The purpose of all education should be to foster and further the supreme purpose of life, the development of a majestic and well-balanced personality. (2086:3) 

 

The Center of Urantia

Courses

Courses can be used for self-directed and self-paced study or they can be used as a resource for a structured teaching program. There is no set interpretation of these unified concepts and how the information is applied is a personal decision.

However, the Urantia Papers do provide a universe frame for thinking, and can coordinate personal decisions and actions based on truth, beauty and goodness.

 

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

INTERNET STUDIES

PHILOSOPHY

THEOLOGY

ASTRONOMY

SPIRITUAL STUDIES

SOCIOLOGY

 

PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

 

The Perfect Life Plan

Dare to construct a new and appealing philosophy of living.

These 16 modules can be used as self-directed and self-paced study materials, or they can be used as a resource for a structured education program.

 

 

Responsible study: intellectual and spiritual dimensions

Looking for resources for study groups or individual study?

QUESTIONS on Parts 1 to 4 of the Urantia Papers


 

TRUE SUCCESS (SUMMARY)

the harmonious balance of physical, mental and spiritual energies

This course of 36 topics draws on the Urantia Papers to show how we grow in proportion to the expansion of the whole self.

Direct quotations have been collated by topic and presented in a format that is easy to read.

 

INTERNET STUDIES 

  

The Urantia Book Internet School - UBIS

The Internet School helps students to study The Urantia Book in an electronic setting without the constraints of distance, timetables, and physical presence. Courses will be given in small classes under the guidance of an experienced teacher/facilitator using the "Questions and Response" technique.

Courses on various levels will be organized in all languages into which The Urantia Book has been translated. Studies will be developed on such topics as Mota Teachings, Personality, Mind, Astronomy, Physics, etc. This new and exciting project is a modern adventure in planetary teamwork. 

 

 

 

 

Perfecting Horizons Website – Video Library

This website presents Chris Halvorson’s classes in Flash Video format. Each lesson is about one and a half hours long.

Studies in Part III—The History of Urantia (Papers 57 through 119)

 

 

On line Urantia Book Study Center

 

PHILOSOPHY

Summary of Philosophy in The Urantia Book

 Outline for an Exploratory Study

Dr. Jeffrey Wattles   

Introduction
What is Philosophy?
Thing, Meaning and Value
The Failure of Unification: Science, Philosophy and Religion in Mutual Isolation
Doctrine of Reality: Revealed Substitute for Metaphysics
Philosophy of Mind
Ethics and Morality
History of Philosophy
Epigrams, Attitudes and Philosophy of Daily Living

 

 

Links and materials relevant to classes in philosophy and religion

Dr Jeffrey Wattles.

Click on ‘Classes’ on the web page.

 

 

Meredith Sprunger's Synopsis of The Urantia Book   (May be unavaiable)

This gives a synopsis of each paper, followed by questions related to that paper.

 

THEOLOGY

 

General questions about the Papers

1. Theologians and the seminary professors will never endorse The Urantia Book. 
2. The Urantia Book is a revival of Gnosticism. 
3. There seems to be nothing new or original about the cosmology. 
4. Urantia completely ignores the Biblical teachings about man. 
5. Why shouldn't the person who put the Urantia Papers in written English be known?
6. There is no doctrine of sin in The Urantia Book. Neither is there a plan of salvation for lost man.

7. The goal of salvation represents a prolonged scheme of training and even then is indefinite and uncertain. 
8. The loving, kind, and tolerant heavenly Father presented in The Urantia Book is not the God of Exodus who saves sinners. 
9. The Urantia Book almost completely ignores the prophets of the Old Testament. 
10. The Urantia Book is a commonplace hodgepodge of verbiage, just such as numerous automatic writers have produced. 
11. The atonement has vanished in The Urantia Book. So has the majestic and jealous God who punishes his people when they go whoring after other gods. 
12. While there are to be found some new ideas in The Urantia Book, there is not revealed any startling new institution. 
13. The Urantia Book takes away the centrality of Christ in the Christian faith. 
14.  As regards science, this book is dated. It presents a very good picture of the way we looked at the cosmos many years ago. 
15.  The teachings of Jesus as presented in The Urantia Book can be found in a thousand different books, especially in writings prior to 1930. 
16. The narrative of the earlier years of Jesus' life impressed me as being very ordinary, even sophomoric. 
17. In my opinion The Urantia Book is a fraud -- a hoax. Those who perpetrated this book are criminals. 
18. The Urantia Book contains no new and original concepts. There is really nothing new in its presentation of cosmology, philosophy and religion. (In reply to this criticism, I submit 64 concepts and doctrines which are new and original as presented in The Urantia Book, not to mention more than one hundred additional narratives which represent enlargement, amplification, and clarification of existing knowledge.)  

