Slow and Steady

From , By PIRT Volunteers on

The Prison Inmate Response Team (PIRT) for Canada was formed in 2016 by Chris Gravel, who was inspired by a PIRT Tidings article. Chris started by seeding 46 prison libraries. Then the wait for a first inmate letter began… and two years later, in November 2018, the first request for a book arrived. Another arrived the following year. And then, in 2021, a woman requested a book and began to spread the word, resulting in three more referrals. And later, two more book requests arrived, one from a prison chaplain.

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Urantia Book Teacher Education Program

From , By Alice Wood, USA on

Urantia University Institute – Now Accepting Applications

Following several years of development and testing by a team of curriculum developers and experienced students from the major Urantia organizations, The Urantia Book Teacher Education Program (TEP) is now accepting applications for the 2024 – 2025 academic year.

The hybrid one-year training program features a five-day, in-person orientation and training session at Urantia Foundation, followed by three trimesters of online study and weekly training and discussion sessions on Zoom. It is designed for people who are serious students of the Urantia revelation with a track record of participation in study groups and Urantia Book education programs.

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President’s Message – December 2023

From , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

Our Long-Range Plan

Students of The Urantia Book, and especially the people at Urantia Association International, have a mission clearly defined by the teachings of the fifth epochal revelation, as well as in our first Bylaws amendment, which was recently approved by our International Representative Council (IRC). 

“The mission of Urantia Association and its Constituent Associations is to foster study of The Urantia Book and to disseminate its teachings.”

All those who find God can embrace this mission by recognizing our affiliation to the Universal Father and, consequently, by accepting the brotherhood of all mortals on the planet. Although it is a mission that can be carried out individually, we can also come together as a group of students who are passionate about the revelation. Together, we can coordinate our efforts to fulfill this mission. This is how the Urantia Association came into being, beginning with the challenge of formulating a plan that can unite its members as a team in order to work objectively and harmoniously in this direction. 

Having a Long-Range Plan (LRP) to guide our work serves multiple purposes, such as helping us to stay focused on where we want to go, what we need to do, and how we should do it: 

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2024 Urantia Association International Conference Update

From , By Marian Hughes, USA on

Nurture Your Soul with Study, Worship, and Camaraderie! 

The Urantia Book reminds us that we mortals are a gregarious lot. A Melchizedek states in Paper 49, “Human beings are all gregarious.” In Paper 99 another writes, “The fact of man’s gregariousness perforce determines that religious groups will come into existence.” It is wonderful to attend a Urantia conference to attain a deeper understanding of the revelation, but let us also heed the words of our Estonian brother, Kamo Kalda, from a Urantia Foundation conference report: 

“Whenever I speak with someone who has attended a conference, they usually don’t remember the topics of the presentations, but they do remember the people, the emotions, and the joy.” 

It will be six years since the last, in-person international conference, due to Covid canceling the Peru conference of 2021. Time (and Zoom) breeds complacency, so let us not forget the value of gathering in numbers, the force of our Adjusters when we come together in a large group, the strength that we garner from the Spirit of Truth that shines so brightly when we study and pray in-mass. Let us come together to meet and hug our global brothers and sisters, joyfully embrace our geographically distant friends, and to laugh, learn, worship, and live in our mortal, gregarious fashion. 

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2023 ANZURA Annual Conference Report 

From , Presented by Daniel Swadling, Australia on

Talkin’ ‘Bout A Revelation 

It has been an honor and a privilege to be involved in bringing this conference to Urantia Book readers of Australia and New Zealand. It was well attended with people coming from across Sydney, Newcastle, Central Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart, Adelaide, Western Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Thank you all for coming! We had a great time catching up with old friends and making new ones, engaging with each other and exploring much about our favorite topics! 

The problem we wanted to try to address at this conference was how we, as a readership, talk about The Urantia Book revelation with people less familiar with it. And despite being avid followers of its teachings, we seem to lack some basic principles and adequate tools or experience to attractively convey its concepts to new readers. It is hoped that the conversations started at this conference have been helpful and that the topic will continue to be addressed.  

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Third Latin American Conference Report

From , Presented by Fernando Maldonaldo, Mexico on

The Fifth Revelation in the XXI Century 

This past October, the third Latin American conference of readers of The Urantia Book was held in the historic area of the ancient Teotihuacan. Amidst this backdrop over 1500 years old and later reclaimed by the Aztecs, the Third Latin American Urantia Book Conference centered on the theme of the Fifth Revelation in the 21st Century.    

