Episode:Purpose and Destiny—Planetary Dispensations (Part 2)

From Symmetry of Soul


The progress of civilization is hardly alike on any two planets. The details of the unfoldment of mortal evolution are very different on numerous dissimilar worlds. Notwithstanding these many diversifications of planetary development along physical, intellectual, and social lines, all evolutionary spheres progress in certain well-defined directions, passing through seven developmental epochs.

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Keywords: Urantia, Progressive Civilization, Planetary Prince, First Epochal Revelation, Nationalism

Opening thought: What an adventure! What a romance! This is a big-picture view of what it's like to be on one of these advanced planets. We're just passing through, but what's the big picture for our world?

Summary by Kermit

Commentary after Review

Speculation as to the experience of individuals inhabiting a boundary between planetary dispensations occasioned our discussion of the transformational effects of the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth on the day of Pentecost following Jesus’ resurrection. Recognize that the ending of the Adamic dispensation and the beginning of the next was marked by the announcement of Gabriel over the inaugural operation of the archangel circuit on Urantia of the dispensational resurrection and not the bestowal of the Spirit of Truth. Dispensational modifications of the cosmic triune energy systems are likely global and holistic rather than discretely individuated and personally perceived.

It is only following the arrival of the Planetary Prince that humans enter upon the path of civilization. The natural estate of primitive man prior to the prince’s advent is that of savagery or barbarism at best. The appearance of the colored races is accompanied by the beginnings of creative imagination and language, which lead to the dual development of ethical judgement and moral will. Note the powerful influence of the presence the Thought Adjusters, rendering even the primitive Andonites potential worshipers albeit their early religious forms and practices are biologic and fear based in origin.


For purposes of clarification we have inserted [50:5] at this point in our reading.

50:5 Progressive Civilization

A common confusion exists among the readership between the planetary epochs designating the sequential dispensations as presented in [Paper 52] and the seven developmental epochs of progressive civilization described in [50:5]. While there is parallel correspondence between the two sequences it is not one-to-one. Urantia’s history of rebellion and default along with our Creator Son’s “out of order” bestowal mission serve to complicate both our ability to comprehend our present planetary circumstances and forecast future developments.

Looking carefully at these seven developmental epochs we notice two sets (phases) of three designated by the terms epoch, age and era. The fourth stage, quest for knowledge and wisdom, separates them.

The first phase (first group three) represent the response of humans to the pressures of a rugged environment for the fundamentals of existence—food, security, and their culmination in attainment of sufficient leisure to where luxury contends with necessity in the material comfort era. During the first phase mankind progresses in spite of himself. Indispensable to progress in these early stages of civilization are slavery, war, social classes and the profit motive. Normally these stages witness the arrival of the Planetary Prince the initiators of civilization, and the Material Son and Daughter the biologic uplifters.

The quest for knowledge and wisdom (stage four) on average worlds is promoted by the Magisterial Son’s mission as philosophical uplifter. This is where mankind begins to acquire the capacity and capability for conscious, intentional purposed progress. Indispensable factors for civilization to progress during this second phase are true religion, true monogamy, prayer, and God-consciousness.

Phase two of the developmental epochs: the epoch of philosophy and brotherhood, the age of spiritual striving, and the era of light and life remain on the horizon.


A worldwide survey conditions suggests that significant segments of mankind are living in each of the first four developmental epochs. With Urantia’s checkered past along with mankind’s tenuous grasp on the initial attainments in the quest for knowledge and wisdom, the leading edge of civilization faces the challenges of materialism and secularism both inimical to progress, such that the 5th ER was sent to help us leverage these attainments forward. Note it was Jesus’ bestowal mission that enabled some farseeing individuals to entertain the very idea of the epoch of philosophy and brotherhood. And now the 5th ER has further illuminated our future that we to dare to consider an age of spiritual striving and even an era of light and life as our planetary destiny.

Now back to our regular study order...

52:2.1-5 Post-Planetary Prince Man

With the arrival of the Planetary Prince government appears from on high to promote and facilitate the advancement of the existing tribal groups. Because of the rebellion we can have little or no idea of how this regime functions on a normal planet.

Celestial administration with seraphic and other helpers along with increasing numbers of Thought Adjusters expands during this time. This dispensation usually lasts 500,00 thousand years give or take. Further complicating our planetary course is our decimal world status. Recall, five hundred thousand years before the Planetary Prince and the colored races arrived, Urantia was home to the Andonites some of whom were recipients of Thought Adjuster, and yet were not able to be civilized.