 

 

An Introduction to the Theology of The Urantia Book

The Urantia Papers enlarge the basic Judeo-Christian theistic approach to core philosophic-religious ideas.

By Meredith Sprunger

·  A. Introduction and Overview

The Urantia Book supports, enlarges, and enhances the basic Judeo-Christian theistic approach to core philosophic-religious ideas and reinforces the spiritual values found in all religions.

·  B. Basic Theological Views of The Urantia Book

These are covered in depth in Lesson 1.

 ·  Revelation: Epochal revelation is periodic, successive, and evolutionary. Insofar as the indwelling Spirit reveals truth to individuals, revelation is continuous. Revelation always upsteps the religions of evolution.  This is covered in depth in lesson 2.

 ·  Doctrine of God: Traditional concepts and contemporary concepts ­ such as those in Process Theology ­ are expanded, enhanced and integrated. This is covered in depth in lesson 3.

 ·  Cosmology: The book presents an integrated physical and spiritual cosmology describing an extensive hierarchical system of spiritual administrative and ministering personalities. This is covered in depth in lesson 4.

 ·  Christology: Jesus is portrayed as truly human and truly divine. In addition to being the savior of humanity he is pictured as a Creator Son much after the view presented in the prologue of John, Col. 1:15-16, and Hebrews 1:2. 

This is covered in depth in lesson 5.

 ·  Salvation: All are saved who have faith in the highest source of truth, beauty, and goodness (God) available to them and achieve the Universal Father through the mediating ministry of Jesus. This is covered in depth in lesson 5.

 ·  Human Destiny: Our spiritual development is portrayed as an adventure-filled experiential journey through an intriguing cosmos to the isle of Paradise at the center of the universe of universes where we will be introduced to a career of eternal exploration and discovery. This is covered in depth in lesson 6.

 ·  The Church: Religious institutions have value but are only social institutions. The Kingdom of God is a spiritual relationship with God and other human beings which transcends social institutions. This is covered in depth in lesson 6. 

 ·  The Importance of Prayer and Worship: The nature and effect of prayer and worship are dealt with in detail and guidelines for more effective prayer are provided.  Worship is the highest privilege and the first duty of all created intelligences. This is covered in depth in lesson 7.  

 

ASTRONOMY


A Study of the Master Universe

A Development of Concepts in the Urantia Bookl

The story of the master universe is the story of creation. It is also the story of evolution.

The narrative has been written as simply as the author could contrive.

By Bill Sadler (William S. Sadler, Jr.)

Contents of the Study:

Author's Introduction
Lesson 1: Prologue in Eternity  
Lesson 2: The Creative Thesis of Perfection: The Finite Story 
Lesson 3: The Evolutionary Antithesis
Lesson 4: First Synthesis: God the Supreme
Lesson 5: Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Universes 
Lesson 6: The Transformation of Synthesis 
Lesson 7: The Second Creative Thesis 
Lesson 8: The Second Antithesis 
Lesson 9: Master Universe Magnitudes 
Lesson 10: The Second Synthesis: God the Ultimate 
Lesson 11: The Final Creative Thesis 
Lesson 12: Beginning of the Final Antithesis 
Lesson 13: The Impossible Synthesis 
Lesson 14: Conclusions 
Lesson 15: First Epilogue: The Final Universe Age 
Lesson 16: Second Epilogue: The Depths of the Final Age 
Lesson 17: Third Epilogue: After the Ending of Endings

Plus: The Appendices to the Study

 

 

UB Astromony

This talk considers the meanings of language and science in use at the time The Urantia Book was written.

The Urantia cosmology actually tells a story suggestive of a physical Universe that we are now beginning to comprehend.

 

SPIRITUAL STUDIES

 

21 Steps to a Spiritual Awakening

The concept of 21 Steps had its basis in the author's appreciation

of the 12-Step program of Alcoholics Anonymous as a powerful instrument of spiritual growth.

 

 

Spiritual Studies

These enlightening narratives provide a clear interpretation and further insight into the teachings in the Urantia Papers. This listing can be found under Spiritual Studies on the Home Page.

