© 2002 K. Richard Keeler
© 2002 Urantia Foundation
¶ Classic Book
Just like classic cars and classic movies, there exists a classic printing of The Urantia Book. It is the original, 1955 printing. It has a simple, light blue-green dust jacket listing the parts of the book and what the Contact Commissioners thought were important quotes to be imparted to those looking for the truth. Its blue cover is gold stamped, with the title The Urantia Book placed in the top 1/4 of the book’s cover in a classic typeface. It is the book you see all those “older” readers carrying.
Now, you can also own this same, classic hardcover Urantia Book. Urantia Foundation is reprinting this edition, which will be identical in size to the first printing. The 6 3/4“ x 10” book has II point type with 3/4“ margins, making it easier to read, and features Smythe-sewn binding for years of durable study. It is a smaller book than the 1993, 8” x 10" hardcover book, making it lighter to carry to your local study group. We are pleased to Offer this edition in preparation for our celebration offifty years of printing The Urantia Book.
During the last decade, Urantia Foundation has published many editions of The Urantia Book: Small hardcover, softcover vinyl, paperback, gift-boxed leather, leather-bound deluxe editions, CD-ROM, Internet on-line version, and an audio version on cassette tapes. Over time, however, the large hardcover edition of the book has remained the favorite of many readers.
On bookstore shelves, this classic, hardcover edition will have the same dust jacket as our most recent printings. However, the Foundation is also printing supplementary “collector’s edition” dust jackets, identical to the 1955 first printing, featuring the same excerpts and page references concerning the nature, origin, and organization of The Urantia Book. Proceeds from sales of these collector 's edition books and dust jackets will help to support Urantia Foundation’s continuing operations.
The twelfth printing of the classic, hardcover edition in the Spring of 2002 is identical to the first edition published by Urantia Foundation in 1955, except for the few spelling corrections and changes that were authorized by one or more Contact Commissioners. (A brochure listing those corrections is available upon request.)
Of course, all books published by Urantia Foundation display the Concentric-Circles Symbol. Urantia Foundation uses this symbol, the material emblem of the Trinity government, as a mark of authenticity identifying the fifth epochal revelation, just as Melchizedek adopted this symbol as the insignia of his bestowal during the third revelation of truth to our world. (UB 93:3.3)
Over the years, some have suggested that more readers might be attracted to the book if artistic representations portraying the nature of the book appeared on the cover. However, as we witness the spread ofthe teachings worldwide, we see the wisdom of a simple design. The “Urantia” revelation, as its name implies, is intended to reach peoples of all faiths, cultures, and races. A familiar religious image or symbol on the cover, no matter how attractive it might be to some, would, to Others, associate the fifth epochal revelation with Other pre-conceived ideas. For example, many Muslims would consider it sacrilegious to use images of living beings on the cover.
By using the Concentric-Circles Symbol — beautiful, yet little known in the modern world—there is no danger of someone being repelled by the cover without ever examining the book’s content. As The Urantia Book has become more well known, readers have come to look for this symbol as the mark of authenticity signifying the inviolate text published by Urantia Foundation.
To own your own classic book with the modern dust jacket, visit your local bookstore or favorite online retailer (ISBN 0-911560-02-5, 12th printing, 2002). For a limited time, the suggested retail price will remain at $34.95, a remarkably low price for a book of this quality. To purchase a classic book with the “collector’s edition” dust jacket ($44.95), or the collector’s edition dust jacket alone ($9.95), please contact your nearest Urantia Foundation office.
¶ From The President
Richard Keeler
The decision of the Board of Trustees of Urantia Foundation to re-issue the 1955, first printing of The Urantia Book brings a floodtide of memories over me. Vividly I remember my sense of amazement and awe when first I opened this huge tome. It was bigger than any of my college textbooks.
It was at the University of Kansas in 1959. That was the year I found The Urantia Book. Elvis was the King. The guys wore blue suede shoes, flattop haircuts, and ducktails. The girls wore ponytails and poodle skirts to “sock hops.”
