© 1961 William S. Sadler Jr.
© 1968 Urantia Foundation
¶ The First Universe Age
The first real universe age is the age of Havona. We might logically begin our study of the master universe at this point, except for the small technicality – Havona never was created. If this statement seems unreasonable and it does appear as though eternal Havona actually was created, then we would ask the one unanswerable question, “When?”
Later we will find it convenient to look at Havona as a real creation, but at this point let us be very technical, and classify it as a precreation.
¶ § 1. The Dawn of Eternity – The Beginning of the First Age
Go back for a moment to the close of the Zero Age and take an inventory. We have the three Absolutes (Deity, Unqualified, and Universal) linked together; these are the infinite reservoirs that contain all of God’s plans for the future. This means they are potentials. They are often designated as the Absolutes of Potentiality.
What existed in the way of actuals? There are just three actualities: The Universal Father, the Eternal Son, and the Isle of Paradise. In other words, there are two existential Deities and a physical base from which they can take action. This inventory is quite important to our study, so we will repeat it: At the end of the Zero Age there are two existential Deities, plus a base of operations. This is all there is of actual reality.
Trinitization at the dawn of the First Age. We have used a new term, “trinitization,” and we should define it before going on with the study:
Trinitization has a special meaning in the Papers. As we are using it here it means a “once only” act of creation – “limited trinitization.” Thus trinitizing partners put everything they have into this action; they produce a being equal to themselves, and they become united in some manner. This type of trinitization cannot be repeated. (See Appendix VIII., § 2. Trinitizing Techniques.)
SUMMARY: A THREE-WAY CLASSIFICATION OF THE SEVEN ABSOLUTES OF INFINITY
- I. THE ABSOLUTE ORIGINAL. Since we are going to divide Reality between Actual and Potential, we immediately encounter the problem of how to classify God himself. He started it all, so (in a way) he is before either Actuals or Potentials. For this reason, it seems best to place him in a class all by himself:
- (1) GOD, THE UNIVERSAL FATHER. He is truly infinite; he is the Source of all sources and the Center of all centers; all Reality (and especially personality) comes from him.
- II. THE ABSOLUTE ACTUALS. These are sometimes called the Absolutes of Actuality. They are classified as “actual” because they are fully and factually in existence, and their universal gravity circuits control everything else that is actual.
- (2) THE ETERNAL SON. The Absolute Person, the source and center of all things spiritual; universal and absolute spirit-gravity is centered in him.
- (3) THE ISLE OF PARADISE. The Absolute Machine, the source and center of all things physical; it is the center of universal and absolute material gravity.
- (4) THE INFINITE SPIRIT. The God of Action, the Father-Son in action; the source and center of mind; universal and absolute mind-gravity centers in him.
- III. THE ABSOLUTE POTENTIALS. These are sometimes called the Absolutes of Potentiality. They are called “potential” because they are limitless reservoirs. They provide the “room” and the “stuff” out of which all of the post-Havona persons and universes have been created.
- (5) THE DEITY (QUALIFIED) ABSOLUTE. This is the potential, the reservoir out of which emerge all new beings and other realities that are spiritual and divine.
- (6) THE UNQUALIFIED ABSOLUTE. This is the non-deity (not-deity) reservoir out of which emerge all of the physical energies that are organized into the new material universes – the nebulae, stars, and planets of space.
- (7) THE UNIVERSAL ABSOLUTE. This is the Absolute that links the other two together. This Absolute is a part of the Reality that is classified as Deity, and has to do with keeping everything in balance.
(Appendix VII., Sec. 1. The Sources of Growth: Original, Actual, and Potential.)
What is it that ends the Zero Age and begins the First Age? The action that begins the age of Havona is a Deity-trinitizing act on the part of the two existential Deities. This produces some immediate additions to, and changes in, the inventory of actualized reality:
- (a) The Father and the Son unite as the Father-Son.
- (b) The Infinite Sprit appears as their Deity equal.
- (c) The central universe of Havona makes its appearance.