Urantia Association International organized the conference with the support of Urantia Foundation and the local Urantia Association Mexico. Each of these entities cooperated for months planning, developing objectives, making decisions and obtaining the necessary funds for a successful event. 

Forty-three participants traveled to the ancient site of Teotihuacán located outside Mexico City. Additionally, almost 300 readers joined the online broadcast––a Latin American Conference first. Urantia Book readers from 11 countries participated, including 15 young adult readers. 

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Focus on the Father – Spiritual Gifts 

From , By James Woodward, USA on

“True faith is faith only if the actions of your life are in harmony with it and never contradict it.”  — Leo Tolstoy  

The concept of faith—a gift we may give ourselves—is in some ways misunderstood, as are other fundamentals of evolutionary religion. Urantia Book students have more clarity on the concept, as careful study sweeps away confused definitions. It becomes a problem for humanity when true religious ideals are minimized or limited by the avoidance of spiritual meanings and values in a quest for an easy existence. The consecration of faith does require effort; there is a wide gulf between the human and divine, but we have an inner bridge.  

When it comes to the bestowal of spiritual gifts, the Father is limited by man’s capacity for receiving these divine endowments. Although the Father is no respecter of persons, in the bestowal of spiritual gifts he is limited by man’s faith and by his willingness always to abide by the Father’s will. 166:4.11 (1831.2) emphasis added

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The Mission of the Prisoner Inquiry Response Team 

From , By PIRT Team on

“The Urantia Book is the Truth I Have Been Looking for My Whole Life”                         

“After reading some of your book, The Urantia Book, I have become highly intrigued. I am writing to you to request a copy of this outstanding literary work so I can know more about God the Father of ALL, and every aspect of Him and his heavenly host.”  

These enthusiastic words dictated by a prison inmate are an excerpt from a letter written to me as a member of the Prison Inquiry Response Team (PIRT), a ministry sponsored by the Urantia International Association. Another inmate wrote, “I am an avid truth seeker, and recently a friend shared The Urantia Book with me. I have been amazed, edified, and overjoyed. It ties together so many loose ends and confirms certain ideals of mine while also expanding upon them.”  

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Update to the Urantia Association Bylaws

From , By Gaétan Charland, Canada on

Dear Urantia Association Members, Presidents, and Vice-Presidents, 

I trust that you’re aware of the revised version of the Bylaws of Urantia Association International, a document that has received an extensive update. These Bylaws represent the culmination of years of Urantia Association’s experiences, growth, and dedication to promoting The Urantia Book and its invaluable teachings worldwide.  Delving into a legal text might seem tedious; some may even question its relevance to our spiritual mission and work. 

However, it’s crucial to recognize that these Bylaws form the bedrock of our existence as a legal entity. They not only provide the framework for our service operations but are also indispensable for navigating the complexities of the diverse languages and cultures within our organization. Compliance with the laws of various countries necessitates having governing documents that regulate our affairs and define our societal role. These guidelines prevent confusion as to the duties and interactions of all our dedicated volunteers. Clarity on governance provides assurance that our elected leaders can focus on our mission to promote an epochal revelation. 

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Journal Editorial – November 2023

From , By Mark Blackham on
Mark Blackham

Welcome to the November 2023 edition of the Urantia Association’s Journal, a publication dedicated to the thoughts, observations, and experiences of Urantia Book students from around the world. Our contributors explore a wide range of topics related to the teachings of the book, all of which demonstrate an extraordinary diversity of thought and a spirited unity of purpose. 

Our first article, “Urantia – Is It a New Religion?” by Peep Sõber brings up a question often asked by Urantia Book students and others. Peep recognizes there is an air of subjectivity to this question, depending on the individual and their experiences. Nonetheless, he drives home the point that both The Publication Mandate and The Urantia Book itself, promote a new religion, in particular, the religion of Jesus. But changing religion is not about forming a new church with a rigid set of beliefs, various clergy, or a claim to ecclesiastical authority.

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Urantia – Is It a New Religion?

From , By Peep Sõber, Estonia on
Photo by Ri Ya

A few years ago, in a census held in Estonia, about 30 people indicated Urantia as their religion. I have never called the Urantia teachings a religion, even though they are religious in content. Some consider it an organized religion. But do we have such a religion?

Religion can be viewed both from the inside with some preconceptions about everything that follows, and it can also be viewed from the outside without special preconceptions. I don’t try to find supporters for any point of view. These are just my personal views from the outside today. Maybe tomorrow I’ll think a little differently, that’s natural because we all evolve and therefore change. No doubt, I have internal views as well, but they are not very important in this case. Therefore, I deliberately leave them aside.

