Clarifications and Further Thought on Dr. Sadler and The Urantia Book
by Sioux Oliva, March 5, 2015
This essay is intended to clarify some misrepresentations and other thoughts being fielded about my book, Dr. Sadler and The Urantia Book: The Historic Origins of a Spiritual Revelation in the 20th Century. A few people have stated that my book is harmful to The Urantia Book and are stating arguments that are not in the book. I’ve been a reader of The Urantia Book for 40 years. It is the most important book I own. My book is a biography/history based upon primary sources. Part I is a biography of the Sadlers. Part II delves into the possibility that Dr. Sadler was the “contact” for the papers’ appearance.
My book is not intended to be the last word on the history of The Urantia Book. It was intended to start a conversation. As an historian I research, analyze, and interpret the past. I use primary source documents—those created at the time of the event, such as government and institutional records, and unpublished manuscripts such as personal diaries and letters—rather than secondary sources that are written after an event has occurred, or provide secondhand accounts of that event, person or topic. Secondary sources relate to or discuss information originally presented elsewhere. It is important that social scientists have an open mind in our research and not let a theory drive us to conclusions not supported by the evidence. We historians follow the scientific method: we start with a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, and then write up the results. Books like mine are not meant to be definitive—hypotheses are put into the world so they can be tested and discussed. The Urantia Book states that the scientific method is an intellectual yardstick to measure material achievements and physical achievements—it is useless in evaluating spiritual realities and religious experiences. (195:7.1) We engage in scholarly reflections of the book’s origin because it allows us to be involved in the ongoing interpretation, development, and understanding of our history.
Sacred texts are not history books; they are books of faith. Several years ago I began to research the life of Dr. Sadler that led me to rethink the origin story of The Urantia Book. I thought it was important that I do my own original research about Dr. Sadler since I knew little about his life aside from oral history stories. When I started this project, I believed the origin story that an unnamed Sleeping Subject or “contact” was responsible for the Urantia papers’ appearance. To dig out the history, I went to dozens of archives to examine documents about the lives of William and Lena; their son, Bill; and Christy Christensen. To compliment this research I studied what scholars had written about faith and read histories of the writing of other religious texts. I began to understand that there is a pattern in how God reaches down to humans. I saw that sacred texts, like The Urantia Book, are not history books, they are books of faith. Facts are different than truth. Facts don’t have a quarrel with religious faith like theories do. The religious value of The Urantia Book is not dependent on the origin story or its science or history being factually correct. The power of the teachings is that they lead us into a place of greater spiritual insight.
There is no evil in postulating Dr. Sadler was the contact for the Urantia Papers. After years of research and thinking about the origin story it occurred to me that Dr. Sadler could have been the contact for the Urantia papers for reasons stated in my book. I postulated that the “official” origin story might have been a way for Dr. Sadler to protect himself from unwanted inquiry and career-ending scrutiny so he could he complete the revelatory work he was destined to do. I don’t argue in my book that he was in any way dishonest or that The Urantia Book is invalid if the origin story is different than what I used to believe. I don’t think such is the case. In Dr. Sadler and The Urantia Book there is no information stating that the Sadlers were of questionable character. It is made clear that were both accomplished individuals. Dr. Sadler’s experience with The Urantia Book is one he could not explain. He said that even if he told us everything he knew, we wouldn’t understand, because he didn’t. It is possible that the origin story evolved over time as a way to protect the process of completing the fifth epochal revelation. There is no evil in the origin story being different that what we first thought. We each have the freedom to decide for ourselves what makes sense. Anthropologist Charlotte E. Hardman noted that, “movement, change, imagination, and debate are essential in the formation of [religious] traditions.” The deep spiritual truths of The Urantia Book hold no matter who was the human contact.
