The Challenges of Faith in
the Quest for Cosmic Citizenship

In a study of The Urantia Book, it becomes possible to construct a model of spiritual development in which there are specific stages through which we pass on our journey from infancy to old age.

In paper 180 we're told about the four levels of the Golden Rule.  In paper 101 we're told about four levels of philosophy.  Hidden away in paper 5 is a discussion of four levels of the realization of values. And in paper 110 the seven psychic circles are described as "progressive levels of consciousness of experiential relationship to the Supreme Being -- cosmic citizenship." 

If we attempt to find some correlation between these developmental stages, a model emerges which fits nicely with developmental stages of psycho-social growth identified by Erick Erickson, Jean Piaget, Lawrence Kohlberg, and James Fowler. 

Please note that not everyone fits into the pattern which is described here.  Some people move through all the stages; others move slowly through some of the stages but not all of them; the majority of people find equilibrium at a particular stage and never move on at all.

It is also important to appreciate that these stages refer to faith attitudes which dominate the decision-making processes of the personality.  For example, we may be in intellectual accord with the idea that all men and women are our brothers and sisters, but this does not mean that we have yet reached the place of social or spiritual maturity where we make our all our value choices relative to this idea. 

These stages of faith may be understood as paradigms within which our lives as persons take place.  We'll consider each of these stages to be conditioned by five factors which are:

1. Personal values
2. Social values
3. Supportive stories
4. Faith experience
5. Faith challenges 

We will proceed this morning by looking at each stage of faith and the changes which occur in the five elements as we progress through life.