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Spiritual Practices – An Invitation to Intimacy With God 

From , By Robert Coenraads, AUS on

An Experiential Exploration of Relaxation, Meditation, Prayer, and Worship and Its Benefits to Soul, Heart, Mind, and Body 

(Transcript of a presentation given at the 2022 Tasmanian Conference) 

All formal religions and individual spiritual pilgrims have at their heart a basic desire to connect or become one with a greater good. It lies somewhere at the core of their belief system, perhaps smothered by a greater or lesser number of ritualistic practices. 

Western religions appeal to the intellect and promote desirable moral practices through examples given in the scriptures. Outsiders, and members of the church, often complain that, try as they may, it really doesn’t seem there is anyone listening “up there” as the realities and stresses of day-to-day living become increasingly complex and difficult to manage. 

Eastern traditions teach practical techniques for clearing the mind, to be present and aware, and simply to listen. These highly effective techniques have made their way to the West and developed into various forms of meditation that have been scientifically demonstrated to achieve results. 

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Unity – Harmony Within Diversity of Experience and Belief 

From , By Phillip Marriott, AUS  on

(Transcript of a presentation at the 2022 Tasmanian conference)

What is “Spirit Unity” and where does it exist? 

It’s very easy to have diversity, difference of opinion, and divergent viewpoints because we are human; our personalities are unique, and our experiences are personal. I may go through a shared event or tribulation, but my experience is mine and mine alone. Jesus discussed this in Paper 141, section 5.1-4. 

One of the most eventful of all the evening conferences at Amathus was the session having to do with the discussion of spiritual unity. James Zebedee asked, “Master, how shall we learn to see alike and thereby enjoy more harmony among ourselves?” 

What I require of you, my apostles, is spirit unity — and that you can experience in the joy of your united dedication to the wholehearted doing of the will of my Father in heaven. 

You do not have to see alike or feel alike or even think alike in order spiritually to be alike. 141:5.1-4 (1591.6) emphasis added

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Urantia’s Unrevealed Destiny

From , By Neal Waldrop, USA on

CHRIST MICHAEL OF NEBADON — our sovereign Master Son and also, not by coincidence, the Planetary Prince of Urantia — undoubtedly receives frequent reports from Machiventa Melchizedek,[i]the Vicegerent Planetary Prince who acts on Michael’s behalf. Although it would be ludicrous to ask them to include us as Cc addressees when they exchange messages, any such missive would be unintelligible to us anyway, because Michael and Machiventa would certainly be communicating in the language of Nebadon, not in English or in any other language of human beings who currently reside on our troubled planet.

Even so, we have every right to believe that at some suitable moment during the last few centuries, Michael received an urgent appeal from Machiventa warning him that society and civilization on Urantia were approaching an era of tumult and crisis when the spiritual government of Nebadon would be compelled to intervene decisively. In part, this appeal of Machiventa’s reflected and honored Michael’s personal commitment to Urantia because of his extraordinary bestowal approximately 2,000 years ago in the human form of Jesus of Nazareth. After all, Michael most assuredly would not want a worldwide catastrophe to befall the planet on which he lived and died!

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Our World Is Made of Force Fields

By Antti Roine, Finland on

The physical world around us seems very concrete because it is tangible, and we can perceive it with our own senses. That’s why it’s easy to think that all the reality we live in is made up of matter – and the facts of our lives are based on this matter. However, this visible illusion breaks when we begin to examine the real world around us through the eyes of science.

According to scientific measurements, there is about 99.9999999999996 percent empty space in the visible matter around us because the nuclei and electrons of atoms are extremely small particles compared to the size of atoms and molecules.

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About the Journal

From ,
journal

The Journal is produced twice yearly and contains essays, articles and study aids by readers and for readers of The Urantia Book. Any interpretations, opinions, conclusions, or artistic representations, whether stated or implied, are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of Urantia Association International, the National or Affiliate Urantia Associations, or the editorial team of the Association’s Journal.

You can view the entire collection of issues in the archives. All issues before 2017 are downloadable PDF format.

The Journal is currently published in English  , French  and Spanish  . (There are some older issues that were published in Finnish .) You can view the French and Spanish Journals by clicking on the language choices in the pull down menu at the top of the page.

Journal Online Archives
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Ways to Donate to Urantia Association International

From ,
Artist: Carlos Rubinsky

The world is changing fast and Urantia Association International is in a unique position to foster the Urantia revelation in so many ways. With localized teams in the form of associations springing up across the globe, we are ready to help anyone, anywhere, to study and spread the teachings that we all hold so dear.  

