Curious Christian

It’s one of those books I’d heard whispers about in New Age circles but never dared to crack open—until now. So, I sat down and, wow, is it looooooong. Like, “get comfy, cancel your weekend plans, and consider hiring a Sherpa” long. Honestly, I didn’t realize books came in this size. It even makes the Book of Mormon feel like a breezy beach read. But here’s the kicker: just like the Book of Mormon, The Urantia Book also gives us a fresh take on Jesus. Does that grab your attention?

The Urantia Foundation in Australia describes it thus:

The Urantia Book, first published by the Urantia Foundation in 1955, was authored by celestial beings as a special revelation to our planet, Urantia.

The book’s message is that all human beings are one family, the sons and daughters of one God, the Universal Father. It instructs on the genesis, history, and destiny of mankind and on our relationship with God. It also presents a unique and compelling portrayal of the life and teachings of Jesus, opening new vistas of time and eternity, and revealing new concepts of Man’s ever-ascending adventure of finding the Universal Father in our friendly and carefully administered universe.

The Urantia Book’s view of science, philosophy, and religion is perhaps the clearest and most concise integration of these subjects available to contemporary man. There is little question among the over 400,000 people who have purchased, read, and who study the Book: The Urantia Book has the capacity to make a significant contribution to the religious and philosophical thinking of all peoples; it truly has the potential to shape world destiny.

Over and over, people from around the world have discovered that the Book has profoundly impressed and changed their lives – inspired and stimulated them to reach new levels of spiritual growth and enhanced living.

While almost every generation produces a number of people who pose as the bearers of a ‘new revelation,’ it is surprising that The Urantia Book does not advocate a new organised religion. Its viewpoint builds upon the religious heritages of the past and present, encouraging a personal, living religion based on faith and service to one’s fellows.

Now, I’m not going to lie, my first read-through of this description had me raising an eyebrow. “Carefully administered universe?” It sounds like the cosmos has a celestial accountant keeping tabs on everything. And let’s just say I’m not really an “accountant vibes” kind of person, so I’m still trying to wrap my head around why this book has such a devoted following. I even did a bit of extra-credit reading on some Urantia-related websites (trust me, there are more than you’d think), but I’m still left scratching my head.

However, let’s do a little thought experiment: imagine a Urantia Book enthusiast corners you at a party, wanting to chat about God, Jesus, and the grand design of the universe. What would you say? Would you dive into the philosophical rabbit hole, or maybe just smile, nod, and slowly back away towards the snack table?

I’m still figuring out my own answer to that one.