I had an odd, guitar-picking friend from near Dodge City who used to ramble on about God, infinity, eternity, and time and space. One night in the freshman dormitory (the room in which about 20 of us slept), he remarked that the way electrons orbit the nucleus of an atom is similar to the way planets orbit the sun in the solar system. He said, “Doesn’t that suggest that both were designed by the same cosmic mind?” I was intrigued. He said he had a book that he thought would interest me.
When he first opened his Urantia Book and began to show me some of the topics it explored, my fascination was immediate. Thus began for me a scientific, philosophic, and spiritual journey that still thrills me today as it did back then–43 years ago.
My sentimental attachment to the first printing of The Urantia Book will never perish. To this day, I can still open my original book, with its multitudinous notes and poly-chromatic pen markings; the fragrances of a thousand study groups and conferences are there. If I open one of the Foundation’s few remaining pristine copies of that same 1955, first printing, my emotions are still stirred as they were in 1959. There is no greater adventure for the truth seeker than truth finding.
Before the discovery of printing, progress was relatively slow since one generation could not so rapidly benefit from the achievements of its predecessors. But now human society is plunging forward under the force of the accumulated momentum of all the ages through which civilization has struggled. (UB 81:6.44)
Re-issuing that first printing is like coming home to me. When I go back to my home town of Bartlesville, Oklahoma, drive down those old familiar streets, and pull up in front of the house where I grew up, the memories that flood over me are like my thoughts when I open that old, original Urantia Book of mine.
I feel a similar nostalgia when I visit Tennessee Street at Kansas University and remember finding The Urantia Book there. It was the book in my hands the day I first met the folks at 533 Diversey Parkway in Chicago. It will ever be my most precious and special material possession. Needless to say, the book is not to be worshiped but studied. It is not an end in itself but a means to the end of worshiping God and loving humanity.
Back in Oklahoma, they say you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. No, but you can make him thirsty; you can give him salty oats. The book is like salty oats; it can make people who read it thirsty for a closer relationship with God.
To me, The Urantia Book is my favorite knothole in the fence through which I can glimpse the larger playing field of eternity. That is why I am especially and personally delighted to announce that the Trustees have decided to re-issue that 1955, first printing of The Urantia Book.
¶ Printing News
Pagination of Translations Because Urantia Foundation is deeply concerned with the globalization and worldwide dissemination of the Urantia Revelation, we are committed to formatting all translations and editions of The Urantia Book consistently according to the original pagination, as in the 1955 printing.
This means that any passage in the book can be found on the same page and paragraph in all languages and formats, especially helpful for group study. Students of the book in any language can find passages by the same easy page-paragraph reference system. This applies to the printed editions as well as the CD-ROM and the on-line text.
Formatting in this manner permits study aids, newsletters, and journal articles to use the same convenient page-paragraph references regardless of their language and facilitates translation of these materials to many languages.
Readers have confirmed to us over the years that the fastest and easiest way to find a favorite passage in the book is to go right to the page and then the paragraph. This is a great advantage for international translators and readers alike. With over 600,000 books in print in seven languages, the Foundation is committed to this universal system of formatting the book.
Spanish Printing in Colombia Since 1993, the response to El libro de Urantia by readers in Colombia, South America has been remarkable. In addition to the formation of many study groups throughout the country, Colombia now has three Associations belonging to the International Urantia Association as well as a Foundation Representative.
Now we are pleased to announce that, for the first time, El libro de Urantia, has been printed in Colombia. We thank our Representative and other readers who assisted at presscheck. This South American printing represents a major move in facilitating the spread of the teachings of The Urantia Book throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
You who today enjoy the advantages of the art of printing little understand how difficult it was to perpetuate truth during these earlier times; how easy it was to lose sight of a new doctrine from one generation to another. (UB 93:7.4)
The primary benefit of printing in Colombia will be the resulting lower prices in the bookstores. Many countries in South America charge substantial import taxes on books imported from non-Spanish-speaking countries. Eliminating these added taxes and reducing the shipping costs will allow our distributors to pass on a substantial savings to the bookstores and finally to consumers.
