The following is a letter that was sent from the Trustees to The Urantia Book Fellowship on November 20,2001
An Open Letter to
The Urantia Book Fellowship
529 Wrightwood
Chicago, IL 60614
Dear Fellow Readers of The Urantia Book,
Recent events have given us all an opportunity to reflect on our lives, our mission, and the future of the Urantia Revelation. We believe that members of the Fellowship share Urantia Foundation's desire to effect the dissemination of the revelation to our spiritually thirsty brothers and sisters throughout the world.
We believe that this desire, among others, is a fundamental cause of the Fellowship's having decided to publish competing editions of The Urantia Book and its translations. However, we ask for a reconsideration of that decision in the spirit of cooperation toward our common goal and in the spirit of patience.
Because the validity of the U.S. renewal copyright in the English text of The Urantia Book is currently in the hands of the legal system, we entreat The Urantia Book Fellowship to put publication plans on hold at least until the process is concluded. We expect the United States Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals to issue its ruling in the coming year.
In 1996, while the Maaherra appeal was pending, the Fellowship printed and marketed its own editions of The Urantia Book, which led to litigation between the Foundation and the Fellowship. Less than a year later, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals issued its ruling upholding the validity of the copyright.
Subsequently, the Fellowship and Urantia Foundation reached an agreement, which most people viewed as positive and as a step toward stabilization and unification. In the times that followed, readers have made clear their desire for harmony among those interested in the spread of this revelation. For the Fellowship to publish the book at this time, before a final determination as to the validity of the copyright is made, may only lead to further, unnecessary divisiveness among our already fragmented community of Urantia Book readers, many of whom have worked for decades to effect cooperation based on spiritual unity amidst diverse personalities and viewpoints.
There are many opportunities for service. We respectfully request that you engage patience and resist the impulse to duplicate efforts and use money that could more effectively be spent in outreach programs.
The copyright issue will be resolved in the fullness of time, and at that point, appropriate plans can be formulated according to our respective understandings of the Father's will. Until that time, we hope that precious resources will be maximized for the benefit of those who still dwell in spiritual darkness.
Sincerely,
The Trustees of Urantia Foundation