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Historic Correspondence Archive:
Reasons for Dismissal of Thomas A. Kendall as President of Urantia Foundation


 

Urantia Foundation
533 Diversey Parkway
Chicago, Illinois 60614

December 29, 1983

Mr. Thomas A. Kendall
1400 Salvington Place
Wheeling, Illinois 60090

REASONS FOR DISMISSAL OF THOMAS A. KENDALL AS
PRESIDENT OF Urantia FOUNDATION

Thomas A. Kendall has increasingly shown his inability effectively to represent the Board of Trustees of Urantia Foundation and its policies. This has been shown in a number of instances. Of most recent note, however, Thomas A. Kencall as President of the Board of Trustees by his obstinate refusal to sign on behalf of the Trustees the October 30, 1983 letter to Vern Grimsley revoking Vern Grimsley's status as Special Representative of Urantia Foundaiton, and by his considered refusal to sign the December 2, 1983 letter regarding the Vern Grimsley situation and the Foundation's position with respect thereto indicated his inability clearly to lead the Board of Trustees as its President.

In view of the foregoing, the Board of Trustees believes Thomas A. Kendall should be dismissed as President of the Board of Trustees of Urantia Foundation.

Signed

Arthur M. Burch
Edith E. Cook
William M. Hales
Martin W. Myers

Trustees of Urantia Foundation

CHARGES: The By-Laws of Urantia Foundation at Article II, Section 2.4 provide three independent categories for determining whether an individual Trustee should be removed as a Trustee. They are:

1. When a Trustee has failed or refused to assume and perform his duties and responsibilities.
2. When a Trustee has done or permitted any act or thing which is inconsistent with or in degradation of the teaching of The Urantia Book.
3. When a Trustee by his acts or omissions has brought disrepute upon himself or Urantia Foundation.

In the opinion of his fellow Trustees.

CHARGE I. : Thomas A. Kendall has failed to assume and perform his duties and responsibilities as a Trustee for the following reasons:

CHARGE I. A.: Thomas A. Kendall has shown himself to be subject to the influence of psychic phenomena and related events and has stated to three of the Trustees that he believed Vern Grimsley's alleged spirit communications.

CHARGE I. B.: Thomas A. Kendall was defiant of the Board of Trustees, by his own admission deliberately telling two Foundation Staff Members of Vern Grimsley's alleged spirit communications about World War III without first consulting the Board of Trustees. Thomas A. Kendall said he acted without the Board's approval because he feared that the Board of Trustees would have stopped him from doing so, just as the Board of Trustees had in the French situation when Thomas A. Kendall attempted to force the admission of two staff members to a meeting whereat a report was to be made by the President and Vice-President of Urantia Brotherhood on their visit to France.

CHARGE I. C.: Thomas A. Kendall has improperly attempted to involve the Staff in Foundation deliberations on sensitive policy matters, especially with respect to the French situation. In the latter instance, this had the effect of promising to drive a wedge between the Board of Trustees and the Staff, on whom the Trustees would have to depend for the carrying out of Foundation policies with which Thomas A. Kendall did not agree.

CHARGE I. D.: Thomas A. Kendall has exceeded the bounds of rational debate exhibiting an attitude of obstructionism and non-cooperation in various situation including the French, Spanish and, most recently, the Vern Grimsley situation.

CHARGE II: In the opinions of his fellow Trustees, Thomas A. Kendall has done or permitted acts or things which are inconsistent with or in degradation of the teachings of The Urantia Book for the following reasons:

CHARGE II. A.: Thomas A. Kendall has declared his belief in psychic phenomena before three of his fellow Trustees. Psychic phenomena are in degradation of the teaching of The Urantia Book insofar as the Book urges the function of evolutionary wisdom and rational judgment as amplified by one's own spiritual experience insolving the problems and challenges confronting one.

CHARGE II. B.: Thomas A. Kendall has acted in defiance of, or inconssitent with, the wishes of the Board of Trustees, a group to whom he owes the highest fiduciary duty. The conduct of Thomas A. Kendall has been inconsistent withe the teachings of The Urantia Book which requires loyalty and faithfulness to one's fellows, especially when carrying out a trust of the highest magnitude.

CHARGE III.: In the opinion of his fellow Trustees, Thomas A. Kendall has brough disrepute upon himself and upon Urantia Foundation for the following reasons:

CHARGE III. A.: By going to Clayton, California, and willfully being present at Vern Grimsley's October, 1983 meeting whereat Vern Grimsley proclaimed himself a reservist, a contact personality, Thomas A. Kendall did so in disregard of the benefit of guidance from his fellow Trustees and notwithstanding Thomas A. Kendall there disclaimed his acting on behalf of Urantia Foundation, Thomas A. Kendall nevertheless brought disrepute upon himself and upon Urantia Foundation by giving the impression that Urantia Foundation was somehow in belief or support of Vern Grimsley's claims.

CHARGE III. B.: By claiming belief in psychic phenomena, Thomas A. Kendall has brought disrepute upon himself and upon Urantia Foundation.

CHARGE III. C.: Thomas A. Kendall by (a) his refusal to sign the December 2, 1983 letter concerning the Vern Grimsley matter and (b) his conduct in the surrounding circumstances of psychic phenomena, the claims of Vern Grimsley and the associated ensuing events, has brought disrepute upon Urantia Foundation.

CHARGE IV.: For the foregoing reasons, Thomas A. Kendall should be removed as a Trustee of Urantia Foundation.