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The Challenges of Faith in
the Quest for Cosmic Citizenship

There are some important precursors to faith which develop between infancy and the beginning of language acquirement. 

Fundamental faith attitudes are established almost exclusively as a result of the relationship between the newborn child and its caretakers.  The Urantia Book refers to parenthood as “the supreme responsibility of human existence.”  Jesus “exalted family life as the highest human duty.”  I refer you as well to the conversation which Jesus had with John Mark about the importance of early home life in Paper 177.

In this early stage of life the seeds of trust, courage, hope and love must be nurtured in an environment in which fears of abandonment, inconsistencies and deprivations may be present. The quality of personal interaction, the strength of trust, autonomy, hope and courage developed in this period support all that comes later in faith development.