Life After Death 
Adam And Eve 
Angels In The Urantia Book 
Evolution And History 
Parenting And Family Life 
Topical Studies 
Finding God 
Cosmology 
Science 
Spirituality 
20th Century Renaissance Heroes 
War and Peace 
Interesting Stuff 
World Religious Texts


Meditation in The Urantia Book 

(Jesus-style meditation) 

Peter Holley

This essay gives background information, can be used as a guide for approaching the concept,

provides an analysis of the values and dangers, and offers clear instructions for safely practising the technique.

 

 

Discourses and Sermons given by Jesus

One of the most important things in human living is to find out what Jesus believed,

to discover his ideals, and to strive for the achievement of his exalted life purpose.

Of all human knowledge, that which is of greatest value is to know

the religious life of Jesus and how he lived it [2090:4].

With that in mind, we are honored to have knowledge of the series of great discourses and sermons given by Jesus.

    • The Light of the World
    • The Ordination Sermon (The Sermon on the Mount)
    • The Water of Life
    • Discourse on Religion
    • Second Discourse on Religion
    • Discourse on Reality
    • Discourse on Time and Space
    • True Values
    • Good and Evil
    • Truth and Faith
    • Discourse on Wealth
    • Mercy and Justice
    • Discourse on Science
    • Discourse on the Soul
    • Discourse on Mind
    • Sermon on the Kingdom
    • Discourse on Jonah
    • Discourse on Assurance
    • Lesson on the Family
    • Lesson on Self-Mastery
    • Discourse on Prayer
    • Discourse on Job
    • The Epochal Sermon
    • Sonship and Citizenship
    • Sermon on Forgiveness
    • Discourse on Spiritual Freedom
    • The Last Temple Discourse

From The Farewell Discourse

  • The New Commandment
  • The Vine and the Branches
  • Enmity of the World
  • The Promised Helper
  • The Spirit of Truth
  • The Necessity for Leaving

 

 

Seminars in spiritual enlightenment (French)

Moussa N’Diaye

 

SOCIOLOGY

 

Creative Parenting: Perfect Family Checklists

Patrick Yesh

Developed from ideas presented in The Urantia Book A series of checklists and questions designed to stimulate thought and discussion about parenting and family life. 

 

 

Preparing for Marriage and Family - Annotated Bibliography for Parents
Julia K. Fenderson.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. Introduction

Urantian Teachings: Taught by two parents in the home.
Continual process, integral part of family life, vary methods and materials fill needs of differing ability and interest levels of children.
First Priority: Need for Parents' Guide and Parents' Training Courses.
Next Needs: Supplementary materials for pre-school children (ages 2-5) using multi-media (music, art, to help build concepts and vocabulary).

 

II. The Essential Experiences of Parenthood

"[Parenthood] entails the supreme responsibility of human existence."
"[New mores are emerging among which is] the new role of religion--the teaching that parental experience is essential, the idea of procreating cosmic citizens, . . . giving sons to the Father."

 

III. The Family and Home

"[Jesus] exalted family life as the highest human duty."
"The family is man's greatest purely human achievement."
"The home is the crowning glory of the whole long and arduous evolutionary struggle."

 

IV. The Unique Role of the Earthly Father

"[The child] is wholly dependent on the earthly father for his first ideas of the heavenly Father."
(NOTE: The great significance of Jesus' bestowal life here, in which more than half the time was served as an earthly father to eight brothers and sisters, "almost a score of years." P. 1389:5 By comparison, four years were spent with the apostles, and the remaining fourteen were the childhood years.)

 

V. How Children Learn

Bloom's studies and others indicate that crucial years are from birth to age five,

and growth of 50% of intelligence by age five and 80% by age eight.
Types of motivation for learning used throughout universe career.

VI. Discipline (from "disciple", meaning to teach)

 

Start discipline early (Jesus' method)

Help develop self-control in children (first in self)
Family council
Work - Jesus advocated keeping busy. Children have small duties early.

 

VII. Religious Training

 

Province of the home and duty of parents.
Importance of home life on a neighboring planet.

 

Topical Studies based on the Annotated Bibliography for Parents 

Selections by Julia K. Fenderson and edited by Charles R. Arterburn.

 

The Human Concept in The Urantia Book

Master’s Thesis

Department of Comparative Religion

Faculty of Humanities

University of Helsinki / Finland

Jyri Härkönen    April 2005