- (d) The Father, Son, and Spirit unite as the Paradise Trinity.
In the dawn of the First Age we now have: the Three Absolutes of Potentiality, the Three Persons of Deity, Paradise and the central universe, and the Trinity. These realities are all precreative; none of them ever had a real beginning; each one is eternal – absolutely eternal.
(At this juncture, Paradise bestowed on the Unqualified Absolute the potential of all the uncreated physical universes of the future. In our previous discussions of the Unqualified Absolute we have assumed that this has taken place. See Appendix II., § 2. Relationship of Paradise and the Unqualified Absolute.)
¶ § 2. An Inventory of Existential (Eternal) Realities
We took inventory of what was in existence in the “twilight” of the closing of the Zero Age, and it would be a good idea to repeat this process in the “dawn” of the First Age. In taking this inventory, it will be helpful to classify the Seven Absolute Realities – the Seven Absolutes of Infinity – under three main headings. There are several ways in which this classification can be made. The most helpful and informative seems to be the following:
- (a) The Absolute Original – God, the Universal Father
- (b) The Absolute Actuals – the Son, Paradise, and the Spirit
- (c) The Absolute Potentials – Deity, Unqualified, and Universal
On the summary such a classification has been made. This classification emphasizes a certain functional relationship which underlies all growth and change. All of the post-Havona creation (and evolution) of things and beings has come into existence, in the presence of the Original, as Reality has been transferred from the Potential to the Actual.
This, then, is an inventory of eternal (and existential) Reality so far as concerns the Seven Absolutes of Infinity. We must take account of the Paradise Trinity and the central universe of Havona, they are also existential and eternal.
(For references to the Papers, see Appendix VIII., § 1. Creative Techniques, § 5. Evolutionary Techniques; Appendix VII., § 1. The Sources of Growth: Original, Actual, and Potential.)
¶ § 3. The Existential Trinity
What is Trinity? A trinity is something new in our study. It is deity, but it is not personality. We know that the Paradise Trinity is the Deity-union of Father, Son, and Spirit. We probably think of this Trinity rather loosely, more or less like three persons working together but it is not three persons at all. The Trinity is something real, in and of itself, something that exist separate and apart from the three persons.
We might think of the Paradise Trinity as a corporation that is organized by the Three Persons of Deity. If we were to give this enterprise a corporate name we would name it “Undivided Deity, Incorporated.” This corporation has three directors: the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. When they meet as directors that is the corporation, and when they act in this capacity that is the function of the corporaon – the Trinity.
When the three directors meet personally, socially, or informally, that is the meeting of three personalities, and it is not the Trinity. Any one, or two, or all three, might do business (as persons) with the corporation, but they would be doing business as persons with the legal entity of their own corporation.
(Here again, we should remember that while the Deities are continuously sitting as directors in the trinity union, at the same time they are apart from the Trinity and working as persons, either individually or together. They do not go from one activity to another; they do all these things at the same time, and they do them all of the time. Absolute Deity, even Ultimate Deity, is not limited by either time or space.)
A comparison of functions
We can see the difference between personal deity and trinity most clearly if we stop to consider the personal attitudes of the Deities in contrast to their collective function in the Trinity: the Father has a personal attitude of love for his creatures; the Son is the source of mercy, and mercy is love applied; the Spirit is the fountainhead of ministry, and ministry is mercy in action. In contrast to all of this, one of the important functions of the Paradise Trinity is justice administration; this is the collective and impersonal attitude of the Deities. Justice administration is something very different from the personal attitudes of love, mercy, and ministry (See Appendix X., § 2. The Nature of Trinity.)
Why is a trinity? Why not have just three persons of Deity who can work with each other, or not, as they choose? In other words, why not have just a partnership? Why bother with a corporation? Why have a trinity?
Apparently Deity really is indivisible. There can be a threeness only so long as there is also a oneness. By having a trinity, God is able to keep the unity of deity – the oneness – and, at the same time enjoy the association of two other equal beings. (Just suppose God had no one to talk to, no one who really understood him.)