In addition to this good news, one of our major distributors of El libro de Urantia has recently expanded its distribution beyond North America and will now distribute the books to Central America and the Caribbean as well.
The Trustees and staff of Urantia Foundation look forward to, and are excited about, the continued expansion of distribution networks throughout the world and the growing numbers of readers who are discovering the teachings.
¶ Histories of The Urantia Book
Some readers have asked us whether certain books and websites dealing with the history of The Urantia Book are published or approved by the Foundation. Urantia Foundation is not affiliated with and does not endorse any of the histories currently in print.
At an event commemorating Urantia Foundation’s 50th Anniversary in March 2000, a publication entitled The Golden Years: 100 Years of Revelation, was provided as a memento for participants. Additional work has continued in order to produce a well-documented, book-length publication.
There is also a History of the Urantia Movement published on Urantia Foundation’s website. This history was authored by Dr. William Sadler, head of the Contact Commission, the original custodians of the manuscripts of The Urantia Papers. The Contact Commission was charged with the pre-publication management of The Urantia Book project, with securing the international copyrights, etc. The Sadler history is available at https://www.urantia.org/urantia-foundation/history or by contacting your local office of Urantia Foundation.
¶ McMullan Appeal
Urantia Foundation and Michael Foundation have submitted their appellate briefs to the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver in the case of Michael Foundation, Inc. v. Urantia Foundation. This case arises out of the distribution by Harry McMullan III of a work that copied all but one of the papers from Part IV of The Urantia Book. Mr. McMullan convinced a jury that they should find Urantia Foundation’s United States copyright renewal to be invalid. Urantia Foundation appealed this decision to the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals, whose decision is expected later this year.
The appellate briefs provide summaries of the information presented at trial regarding the history surrounding initial publication of The Urantia Book, and they are telling in their representation of the respective legal positions of Urantia Foundation and Mr. McMullan. If you are interested in these issues, we encourage you to look at the briefs, which are available on our website at https://www.urantia.org/sites/default/files/newsinfo/mcmullan.html . The transcripts of the trial are also available there.
Urantia Foundation has asked the appellate court to hear oral argument in this matter. If this request is granted, oral argument could be scheduled as early as May 2002 but will most likely be scheduled for September 2002. A panel of three judges will be assigned to the case and will read the briefs before the hearing. Oral argument is limited to thirty minutes, during which both parties will present their arguments and respond to questions from the panel.
One of the three judges will then write the majority opinion. We hope to have a decision before the end of 2002. Meanwhile, the English edition of The Urantia Book remains protected by international copyright and translations are protected in the United States and internationally.
¶ International Urantia Association Conference 2002
Paris, France
3 to 7 August 2002
www.iua2002.com
The Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d’Urantia is especially pleased to invite you to attend the upcoming International Urantia Association (IUA) conference, which will be held in August 2002 near Paris.
The setting is a comfortable Holiday Center amid a green landscape located in close proximity to Dourdan, a charming small medieval village located 30 miles (55 km) south of Paris.
THE THEME OF THE CONFERENCE IS: “Living the ascension plan in terrestrial human experience.” Three full days will, in turn, be dedicated to the study of each plan: the Plan of the Father, the Plan of the Son, and the Plan of the Spirit.
This will be the second IUA international conference to be held outside the United States, and the hosting team wants to emphasize the international character of the movement as shown by the number of Urantia Associations which have been founded in the past four years. Each continent will participate in the content and spirit of the gathering.
Evenings will mainly be reserved for entertainment, music, poetry, songs, etc. Visiting a splendid 17th century chateau and enjoying a gourmet menu are also on the agenda.
English and French will be the two official languages of the conference. However, to limit the language barriers, formal speeches will be restricted as much as possible. Moreover, we will do our utmost to have translators helping in the workshops.
