The
Challenges of Faith in
the Quest for Cosmic Citizenship
David
Kantor
Note: The following material is based on the work of Dr. James Fowler as set forth in his book, "Stages of Faith." Fowler's work is based on the stage theories of psychological and social maturation developed by Erick Erickson, Jean Piaget and Lawrence Kohlberg. I have taken their work and attempted to correlate it with The Urantia Book's material on faith and spiritual growth, in particular the ascent through the psychic circles of consciousness of progressive kinship with the cosmic actuality of the Supreme Being. In addition, there is significant material included on the nature of faith derived from the work of Dr. Paul Tillich in his essay, "Dynamics of Faith."1114:2 101:7.4 "The great difference between a religious and a nonreligious philosophy of living consists in the nature and level of recognized values and in the object of loyalties. There are four phases in the evolution of religious philosophy: Such an experience may become merely conformative, resigned to submission to tradition and authority. Or it may be satisfied with slight attainments, just enough to stabilize the daily living, and therefore becomes early arrested on such an adventitious level. Such mortals believe in letting well enough alone. A third group progress to the level of logical intellectuality but there stagnate in consequence of cultural slavery. It is indeed pitiful to behold giant intellects held so securely within the cruel grasp of cultural bondage. It is equally pathetic to observe those who trade their cultural bondage for the materialistic fetters of a science, falsely so called. The fourth level of philosophy attains freedom from all conventional and traditional handicaps and dares to think, act, and live honestly, loyally, fearlessly, and truthfully." ... The Urantia Book
Introduction
1. Faith as Ultimate Concern
2. Faith, Doubt, Risk, and Courage
3. Faith and Community
4. Faith and Belief
5. Faith, Love and Action
6. The Element ofReligious Concern – The Content of Faith
7. Introduction to the Stages of Faith Development
8. Primal Faith: The personality foundations of the faith adventure
8_1. Stage 1 Faith: Intuitive/Projective Faith
8_2. Stage 2 Faith: Mythic/Literal Faith
8_3. Stage 3 Faith: Conventional and Synthesized Faith
8_4. Stage 4 Faith: The Reflective Faith of an Individual
8_5. Stage 5 Faith: Integrative/Expanding Faith
8_6. Stage 6 Faith: Universalizing Faith
9. Getting Through the Stages
10. Additional Study: Developmental Stages in the Life of Jesus