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In mid-April, 156 years passed since the launch of The Gospel According to Spiritism, authored by Allan Kardec; in the first edition called Imitation of the Gospel according to Spiritism.
The Encoder made a review of the book being launched in the Revista Espirita (Spiritist Magazine), April 1864 edition.1 In the same year, in the December edition he comments with his peculiar common sense a message, accepting its content, about the new book signed by “The Spirit of Truth”.1
To this day it is the most edited Spiritist book, an authentic best seller!
In the period of publications made by EDICEI, the former publisher of CEI, versions of this book were released in several languages. Now, in 2020, in England, the British Union of Spiritist Societies edited the translation made by Janet Duncan, founder of the Allan Kardec Study Group and pioneer of Spiritism in the United Kingdom. In reality, before it there was only the New Spiritualism movement. Recently, the translation of this book by Pavlina Nikolova into Bulgarian was launched in this country.
On the occasion of the Sesquicentenary celebrations of this basic work by Allan Kardec in 2014, several actions were implemented in the states of the country and at the national level.
As part of the celebrations for the anniversary, the Brazilian Spiritist Federation promoted from April 11 to 13, 2014 the 4th Brazilian Spiritist Congress. In an unprecedented way this Congress left the tradition of centralizing in the federal capital; it was decentralized and held simultaneously in four capitals, to serve the different regions of the country: Campo Grande, Vitoria, Joao Pessoa and Manaus. The main issue was unique for the four events: “150 years of clarification and consolation”. There was an opportunity for exhibitors to work in their regions. The day before the Congress, the regional meetings of the National Federative Council of the FEB took place in the four cities. The President for FEB attended the four cities: at the CFN regional meeting in Manaus; at the opening of the Congress in Campo Grande and, simultaneously, opening all events online. Then he also gave lectures in Vitoria and Joao Pessoa, where he participated in the closing of the events. The four events had a very significant number of participants.
The FEB launched special editions of The Gospel According to Spiritism and even a bilingual historical edition of the 1st edition Imitation of the Gospel according to Spiritism, translated by Evandro Noleto Bezerra.2 The book The Gospel According to Spiritism. Study Guidelines 3 was also released.
Another unprecedented fact in the events of the 4th Brazilian Spiritist Congress is that all the enrolled were reimbursed for the amount invested in the registrations in books edited by FEB.
During the FEB National Federative Council of November 2014, the general coordinator of the Congress and adviser to the FEB President, Jose Antonio Luiz Balieiro, jubilant, rendered accounts demonstrating that the events were self-sufficient and even generated a balance, breaking the tradition of events that were maintained by the Institution.
At that time, the course on The Gospel According to Spiritism, two days a week, and the Studies and Research Center (NEPE) were running at full speed at FEB’s headquarters, both implemented by the then President, respectively in 2012 and 2013. NEPE generated a study book on the Gospel3 and dozens of programs recorded by TVCEI and FEBTv.4
The set of stimuli generated by the study of the Gospel gave results.
A research carried out at the Federal University of Sao Carlos generated the Master's Dissertation "Jesus the door, Kardec the key": the appropriation of the New Testament by the Spiritist segment, authored by Natalia Cannizza Torres, to obtain the title of Master in Sociology. The author confirmed the role of the NEB of FEB, in the period 2013/2015, to stimulate the study of the Gospel and computed 59 NEPEs in different Spiritist Centers, spread across 14 federative units of the country.5
The upgrading of The Gospel According to Spiritism in Spiritist Centers is of fundamental importance, and, at the moment, extremely necessary.
Spiritism is based on the moral maxims of Christ. This is clearly grounded in the inaugural work The Book of Spirits and, subsequently, in the work under analysis. Among Spiritists there is an effort for moral and spiritual improvement and for actions in favor of others, such as traditional welfare institutions.
In a complex world, there are many technical, technological, human and social advances, but there are still shocking contrasts and even many uncertainties. For religion, the mission is to collaborate with man, with educational and preventive actions, to avoid psychological, spiritual, that is, behavioral tragedies.
Based on the foundations of Christianity, the historic work The Gospel According to Spiritism defines the great objective: “[...] the destruction of selfishness.
When they adopt them as a rule of conduct and as the basis of their institutions, men will understand true brotherhood and will make peace and justice reign among them. There will no longer be hatred or dissension, but only unity, harmony and mutual goodwill”. The exclusion of pride and selfishness leads to an important achievement: “The purity of the heart is inseparable from simplicity and humility.”6 This is the key to the portal of a new Civilization!
The Aurea Law brought by Christ - of respect and support for others - must be the foundation for a new society: respect for life in its various manifestations, respect for others - in interpersonal relationships - and human diversity, and respect for Nature. In a climate of transitions and uncertainties, man must become aware of his spiritual nature and the practical consequences - individual and social - of placing himself as an incarnate Spirit that adopts the Christian message.
In Chico Xavier's successful mediumistic literature, contributions to the better understanding of man, as a spiritual being, and to a well expanded understanding of the Gospels are evident. The notable spiritual author Emmanuel is the author of nine books that comment on New Testament verses.
Two thousand years before the moments of transition, the basis for a new Age was presented by Christ. Everything indicates that we live in the death rattle of a world of disrespect, and that, even in difficult situations that may present themselves, these augur the dawn of a new day for Humanity.
Hence the importance for Spiritists to mark the 156 years since the launch of The Gospel According to Spiritism!
References:
1) Kardec, Allan. Translation by Abreu Filho, Julio. Spiritist magazine. April and December 1864. Vol. 7. Sao Paulo: Edicel.
2) Kardec, Allan. Translation by Bezerra, Evandro Noleto. Imitation of the gospel according to Spiritism. Ed.Hist. Brasilia: FEB. 2014.
3) Carvalho, Antonio Cesar Perri; Carvalho, Celia Maria Rey (Org.). The Gospel According to Spiritism: Guidelines for Study. 1st ed. Brasilia: FEB. 2014.
4) Available on the website: https://bit.ly/3ankkDP (access on 4/7/2020).
5) Carvalho, Antonio Cesar Perri. Research on the study of the Gospel among Spiritists. International Journal of Spiritism, Year XCV, n. 2, March 2020. p.82-82; access to the Dissertation: https://repositorio.ufscar.br (access on 4/7/2020).
6) Kardec, Allan. Translation by Ribeiro, Guillon. The Gospel According to Spiritism. Chapter XI. Rio de Janeiro: FEB.
Antonio Cesar Perri de Carvalho was President of the Brazilian Spiritist Federation (acting in 2012/2013 and effective on 2013/2015) and of the Union of Spiritist Societies of the State of Sao Paulo (1990/1994 and 1997/2000). |