Children and Youth A special program will be provided for children and youth, allowing participation in the events of the adult conference and a recreational program including all the games available at the Holiday Center.
Travel Discounts Discounted airfares are being offered to conference participants by American Airlines and its “oneworld” partners: Aer Lingus, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, Iberia, Lan Chile, and Quantas. Reference American Airlines Meeting Travel Authorization Number 3972AO.
Avis Rent A Car is Offering attendees a 40% discount off its promotional rates. Reservations may be made by calling I -800-331-1600 or on the Internet at www.avis.com. The Avis Worldwide Discount (AWD) Number is D086560.
Information or Registration For information please contact: Association Francophone des Lecteurs du Livre d’Urantia (AFLLU): 48, rue Douy Delcupe - 93110 Montreuil sous Bois - FRANCE Tel: +33 (l) 5693 3510 - Fax: +33 (l) 5693 3511, or visit them on the web at www.iua2002.com. Email: info@iua2002.com or afllu@urantia.fr
¶ Arthur Andersen
Arthur Andersen and Enron are two names that have recently been in the news. Due to the negative publicity associated with these names, Urantia Foundation feels it is important for readers and donors to know that we ended our association with Arthur Andersen after the completion of the Foundation’s 1998 audit. Urantia Foundation engaged the services of Altschuler, Melvoin & Glasser (AM&G), a Chicago-based accounting firm, to audit and report on the consolidated financial statements of Urantia Foundation and affiliates and prepare necessary tax returns beginning with the 1999 year.
In 1997 and 1998, the Foundation staff observed a change in the attitude, efficiency, and pricing of the Arthur Andersen auditing team. Therefore, with the help of Gard Jameson, CPA, who serves as Trustee and Treasurer of Urantia Foundation, and our in-house accountant, Marcia Lansu, CPA, we did an extensive search for new independent auditors. After interviewing several firms, AM&G was chosen.
AM&G is a mid-sized, Chicago-based accounting firm with over 75 years experience. They are a part of American Express Tax and Business Services, Inc., and have over 700 employees. AM&G is one of the largest firms devoted exclusively to serving nonprofit organizations and privately held companies, and they are highly regarded by the philanthropic community in and around Chicago.
For over fifty years Urantia Foundation has prided itself on its yearly auditing reports and financial condition. As the number of projects supported by Urantia Foundation has grown, we have put in place a fund accounting system to more clearly reflect the sources of income and how these funds are allocated. We strive to be wise and effective stewards of the resources entrusted to our care. As we continue to grow, we are confident AM&G will provide the skills and services we expect from our independent auditors.
If you are interested in further information, please contact Marcia Lansu or Tonia Baney at the head office in Chicago.
¶ The Urantia Book In India
While attending New Delhi’s latest World Book Fair, URANTIA Foundation’s Executive Director Tonia Baney was interviewed by a local journalist. Here are some excerpts from the resulting newspaper article:
From The Indian EXPRESS — New Delhi — February 3, 2002
HOW FAITH CAN HELP IN THESE TROUBLED TIMES
By Pankhoori Sinha, New Delhi, February 2.When the clouds of terrorism have amassed over humanity at large, Urantia Book claims to be the silver lining in the clouds.
“The uncertainties of life and the vicissitudes of existence do not in any manner contradict the concept of the universal sovereignty of God” is what Urantia preaches worldwide. Urantia Books executive director, Tonia Baney, here in town for the World Book Fair, talks about the message of Urantia Books, their relevance in present times and also on the response it has elicited among readers worldwide.
“Urantia is the universal name of our planet. . . . It advocates a personal religious relationship with the presence of God within. It validates all religions within their respective cultures to the greater goodness of God. It preaches the age-old values of tolerance, inter-religious harmony, and brotherhood. It fully harmonizes the realities of things, meanings, and values, giving individuals a framework for thinking that is liberating and respectfully understanding of our humble place in the universe. Its viewpoint respectively builds upon the best of religious heritage of the past and the present.”