There is no fear in analyzing facts. Some readers have voiced concern that my book will harm The Urantia Book. A scholarly book like mine will not harm those who seek the truth. In fact, it appears that the academic approach can be helpful in drawing people to the book. Several non-Urantia Book readers have written me to say that they bought The Urantia Book after reading my book. Why? Because they found the story compelling and it motivated them to read further. The only statements about my book harming the revelation are from Urantia Book readers who fear my book has more power than it does. The power of the spirit to inspire and draw one closer is one we cannot predict.
The mystery behind the origin of The Urantia Book remains. God reaches down to this planet in many mysterious ways. We will never know who was the contact or what happened in the inditing of The Urantia Book. We are all just speculating. My conclusions were the result of looking through the primary source documents and reading histories of other sacred texts to see how scholars described the manner in which God reaches down to his children through the written word. It turned out that there are documented patterns explaining how these texts are written. I believe that The Urantia Book fits within some of these patterns; in others it is unique. What is important is that we hold the mystery, think critically, and build our faith. As Bill Sadler, Jr. said in one of his lectures:
The book is not a religion. This book is a cosmology, a philosophy, metaphysics, a theology. Anything which is in a written language in not religion. That should be very, very clear.
Dr. Sadler, in “Consideration of Some Criticisms of The Urantia Book” (under answer number 12) wrote:
The Urantia Book is an attempt to unify present-day scientific knowledge and religious truth. The main purpose of the Urantia papers is to help the average person to a better understanding of Jesus’ religion. This means an emphasis on the religion of Jesus as contrasted to the religion about Jesus.
The model of Jesus’ religion is the one for all human beings. According to The Urantia Book our religious faith helps the mortal personality to respond under trying intellectual ad testing social situations. It helps us maintain faith in ultimate victory when all else seems lost, helps us have an unswerving trust in God despite contrary demonstrations of logic and intellectual sophistries.
Nuance in belief is a good thing. Thinking through our origin story can aid our spiritual faith; it allows us to separate fact from value. It helps us see that a book is a thing where faith is a real living activity. Rick Hamlin is the editor of Guideposts, a Christian magazine that recounts how peoples’ faith in God has helped them through personal challenges. When Rick found out that I was writing about Dr. Sadler and the origin story he urged me to carry on, saying, “Origin stories -- scholarship like yours -- can also be terrifically helpful to belief. I find that the more I look into biblical scholarship, the more it informs and aids my faith. It gives nuance to belief, which is a good thing. Origin stories are good for us all. KEEP IT UP.”
Humans and celestials aided each other in the writing of The Urantia Book. The partnership between the superhuman and human beings in the writing of The Urantia Book was an act of extraordinary validation for us. Humans were respected enough to participate in the creation of an epochal revelation by asking questions, reading the revised papers, and asking more questions. This was not just a lecture from the celestials; it was a give and take—a series of questions and answers—that brought the book forth. As Dr. Sadler was told, “no questions, no papers.” In a way it can be likened to the Socratic method where a form of inquiry and discussion by the Forum members helped to stimulate their critical thinking and illuminate ideas for the revelation. Critics of my work have voiced a belief that if human hands touched the text then it is invalid. I differ. I see the writing of The Urantia Book was a co-creative act between human beings and celestials. These two groups worked on the Urantia papers from 1924-1942, to bring us the revelation that we have today. In this way humans contributed in bringing enlightened spiritual truth to the planet. The questions they asked conditioned the responses they were given. That type of co-creativity exists all over this planet in small and large ways. Who can say that Mozart, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, The Beatles, and countless other extraordinary writers and artists around the globe were/are not in a creative partnership with God in their endeavors? Even Jesus said, “Of myself, I can do nothing.” To quote The Urantia Book, “The best music of Urantia is just a fleeting echo of the magnificent strains heard by the celestial associates of your musicians, who left but snatches of these harmonies of morontia forces on record as the musical melodies of sound harmonics.” (550.5) 44:1.14. Dr. Sadler may or may not have been the contact for these papers, although my research leads me to believe that he was. The contact person is not what ultimately matters; it is the values the teachings bring to our lives. Separating facts from spiritual truth opens the way for a deepening of faith. That way genuine spiritual faith can carry us onward into eternity.
by Sioux Oliva, March 5, 2015
This essay is intended to clarify some misrepresentations and other thoughts being fielded about my book, Dr. Sadler and The Urantia Book: The Historic Origins of a Spiritual Revelation in the 20th Century. A few people have stated that my book is harmful to The Urantia Book and are stating arguments that are not in the book. I’ve been a reader of The Urantia Book for 40 years. It is the most important book I own. My book is a biography/history based upon primary sources. Part I is a biography of the Sadlers. Part II delves into the possibility that Dr. Sadler was the “contact” for the papers’ appearance.