It appears likely that Deity is so indivisible it could never be divided, and actually never was at any point in time or eternity. We are about to consider a series of happenings that have been grouped together under the heading, “God’s escape from Infinity.” We would suggest that all of these happenings are events that took place at the same “time.” In other words, God could separate himself from Total Deity (the Deity Absolute) only by replacing his undivided (pre-Father) Deity presence with the undivided Deity presence of the Paradise Trinity. As he is removing his (pre-Father) Deity presence, he is replacing it with the Trinity presence. While he is doing this, he is also becoming the Father of the Son; and with the Son, the trinitizing source of the Spirit; and with the Son and Spirit he is uniting in the Paradise Trinity. (See Appendix VIII., § 2. Trinitizing Techniques, especially the discussion of “The Original Trinitization”.)
God’s escape from infinity. Let us go back in our study, back near the beginning, back to where God is separating (qualifying) Deity from not-Deity (the unqualified). In doing this he is escaping from a situation in which he fills Total Reality – Infinity. We started with a picture of one circle, squeezed it into an hourglass, then separated the two lobes to form two circles, one of which had a dot in it. This circle-with-the-dot is our symbol for Deity, and the dot is the symbol of God’s will. At this point in the study God actually fills all of this second circle; he fills Total Deity – he is Total Deity. Now, when God separates himself from the Son and they produce the Spirit, then:
- (a) He personally escapes from the situation in which he fills Total Deity.
- (b) He is able to enjoy the association of two other equal beings. (Three is a minimum social group.)
- (c) At the same time, in the Trinity, the Three Deities retain the oneness that still fills and dominates Total Deity.
- (d) But the three personal Deities, as persons, are not the Trinity; each now has an existence as an individual that is independent of their corporative union in the Trinity.
This is the story of a magnificent break for liberty. God starts out so completely alone and so utterly infinite, that he finds it difficult to do anything. He fills everything; there is nothing but God, and no room for anything except God – so he begins to make some room. (It is one thing to say “In God all things consist.” It is quite something else to say, “All things consist of God.”) He moves away from a part of Total Reality, Infinity, leaving it unqualified – the Unqualified Absolute. That which moves away is the Qualified Absolute – Total Deity. He manages to withdraw, as a person, from Total Deity. This withdrawal he accomplishes by separating himself from the Absolute Person who becomes the Son, then by uniting with the Son in trinitizing the Spirit, and finally by consummating the Deity-union of all three in the Paradise Trinity. The Trinity union restores the original unity of undivided Deity as it was before God became the Father of the Eternal Son. Deity remains undivided in the Trinity, notwithstanding there are now Three Persons of Deity.
The Paradise Trinity enables God to be personally free from the limitations of being absolute and infinite, while retaining and maintaining the absolute unity of Deity. As the Trinity, the three Deities are still One; and as One, they still dominate Total Deity; and through Total Deity, they still dominate and control Total (infinite) Reality. Only by virtue of the Trinity could God enjoy the personality association of the Son and the Spirit, still maintain the absolute indivisibility of Deity, and retain the actual working control of Total Deity and of Total Reality.
(For a more detailed analysis of trinity, and references to the Papers, see Appendix X., § 2. The Nature of Trinity; § 6. The Gestalt of a Trinity.)
The Paradise Trinity as the eternal thesis. When we view the Trinity in conjunction with the perfect Havona we are looking at the existential thesis of perfection. Havona is an expression of Paradise-potential in actuality. The Trinity and the personal Deities of Paradise are the source of the divine ideal of perfection that is the final goal of all evolutionary growth on all subabsolute levels – finite or absonite. Here again, we encounter some terms that should be defined:
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Finite reality is time-space reality. It is the kind of reality with which we are familiar. Post-Havona finite reality is experiential (not existential) and such finites have origins in time; they may be future-eternals, but never past-eternals.