On relevance of Urantia after September - “The message of this book was always relevant and will always remain so. After the September 11 attacks, people realize its importance. Citizens of the world are viewing Urantia Books in an altogether different light. People see the danger in destroying civilizations through violence.”
“I feel that the cure of violence is education. Through education, our children will understand more about world cultures and the problems not only of specific countries but the problems that humanity suffers.”
On response of Urantia Books in India. “The response has been more than encouraging, it has been phenomenal. Visitors have been flocking to our stall and asking about the books and to tell you the truth, they seemed visibly impressed with it. We, at Urantia Foundation, are extremely happy to be received like this in India.”
If you are aware of any other media coverage regarding The Urantia Book we would love to hear about it!
¶ Study Groups And Reader Services
Urantia Foundation provides a variety of services to readers throughout the world.
Foundation staff members at our worldwide offices, with the assistance of twenty international volunteers who serve as Foundation Representatives in their areas, provide a personal link between the publisher and readers of The Urantia Book. Foundation Trustees believe it is important to maintain this connection with the readership, and they are committed to a global policy in which all of the Foundation’s services are available and understandable for people of different languages and cultures.
Education is at the heart of most Reader Service activities. Those who discover the enlarged vision of spirit realities presented in The Urantia Book often contact Urantia Foundation for information and answers to their questions. As The Urantia Book becomes more widely disseminated, more and more such requests are being received. Many people ask to be added to our mailing list and to receive information about the book and our organization.
In 2001, Urantia Foundation responded to over 5,000 requests for information, either electronically or by mail. Requests for referrals to other readers and study groups accounted for about twenty percent of this activity.
Urantia Foundation encourages readers of The Urantia Book to attend or organize study groups in their communities and offers an international referral service to assist in these efforts. Studying and discussing The Urantia Book with others often enhances understanding by presenting diverse perspectives. Each study group is independent and develops its own style of studying the book-one that best suits the needs of its members. Reader Services assists by providing referrals to nearby study groups or individual readers.
Study group hosts must be included on our mailing list in order for Urantia Foundation to refer readers to them. We maintain an electronic database of information provided by readers. Persons listed as a referral are those who have given us permission to give out their name, phone number, and email address to readers who may inquire. Study groups are listed when a reader informs us that they host a regularly meeting study group. Urantia Foundation applies only one criterion in these referrals: Study group hosts who wish to be listed are asked to submit a simple form which states that the group focuses solely on study of The Urantia Book.
Urantia Foundation does not publish lists or otherwise make public the personal data that readers provide. Discretion is exercised, and those who request such information are required to provide their own contact details. Concern for privacy and a commitment to integrity and fairness underscore these policies and balances our desire to promote friendship and study among all readers of The Urantia Book.
Accuracy of information is essential to providing these beneficial services. Database management requires constant update efforts by staff and volunteers. It also requires that readers inform us of changes in their contact details. If you move or change your phone number or email address, especially if you are listed as a referral or study group host, please contact Urantia Foundation with the new information.
To determine if you are already included in our database as a “Referral” or as a “Study Group Host,” check the mailing address of this Urantian News to see if there is an “R” or an “SG” in parentheses after your name. If there are no changes to report, bravo! However, if there are changes, please let us know.
If you currently host a study group or would like to change your referral status to become contactable, please complete and return the enclosed form. Updates can be made by mail, email, or telephone to the nearest office listed on the back of the form.
If you wish to take advantage of the Foundation’s referral services, please contact us. We are at your service!
¶ Discounted Books And Bookselling Facts
Before The Urantia Book was published, Forum members were given an opportunity to pre-order books. The few members of the Forum who are with us today still remember the day in October 1955 when they were able to hold in their hands the realization of a dream some had awaited for decades. Cases of books were carried from 533 Diversey Parkway that day to be lovingly distributed to friends and family. In the early days, this was how most people got The Urantia Book. For many years, this was the way that Urantia Foundation and the former Urantia Brotherhood distributed books. Individuals and Urantia Brotherhood Societies would purchase books in case lots at deep discounts.