The first of the revelations of truth to a world are brought by the Planetary Prince and his staff. Prior to his coming religious development is purely evolutionary. Subsequent religious development is revelatory and evolutionary.

Racial struggles and tribal wars often result in the obliteration of whole peoples, notably the green and orange races. Nationalism based on racial groupings appears. Nationhood will persist through to light and life, but national-ism beyond a certain point becomes inimical to planetary progress. Nationalism is safe to abandon when it is no longer acceptable to consider a return to tribalism.

Notes by Brad

  • The pouring out of the Spirit of Truth was not the dispensational boundary.
    • It was the archangel marking the delineation just after Jesus' resurrection.
  • The dispensational boundary is not a personal spirit ministry like the Spirit of Truth
    • It's more general than that: it's the basic body, mind, and spirit energy system context in which we exist.
    • We are never differentiated from this system; it's more like we are flowing through it, or like we are a wave phenomenon in it.
    • We are a mindal self, which is an energy system.
    • A metaphor with us being like an ocean wave is an apt one. Our cells and atoms come and go, but we go on.
      • This is a good thing, not a bad thing! The alternative: billiard balls bouncing around in an infinite void, leads to nihilism.
    • The planetary mortal epoch to which you belong is your context. It is a benign context that loves you absolutely.
  • Get yourself out of the way of the cosmos
    • Even if it's the primitive-man epoch, a human can be a reflection of the larger cosmic context in which they are en-wombed. That is why they call those moment "splendid, even heroic."
    • Don't let your part-wise-ness block the illumination of wholeness that flows through you.
      • "It is my will that your will be done" is a declaration of wanting to not get in the way.
      • "I'm not the First Source and Center, but if I will allow it the radiance of the First Source and Center can shine through me."
      • "I WILL allow some spiritual luminosity to flow through me less inhibited by my darkness."


  • The primitive man epoch is per-civilization.
    • Primitive-man epoch is wholly tribal; it has to be
    • The Planetary Prince uplifts the tribes to nations


  • Creative imagination, downstepped into the outer live, is "inventive imagination" as used in [52:1.5]


  • A Planetary Prince (and his staff) are civilizational uplifters. And they're around for a long time--well, usually (not here).
    • A foundational civilizational uplifting is, by design, needed. And it ought to be present on a world for a long time as its foundation.


  • The seven planetary mortal epochs in [Paper 52] are to the same as the developmental epochs in [50:5]
    • They have alignment, but they are not the same.


  • On developmental epochs
    • The pattern for the 7 suggests 2 sets of 3: Epoch, age, era. Quest. Epoch, age, era.
    • The quest in the middle--the attempt transcend the first 3--is key.
    • In the material-comfort era, the weakness and strength referred to is spiritual in nature.
      • If you are more material-like, you are more materially minded, more pleasure seeking. You are "weaker" in the context of this paragraph, and on a normal word you eventually are "subjugated" by the spiritually strong.
    • The Urantia Book is intended for those people on our world who are among the "forward-looking individuals" hungering for knowledge and thirsting for wisdom.
    • The quest for knowledge and wisdom is where the system reciprocates, and civilization really arrives--it is now influenced from the top down instead of coming form the bottom up.
    • The really phases (5, 6, 7) are happening within the individuals. The reality is in the individuals, and the actuality flows out from them.
    • On a normal world, #5 is a prime time for a bestowal Son to come--to be the spiritual uplifter. TO take those who have been born again, upward, to being born again again.
      • The difference between being born above versus the simpler being born from above.
    • The era of light and life has words written about it here, sure. But really it's literally beyond our imagination. We don't live in the proper planetary mortal epoch--the material, mindal, and spiritual economy doesn't allow for it.


  • And so, the beings from on high who come to a planet meet that planet's mortals at the various developmental epochs. Their job is to nurture the planet along these developmental epochs.


  • Nationalism has its place in the evolutionary process.
    • Seems like it still has a place on our world today, so long as there is the threat of nations descending back into tribes, and so long as there are tribes afoot.
    • But in the long view, nations are forever (well into light and life), but nationalism is not forever.
      • It's good for awhile but eventually is no longer prudent or good.