The revelators who gave us The Urantia Book were not free to improvise or extemporize when they called for human beings living on Urantia to establish a world government, or in any other context. Instead, the revelators had received strict instructions telling them what they must explain and must not reveal:

It is exceedingly difficult to present enlarged concepts and advanced truth, in our endeavor to expand cosmic consciousness and enhance spiritual perception, when we are restricted to the use of a circumscribed language of the realm. But our mandate admonishes us to make every effort to convey our meanings by using the word symbols of the English tongue. We have been instructed to introduce new terms only when the concept to be portrayed finds no terminology in English which can be employed to convey such a new concept partially or even with more or less distortion of meaning. 0:0.2 (1.2) emphasis added

The sixteenth proscription of the mandate authorizing these narratives says: “If deemed wise, the existence of the Architects of the Master Universe and their associates may be disclosed, but their origin, nature, and destiny may not be fully revealed.” 31:9.2 (351.3) emphasis added

Peril everywhere. At this moment of upheaval, in which our politics, culture, and environment approach an existential threat, The Urantia Book offers crucial perspectives on how we may proceed. Nevertheless, the revelation does not sugar-coat our current dilemma:

“Occidental civilization of the twentieth century groans wearily under the tremendous overload of luxury and the inordinate multiplication of human desires and longings. Modern society is enduring the strain of one of its most dangerous phases of far-flung inter association and highly complicated interdependence.” 68:2.5 (765.2)

We start by zooming out to the big picture context, locating where we are in the planetary ages. Then we explore the revelation’s guidance on civilization; how to best leverage our understanding and target our efforts to advance our beloved planet’s progression. We can glean guidance from “Government on a Neighboring Planet” and the “Garden” papers, especially on how to uplift our children’s education and home life. We conclude with how our inner work and outer service contribute to the evolution of the Supreme.

It’s hard to face. Horrific conventional wars and even genocides continue to blight our world, as does the threat of nuclear war among the great powers. As I write in 2024, humankind is far from abolishing the practice of war-making to settle political conflicts within or among nations. But those with faith in the future are called upon by the revelators, as we will see below, to envision something better. In 1966, Gene Rodenberry, thought to have been a student of the revelation, launched the TV series Star Trek that depicted an “Earth Federation” in our far future—a high-functioning world civilization ruled by a democratic global government. But today’s science-fiction authors and screenwriters too often resort to the flipside scenario, some gloomy version of a nightmarish future dystopia in which humankind has failed to solve its manifold challenges. These current writers along with today’s fashionable “doomers,” indulge in a faithless extension of our current planetary disorder into the far future. What portrayal will win out? And which scenario is consistent with the merciful plans of our Master Sovereign for his planet of nativity?

The Urantia Book is a twentieth century text and as such, government, politics, and social issues play a significant role in the book’s overall presentation, including its 800-page narrative of the life and teachings of Jesus. We find frequent commentary attributed to Jesus on the role of government in society, and how a dedicated religionist should and should not encounter the political arena. Further, the very teachings of Jesus can inspire political action, and while Jesus personally avoided the political realm for reasons addressed below, there are values central to his teachings that can inform our government and politics.

Jesus’ Pre-existence

The Urantia Book reveals Jesus of Nazareth as Michael of Nebadon, our Creator Son of an unfinished local universe that currently consists of nearly four million inhabited worlds similar to ours. This fact is central to understanding his behavior and mission while on earth, particularly in his relationship with earthly politics and government.

For centuries, many have imagined a better world. Thomas More (16th century English jurist, philosopher and theologian) coined the term utopia (meaning, etymologically, “nowhere”) to speak of an ideal society, back in 1516. Since then, there have been many attempts to imagine perfect societies where peace and harmony reign, and where human beings develop their full potential.

And it is here that The Urantia Book fills us with hope as the revelators affirm that utopia is not only something unattainable but is part of our planetary destiny, and a certain goal in the planetary epochs of mortals. Further, it offers brilliant reflections on the state, democracy, and other human institutions, as well as recommendations for their improvement that are feasible if there is the will to implement them.

To review how we can approach “utopia” in light of Urantia Book teachings, I structure this essay in three parts:

Leadership today is often political and governmental leadership.

…until man evolves to higher levels, civilization will continue to be dependent on wise and vigorous leadership. 81:6.37 (911.2)

While considering how The Urantia Book defines and frames leadership, I discovered an interesting text that has been used for decades in schools in the United Kingdom: Understanding Political Ideas and Movements by Kevin Harrison and Tony Boyd (2003).

The seven headings in this article are the first seven chapters of their textbook, which provides a structure for delineating key ideas from The Urantia Book about political leadership and how political discourse is organized.

As Urantia Book believers, we look to a time when political leaders will be deeply inspired by the ideas and ideals of The Urantia Book. By focusing on the basic concepts around which political discourse is structured, I compare current ideas of political leadership with concepts from the book.