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A
History of The Urantia Papers
by Larry Mullins 450 pages with over 100 photographs and exhibits with Index and Appendix ISBN 0-9677263-1-X
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To order: Call 1-800-247-6553 (in the USA) or FAX your
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In addition to providing new details and insights into the known stories about the origin of the Papers, the Mullins/Sprunger book also chronicles the development of the text through its various printings since 1955. The authors also examine in detail the apocryphal stories which have been used in the creation of proprietary entitlement attitudes toward control of the Urantia Papers.
The book's appendix, which contains the result of a detailed analysis of the various Urantia Foundation printings of The Urantia Book is a valuable contribution in its own right to the growing body of information about the early development of the fifth epochal revelation.
From the Introduction:
"Histories are inescapably adversarial and painful processes. The Urantians who undertook this task of developing a good, sound history are aware that the final product is a compelling argument that could help shape the destiny of the Urantia Papers. The stakes are high because what is ultimately at issue are the various philosophies and agendas of those who seek to control the Urantia Revelation. It should come as no surprise then, that the interpretations of the events relating to the Urantia Papers are destined to be fiercely contested. Sometimes the facts about the Urantia Papers are at issue, but more often the meaning of the facts will be the center of historical controversy."
Ángel F. Sánchez-Escobar, Ph.D., Seville, Spain, comments:
"Many members of the Urantian community on both sides of the Atlantic have so far suffered the consequences of an "official," biased interpretation of the events leading to the materialization, authorship, and controlled dissemination of the Papers and find it unacceptable. It is my experience, being a Spanish reader of the Papers acquainted with this issue, that due to the lack of a sound narrative, many members of the Spanish Urantian community are being deceived by a misleading, undocumented interpretation of the origins of the Papers. Mullins' dissemination and translation into different languages of his competing, well-founded version of the facts will, of course, not be welcomed by the "establishment" with its vested interest in its "rightness," but it will open the eyes of many readers around the world."
About the Authors:
Larry Mullins was handed a 1955 first printing of The Urantia Book in 1968 by an advertising colleague, Clyde Bedell. Bedell was a member of the original Forum that helped publish the Urantia Papers as a book. Larry is author of Jesus: God & Man (1976), the first derivative work to be accepted for publication by Urantia Foundation. He has served the Urantia movement as President of the First Urantia Society of Oklahoma, and eight years as a General Councilor for Urantia Brotherhood. He is a noted public speaker and the author of several books on the Self-Actualization process including Immature People with Power: How to Handle Them and most recently: Get Real. In reference to writing this book, Larry believes A History of the Urantia Papers is the achievement of a team of dedicated Urantians who agreed to follow truth wherever it led. He adds that he is fortunate that his wife, Joan Batson Mullins, so enthusiastically contributed to this project.
Dr. Meredith Justin Sprunger has had a remarkable career as a college president, professor, and executive administrator, a licensed psychologist and therapist, and an ordained minister. He has served congregations in the midwest and taught at Elmherst College and the Indiana Institute of Technology, functioning as the head of the Department of Psychology, Chairman of the Division of Liberal Arts, and as President. He is the only living colleague of Dr. William Sadler (1875-1969), a prominent Chicago psychiatrist and debunker of psychic phenomena. Dr. Sprunger is a devoted Urantian, serving in numerous capacities including President of Urantia Brotherhood. He is author of many secondary works, including his book Spiritual Psychology (Jemenon, 1988). Dr. Sprunger is probably the most reliable source of first-hand information about the intriguing origin and history of the Urantia Papers. He is founder and executive editor of The Spiritual Fellowship Journal and lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana with his wife, Irene. An index to Dr. Sprunger's writing may be found on the Fellowship website.