My book is not intended to be the last word on the history of The Urantia Book. It was intended to start a conversation. As an historian I research, analyze, and interpret the past. I use primary source documents—those created at the time of the event, such as government and institutional records, and unpublished manuscripts such as personal diaries and letters—rather than secondary sources that are written after an event has occurred, or provide secondhand accounts of that event, person or topic. Secondary sources relate to or discuss information originally presented elsewhere. It is important that social scientists have an open mind in our research and not let a theory drive us to conclusions not supported by the evidence. We historians follow the scientific method: we start with a hypothesis, test the hypothesis, and then write up the results. Books like mine are not meant to be definitive—hypotheses are put into the world so they can be tested and discussed. The Urantia Book states that the scientific method is an intellectual yardstick to measure material achievements and physical achievements—it is useless in evaluating spiritual realities and religious experiences. (195:7.1) We engage in scholarly reflections of the book’s origin because it allows us to be involved in the ongoing interpretation, development, and understanding of our history.
Sacred texts are not history books; they are books of faith. Several years ago I began to research the life of Dr. Sadler that led me to rethink the origin story of The Urantia Book. I thought it was important that I do my own original research about Dr. Sadler since I knew little about his life aside from oral history stories. When I started this project, I believed the origin story that an unnamed Sleeping Subject or “contact” was responsible for the Urantia papers’ appearance. To dig out the history, I went to dozens of archives to examine documents about the lives of William and Lena; their son, Bill; and Christy Christensen. To compliment this research I studied what scholars had written about faith and read histories of the writing of other religious texts. I began to understand that there is a pattern in how God reaches down to humans. I saw that sacred texts, like The Urantia Book, are not history books, they are books of faith. Facts are different than truth. Facts don’t have a quarrel with religious faith like theories do. The religious value of The Urantia Book is not dependent on the origin story or its science or history being factually correct. The power of the teachings is that they lead us into a place of greater spiritual insight.
There is no evil in postulating Dr. Sadler was the contact for the Urantia Papers. After years of research and thinking about the origin story it occurred to me that Dr. Sadler could have been the contact for the Urantia papers for reasons stated in my book. I postulated that the “official” origin story might have been a way for Dr. Sadler to protect himself from unwanted inquiry and career-ending scrutiny so he could he complete the revelatory work he was destined to do. I don’t argue in my book that he was in any way dishonest or that The Urantia Book is invalid if the origin story is different than what I used to believe. I don’t think such is the case. In Dr. Sadler and The Urantia Book there is no information stating that the Sadlers were of questionable character. It is made clear that were both accomplished individuals. Dr. Sadler’s experience with The Urantia Book is one he could not explain. He said that even if he told us everything he knew, we wouldn’t understand, because he didn’t. It is possible that the origin story evolved over time as a way to protect the process of completing the fifth epochal revelation. There is no evil in the origin story being different that what we first thought. We each have the freedom to decide for ourselves what makes sense. Anthropologist Charlotte E. Hardman noted that, “movement, change, imagination, and debate are essential in the formation of [religious] traditions.” The deep spiritual truths of The Urantia Book hold no matter who was the human contact.
There is no fear in analyzing facts. Some readers have voiced concern that my book will harm The Urantia Book. A scholarly book like mine will not harm those who seek the truth. In fact, it appears that the academic approach can be helpful in drawing people to the book. Several non-Urantia Book readers have written me to say that they bought The Urantia Book after reading my book. Why? Because they found the story compelling and it motivated them to read further. The only statements about my book harming the revelation are from Urantia Book readers who fear my book has more power than it does. The power of the spirit to inspire and draw one closer is one we cannot predict.
