Two thousand years ago, Jesus delivered his Urmia lectures. His Caspian Sea caravan journey began April 1, 24 A.D. and he was back in Capernaum a “full year” later, so these lectures probably occurred in early 25 A.D.
I realized this coincidence after we had gathered the articles you see here. With that in mind, it’s certainly fitting to publish this special edition of the Journal. And these lectures are contemplated and honored in almost every article.
The original impetus in publishing this edition is our current political environment, which is not just a United States phenomenon but a world-wide one.
When pondering government and politics in The Urantia Book, it is tempting to jump right into our current state of affairs. But our bigger motivation with this issue of the Journal is to start a conversation about what the revelators say to us about government and politics––and it’s a lot. World government, democracy, military preparedness, diplomacy, industrial fairness––multiple topics that dominate our newsfeeds and our social media posts, are conveyed with wisdom, insight, and sobriety. No traditional religious text does this. No religious text engages in the objective and relevant analysis of these subjects as we find in The Urantia Book, nor do they encompass these human concerns with the profound spirituality of the book. It’s a tremendous gift.
When we solicited articles for this edition, one important prerequisite for each essay was to “be non-partisan; avoid current political figures, parties, or ‘tropes.’” The result is a rich focus on The Urantia Book’s teachings with relevance beyond 2024.
I’m grateful to Anton Miroshnichenko of Ukraine, Olga Lopez of Spain, and Byron Belitsos, Claire Thurston, and Neal Waldrop of the United States for bringing their time, personal and professional experience, and insights into these articles. Equal gratitude goes to our editors Mark Blackham and James Woodward, who went above and beyond with this edition, carefully reviewing and critiquing the articles with both professionalism and a deep understanding of these teachings.
Of all the outstanding references in these articles from The Urantia Book, there’s one paragraph worth pondering concerning the role of religion in the political arena:
Idealism can never survive on an evolving planet if the idealists in each generation permit themselves to be exterminated by the baser orders of humanity. And here is the great test of idealism: Can an advanced society maintain that military preparedness which renders it secure from all attack by its war-loving neighbors without yielding to the temptation to employ this military strength in offensive operations against other peoples for purposes of selfish gain or national aggrandizement? National survival demands preparedness, and religious idealism alone can prevent the prostitution of preparedness into aggression. Only love, brotherhood, can prevent the strong from oppressing the weak. 71:4.17 (804.17) emphasis added
“Religious idealism alone….Only love, brotherhood…”
While treaties, pacts, checks and balances, governmental structures, and even the best legislation, are essential for constructing an ideal civilization, religious idealism undergirds these efforts. True religious idealism, that is––the idealism detailed throughout the book. Not fanaticism or “fundamentalism,” but “enthusiasm, zeal, and courage….controlled by spiritual insight and loyal devotion to the commonplace social obligations of human loyalties” (100:6.5).
There is much to be said, written about, and acted upon in response to The Urantia Book’s teachings about politics and government. This is a good start.