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Absonite reality is something new; it is introduced in the Papers. It is the “middle reality” between finite and absolute. This reality is sometimes called “transcendental.” It transcends time and space but does not ignore them. (See Appendix XV., § 6. The Meanings of the Word “Absonite.”)
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Absolute reality is timeless and spaceless. Absolutes are not even conscious of time or space. A good illustration of this (with regard to timelessness) is the Adjuster that indwelt Jesus. The Adjuster stated he was completely unaware of the reality of time. UB 136:5.4 The absolute level is eternal and existential. Some absolute realities are also experiential; the Deity Absolute is one of these– existential and experiential.
The Paradise Trinity functions on all three levels of reality and seems to initiate activities on each level. The Trinity (and Deities) of Paradise give origin to those personalities who come out into time and space and start the whole evolutionary process. The administration of the central universe and of the superuniverses is of Trinity origin.
While the Father and Son produced the central creation in and through the Spirit, the net result is that all three Deities are the source of Havona. This makes the divine universe a Trinity-origin “creation.”
¶ § 4. The Uniqueness of Havona
The last item in our inventory of existential and eternal realities is Havona, the central and divine universe. Havona is, by far, the most interesting part of the master universe. It is so unique; it is so difficult to classify. (See Appendix I., § 1. The First Universe Age; Appendix VI., § 3. Paradoxes in the Status of Havona.)
At the very beginning of this prologue, we considered the paradoxical fact that eternal Havona was never actually created. Yet, for all practical intents and purposes, we think of the central “creation”; and it functions as a true creation at the present time – in the Second Age. In the First Age Havona was entirely alone, it was an isolated universe; in fact, it was completely isolated because there was nothing but empty space outside of it. In those remote times it had not external relationships, only relationships within itself and inwardly towards Paradise.
Havona is also difficult to classify in terms of the levels of functional reality; it is neither finite nor absonite – nor is it absolute. Beings exist and things are happening in Havona on each of the three functional levels. Because of this it is almost impossible to put the central universe in a specific category. It is a creation that was never created; the creatures that live in Havona were never created. It is finite in space, just so large and no larger; but it is much more than finite when we consider what is going on in the affairs of its billion perfect worlds.
There are seven worlds in each of the circuits of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit. One billion worlds are distributed in the seven planetary circuits. (See Appendix I., Sec. 1. The First Universe Age.)
Havona is really something of everything. It is the “pattern universe” which God created, and it probably has the capacity to serve as a pattern creation for any local universe, for the seven superuniverses, for the whole master universe, or for anything else that might develop beyond the master creation.
¶ § 5. The Architects of the Master Universe
Before we leave the study of the First Age we should consider a rather unusual group of beings – the Architects of the Master Universe. These beings are not created, they are “eventuated.” This is a new word and it should be defined:
Eventuated has a special meaning in the Papers. It is a word that describes how someone is brought into being, like the word “created,” but eventuated does not mean created. It does mean some sort of initiating act that is pre-time, precreative, or of eternity status. We are informed that God, as a person, creates; as a superperson, eventuates. Absonite beings, the Transcendentalers, are not created – they are eventuated. (See Appendix VIII., § 3.)
These “eventuated” Master Architects are present in the First Age. There is even a possibility they were present before the First Age (Appendix I., § 3. The Zero Age.), but we may be quite sure they are present and functional in the First Age. The Master Architects are not finite, neither are they absolute – they are absonite beings – which is to say they are Transcendentalers.
The Architects are not creators, neither are they creatures. They seem to be almost like living and intelligent blueprints, or architect’s plans, of the master universe – personifying God’s plan for the entire master creation. The Architects begin their work in the post-Havona creations long before anyone else is on the scene of action, getting the space-stage ready for new developments, and all of this work is in process long before the creators and the administrators of these post-Havona universes make their appearance. They are organized for service in seven corps, all in accordance with the geographic plans of the cosmos, the plan of Paradise and the master universe – the Central Isle and the six concentric space levels.
(See Appendix III., Space Levels of the Master Universe; Appendix XV., Master Architects and Transcendentalers.)