The Association has only one paid staff member to manage and coordinate our worldwide activities. All other services are rendered by devoted students who donate their time (and often their treasure) to the projects that help bring us closer to our heavenly Father. Thank you to our faithful volunteers and donors!  

Here is a selection of ways to donate to Urantia Association: 

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Service

From , , By Communications Team on

Jesus lived a religion of service. (5:4:7)

We searched The Urantia Book for the word ‘service’. As we know, The Urantia Book consists of 2097 pages, and in these pages the word service appears 644 times, an average of once every 3.25 pages. And in almost every context, it is a loving service.

Teamwork, the joy of working with our God-conscious friends, in tandem with our spirit friends, is the reason we serve. The motive for serving is uniform but calls us in diverse ways and to different tasks.

Does your soul crave service? Opportunities to serve the revelation are abundant. They are all around us; in that chance encounter, by being bold in individualistic social settings (like posting up a table at the farmers market), by signing up on the Study Group search site to make yourself available to host a study group, by volunteering to help the hosts of a conference or special event, by committing your talents or position to a local, regional or international association, by participating in online discussions like the Forum or Facebook, and by offering insights on how to connect with young readers.

The Association benefits from active participation by “older” and “younger” readers. Our web presences are intended to connect students from across the Urantia movement. And while many of us are getting older, those who currently serve in leadership roles are very interested in mentoring those who are being nudged by their angels, called to share the most inspiring Good News ever shared: “God is our loving Father, we are all one family.” We have faith that this mission, serving a unique epochal revelation to a unique world, will always attract true religionists, young and old. We have made much progress in expanding our Association worldwide; as a global team of leaders, we are laying the foundation to continue spreading the Good News to future generations. Don’t bury your talents!

What we’ve learned about service is that we are led by the spirit, but it is up to us to act, and in this act we experience love, truth, beauty and goodness, as well as a better understanding of the teachings of Jesus. We experience that divine privilege, the gift of serving God.

In what ways are you led to serve? Please, reach out, act, and receive abundant blessings.

President’s Message – September 2023

From , By Enrique Traver, Brazil on

The First Source and Center. First Person of Deity and primal nondeity pattern, God, the Universal Father, creator, controller, and upholder; universal love, eternal spirit, and infinite energy; potential of all potentials and source of all actuals; stability of all statics and dynamism of all change; source of pattern and Father of persons. 105:3.2 (1155.6)

When we delve into The Urantia Book, it is not difficult to perceive the colossal and magnificent creation of our Heavenly Father. The numbers are impressive, from the countless quantity of planets, galaxies, and inhabited worlds to the vastness of descendant children created. The most impactful aspect is realizing that all of this was created for us, with the purpose of elevating our cosmic consciousness and spiritual progression, an evolutionary career from imperfection to perfection. Everything and everyone is at our service, including our celestial Father, the creator, controller, and sustainer of all things and beings. He serves us in countless ways, some by sharing in all of our experiences, such as with the Thought Adjusters, always seeking to guide us towards perfection. At other times, for example, he simply provides all forms of energy that sustain the Universe of Universes, endlessly and inexhaustibly. Sometimes, we fail to realize simple things like seeing and having the sun, rain, air, and all the natural resources that serve us. Everything comes from the same source.

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Focus on the Mother

From , By James Woodward, USA on

Two thousand years ago on a mountain in the Middle East an event happened that never occurred before and will never again happen in this universe. It was a momentous occasion known to us as the Mount of Transfiguration, but this term is only semi-accurate. The activities did take place on Mount Hermon, and three humans witnessed their Master, Jesus of Nazareth, in a form never seen; they awoke to see their human friend “transfigured” into a shining being of heavenly light. But Jesus did not really transfigure. In the cosmic sense he allowed his Apostles to see him in superhuman form—though not in his full glory as a Creator Son, as that divine energy would likely consume his friends and probably the rocks of the mountain as well. “No man can see God and live.”

The most unique aspect of the gathering, one that cannot be repeated, was the participation of three humans, along with one divine human, one divine Creative Daughter, and two of their highest-ranking spiritual children. The conference was necessary for several reasons: for Jesus / Michael to receive a briefing on universe affairs from Gabriel and Father Melchizedek, including his bestowal success, and to plan the final human chapter of Jesus’ mission; to dramatically reveal his divinity (via the physical controllers at “Jesus’ request”) to his closest human associates; and also to allow Michael and his mate to exchange words of love and support (not revealed but that’s what I’m saying).   

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