Reflections From Paris, The Conference
The distributive riddle of deity: an intellectual challenge that enriches the soul.
A look back at the European Conference in Paris June 6-9 which brought together passionate students and invited us to reflect on a subject of great complexity while vibrating to the rhythm of fraternal love.
The Distributivity of the Divinity conference, which had been in preparation for two years, brought together students from Europe and around the globe. It took place in a warm and welcoming Parisian hotel. Participants came from Cameroon, Senegal, England, Argentina, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Belgium, Spain, Estonia, the Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland and Sweden. We were all aware of the vast and inclusive plan of the universal Father.
An intellectual challenge that enriches the soul
When I first read this theme, I gave a small smile, and an old, human cliché came to mind: “An intellectual subject, typical of French men.” However, I was ashamed of my negative thoughts because the speakers made the subject quite digestible.
The challenge was to understand distributivity (a topic not covered in the papers). Our Father chose to strip himself and transmit some of his prerogatives, natures, and attributes for the benefit of personalities and non-personalities on absolute, absonite, and finite levels of reality. How does God do it? The “I Am” begins by creating pre-realities:
- The First Source and Center
- The Second Source and Center
- The Third Source and Center
- The Island of Paradise
- The Deity Absolute
- The Universal Absolute
- The Unqualified Absolute
Starting from these pre-realities, distributivity extends to humans. The Universal Father organized the universe and its destiny. By striving to understand this plan, we can clarify our relationship with him.
In this regard, I listened with interest to a presentation that demonstrated how God the Spirit shows his love for us by endowing us with a mind and grace. The presentation highlighted the influence of adjutant mind spirits in our lives. Sophie Malicot, the speaker, has sought to validate her intuitions through her readings of The Urantia Book. Her original approach was widely appreciated.
Why does God do it? Because he is love. His love is manifested at our level through his presence in our hearts. Our Father’s love is manifested through its distribution. On a personal level, it has gradually delegated its power to individuals, us humans.
How can we participate in God’s plan? One speaker described God’s plan as being like a large company with a board of directors, committees, departments, and employees. We are employees with job descriptions.
From the Universal Father who inhabits eternity there has gone forth the supreme mandate, “Be you perfect, even as I am perfect.” In love and mercy the messengers of Paradise have carried this divine exhortation down through the ages and out through the universes, even to such lowly animal-origin creatures as the human races of Urantia. (1:0.3)
This magnificent and universal injunction to strive for the attainment of the perfection of divinity is the first duty, and should be the highest ambition, of all the struggling creature creation of the God of perfection. This possibility of the attainment of divine perfection is the final and certain destiny of all man’s eternal spiritual progress. (1:0.4)
Group Learning took place through workshops. These were special moments in which I was able to talk to brothers and sisters whom I knew from Zoom study groups and Urantia Book International School (UBIS), as well as others whom I only knew by name from reading their published articles. I connected with several readers from different countries. We were able to talk, and I admired the richness of human mind expression. The workshops helped me better understand the themes.
On Saturday evening, we had the pleasure of enjoying dinner aboard a riverboat on the Seine. We admired the illuminated city of Paris and its beautiful, breathtaking landscape at night.
On Sunday, after we had finished eating lunch, Ivan Stoll came to pick us up for the family photo before dessert. We all went out joyfully in a group to the space he had chosen. I was in a bad mood because the place he had chosen was dark. A few minutes later, Jean Duveau offered to go sunbathe. I was happy until Line St-Pierre told me that the sun might make our eyes look small in the photo. This made me think, and I said to myself, “Poor Ivan. He must have thought about this, but I was only thinking about the sun.” Originally from Cameroon and now living in Quebec, sunlight is precious to me.”
In the end, we took a lot of pictures in the sun. It was nice. We laughed when Guy Perron and Agnès Lazar stood in front of us to tell us that Sue Snider Seccombe’s birthday was that day. We sang “Happy Birthday” together, with each group performing their own version: the Quebecers, the English, the Dutch, the Senegalese, the Spanish, the Mexicans, and the Chileans. It was the first time I had ever heard so many different versions of “Happy Birthday,” and they were all wonderful and culturally infused. Sue was moved and happy.
On the last day, the association presidents who were present at the conference gave a presentation. I was inspired by some of the presentations, particularly the deep dedication of the men and women who devote their entire lives to spreading the fifth revelation. Individuals in remote areas implement methods to reach readers in other countries, “transcending space.”
At the end of the conference, we took part in a beautiful prayer, followed by a moment of silence. And then in chorus we sang “Hallelujah” three times for the Universal Father, the Eternal Son, and the Infinite Spirit.
What has changed after this conference?
We accept our cosmic citizenship by understanding the plan of the Universal Father and how he distributes Himself throughout the universe. This conference reminded me that this citizenship has several levels:
- The personal level: inner spiritual experience, faith, and personal service
- The social level: family life, service in society
- The cosmic level
- And at the level of the Deities: our partnership with Jesus, with the Supreme, and then with the Ultimate and perhaps the Absolute.
When listening to readers from around the world share their experiences with the book and their experiences forming study groups and disseminating the fifth revelation, one is encouraged to do the same and walk in their footsteps. I have seen readers who have been transformed by the gospel of Jesus and rebuilt their lives to share the teachings they have received. I want to do the same. I found answers to a few questions I had about setting up a stable study group. By talking to readers who have set up study groups, I found the answers I was looking for.
There is in the mind of God a plan which embraces every creature of all his vast domains, and this plan is an eternal purpose of boundless opportunity, unlimited progress, and endless life. (32 :5.7)
This European conference brought students from around the world together around the theme of divine distributivity. The attendees explored how God shares his prerogatives and love and how humanity can participate in this universal plan. The workshops and meetings enriched the participants, forging fraternal bonds and inspiring new initiatives to disseminate the teachings of The Urantia Book. The supper on the Seine and moments of prayer and song reinforced the feeling of belonging to a cosmic citizenship and invited everyone to pursue this spiritual and intellectual quest.