The mystery behind the origin of The Urantia Book remains. God reaches down to this planet in many mysterious ways. We will never know who was the contact or what happened in the inditing of The Urantia Book. We are all just speculating. My conclusions were the result of looking through the primary source documents and reading histories of other sacred texts to see how scholars described the manner in which God reaches down to his children through the written word. It turned out that there are documented patterns explaining how these texts are written. I believe that The Urantia Book fits within some of these patterns; in others it is unique. What is important is that we hold the mystery, think critically, and build our faith. As Bill Sadler, Jr. said in one of his lectures:
The book is not a religion. This book is a cosmology, a philosophy, metaphysics, a theology. Anything which is in a written language in not religion. That should be very, very clear.
Dr. Sadler, in “Consideration of Some Criticisms of The Urantia Book” (under answer number 12) wrote:
The Urantia Book is an attempt to unify present-day scientific knowledge and religious truth. The main purpose of the Urantia papers is to help the average person to a better understanding of Jesus’ religion. This means an emphasis on the religion of Jesus as contrasted to the religion about Jesus.
The model of Jesus’ religion is the one for all human beings. According to The Urantia Book our religious faith helps the mortal personality to respond under trying intellectual ad testing social situations. It helps us maintain faith in ultimate victory when all else seems lost, helps us have an unswerving trust in God despite contrary demonstrations of logic and intellectual sophistries.
Nuance in belief is a good thing. Thinking through our origin story can aid our spiritual faith; it allows us to separate fact from value. It helps us see that a book is a thing where faith is a real living activity. Rick Hamlin is the editor of Guideposts, a Christian magazine that recounts how peoples’ faith in God has helped them through personal challenges. When Rick found out that I was writing about Dr. Sadler and the origin story he urged me to carry on, saying, “Origin stories -- scholarship like yours -- can also be terrifically helpful to belief. I find that the more I look into biblical scholarship, the more it informs and aids my faith. It gives nuance to belief, which is a good thing. Origin stories are good for us all. KEEP IT UP.”
Humans and celestials aided each other in the writing of The Urantia Book. The partnership between the superhuman and human beings in the writing of The Urantia Book was an act of extraordinary validation for us. Humans were respected enough to participate in the creation of an epochal revelation by asking questions, reading the revised papers, and asking more questions. This was not just a lecture from the celestials; it was a give and take—a series of questions and answers—that brought the book forth. As Dr. Sadler was told, “no questions, no papers.” In a way it can be likened to the Socratic method where a form of inquiry and discussion by the Forum members helped to stimulate their critical thinking and illuminate ideas for the revelation. Critics of my work have voiced a belief that if human hands touched the text then it is invalid. I differ. I see the writing of The Urantia Book was a co-creative act between human beings and celestials. These two groups worked on the Urantia papers from 1924-1942, to bring us the revelation that we have today. In this way humans contributed in bringing enlightened spiritual truth to the planet. The questions they asked conditioned the responses they were given. That type of co-creativity exists all over this planet in small and large ways. Who can say that Mozart, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, The Beatles, and countless other extraordinary writers and artists around the globe were/are not in a creative partnership with God in their endeavors? Even Jesus said, “Of myself, I can do nothing.” To quote The Urantia Book, “The best music of Urantia is just a fleeting echo of the magnificent strains heard by the celestial associates of your musicians, who left but snatches of these harmonies of morontia forces on record as the musical melodies of sound harmonics.” (550.5) 44:1.14. Dr. Sadler may or may not have been the contact for these papers, although my research leads me to believe that he was. The contact person is not what ultimately matters; it is the values the teachings bring to our lives. Separating facts from spiritual truth opens the way for a deepening of faith. That way genuine spiritual faith can carry us onward into eternity.
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