Although this practice was necessary for the early seeding of The Urantia Book, it also had its disadvantages in that it slowed the development of normal trade channels of book distribution. If the practice of discounting books to individuals and reader groups had continued, the book would have been in danger of becoming a cult classic—that is, you would have had to know someone in order to find the book. Most of the people who knew about the book were buying at a discount directly from 533 Diversey, and therefore, no market was created.
Commercial Channels As a result, many commercial outlets would not carry the book because there was no demand for it. This prevented people from being able to discover the book on bookstore shelves. Shelf space is limited and is precious to retailers. Managers look for books that will have frequent turnover. They will not stock a book which they cannot sell or for which there is little or no demand. Nor will they stock it if they are undercut by organizations selling directly to the consumer at a discount. The Foundation eventually became aware that every book sold at a discount from someone’s living room stock actually retards the development of commercial channels and impedes worldwide availability. The decision was made to limit the sale of discounted books while promoting sales through distributors and bookstores.
Urantia Foundation continues, of course, to subsidize the cost of books for libraries and for the poor. But sales to individuals today from Urantia Foundation (website or phone orders) are at the suggested retail price. We include links from our website to online retailers like Amazon and Barnes & Noble where discounted copies are available. For the last several years, the availability of the book worldwide has been tremendously improved by following this plan. New readers can find the book online or in bookstores and libraries worldwide, free of the interpretations of any one group or individual.
Other Groups Other groups of readers may offer discounted copies of The Urantia Book. We realize how attractive, altruistic, and convenient these kinds of offers may seem at first glance, but we believe it is important for readers to understand how the bookselling industry works and to resist participation in these offers if they occur. We encourage readers and study groups to purchase books directly from bookstores so that these stores will continue to stock The Urantia Book for the next truth seeker browsing the shelves.
A Challenge Through the years many readers and study groups have assisted in Urantia Foundation’s efforts to establish The Urantia Book in the book market. Some readers have “adopted” one or more bookstores in their community. One reader told us she would regularly order The Urantia Book from her local bookstore. Once the book came in, she would ask that it be put on the shelf for one month and indicated that she would come in and purchase it if it had not already been sold. She never had to purchase one book! Simply purchasing the book from a local bookstore helps to ensure that the book will be on the bookstore shelf for the next potential Urantia Book reader.
Urantia Foundation can supply you with postcards that have The Urantia Book’s ISBN number and ordering information printed on the back. You can leave these cards with bookstore managers to remind them to order the book. If enough books are purchased through your local bookstores, or if inquiries are regularly made about it, store managers will be encouraged to order it regularly, and you will be directly helping to increase the availability of The Urantia Book in retail stores, where most people are likely to find it.
Urantia Foundation has established a worldwide distribution network that continues to grow. The Urantia Book notes that “[c]ommerce has been the great civilizer through promoting the cross-fertilization of culture” (UB 69:4.8). Through the effective use of ordinary channels of trade, this book can reach the hearts of men. You can help by ordering your books through bookstores.
In the midst of the confusions of a rapidly changing environment mortal man needs the sustenance of a far-flung cosmic perspective. (UB 99:7.2)
¶ Reader Comments About The Urantia Book
“I have read The Urantia Book in its entirety and continue to read it on an almost daily basis. It has changed my life” - Website, USA
“Since almost five years I’ve had The Urantia Book between my hands and it is the most beautiful thing it could happen to me. God is showing Himself to who’s looking for Him sincerely.”- Website, FRANCE
“I am presently reading The Urantia Book, and feel so blessed that our Universal Father fulfilled my life-long yearning to know truth. I feel words are inadequate to express my joy of knowing that there is a master plan, and a loving controller who is implementing it.” - Website, CANADA
“I have magically been led to knowing about Urantia. From now on, I can view life in a new and much different perspective. I have been awakened. Now I should study The Urantia Book. Please help me in my journey.”- Website, PHILIPPINES