this new spiritual paradigm that will bring a spiritual renaissance to our world!