Showing posts with label New Thought. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Thought. Show all posts

2023/01/05

The New Thought Christian: An Introduction to the Life-Changing Concepts of New Thought eBook : Warch, William A.: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store

The New Thought Christian: An Introduction to the Life-Changing Concepts of New Thought eBook : Warch, William A.: Amazon.com.au: Kindle Store








The New Thought Christian: An Introduction to the Life-Changing Concepts of New Thought Kindle Edition
by William A. Warch (Author) Format: Kindle Edition


4.7 out of 5 stars 48 ratings

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New Thought is a spiritual philosophy with a diversified following of individuals who come from a wide variety of religious backgrounds and now find spiritual nourishment and comfort from organizations such as Unity, Science of Mind, Religious Science, and Divine Science. Regardless of the name on the building or label on the door, what ties them all together is the predominant belief in one God Universal Mind, creative intelligence, omnipresent a principle (not a being), an impersonal force that manifests itself personally, perfectly, and equally within all. For anyone at the doorsteps of New Thought seeking a personal, loving, joyful, spiritual life that resonates truth without judgment, the answers to many of their initial questions are within The New Thought Christian, a brief over-view of the key beliefs and topics that form the basis of New Thought.
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Print length

104 pages
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About the Author
William A. Warch was the founding minister of the Church of Christian Living in Anaheim, CA. He was a memeber of the executive board of the INTA and actively involved in their youth program. He was the host minister fo the nationally known, "Inner Space Odyssey" Seiminars which were designed to present the greatest people of New Thought enlightenment to the public. Rev. Warch drew upon a wide variety of New Thought teachings in presenting his works. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details
ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0078ZU4YW
Publisher ‏ : ‎ DeVorss Publications (20 March 2008)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1005 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 104 pagesCustomer Reviews:
4.7 out of 5 stars 48 ratings



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Nitro
5.0 out of 5 stars GreatReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 21 March 2014
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Had a wonderful time reading it and will re read it. It's full of insight and inspiration. Loved it. Yes.

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Lavonda Kaye Causey
5.0 out of 5 stars Deep Spiritual Read!Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 25 January 2015
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Deep spiritual read, but loved the book!

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5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 22 July 2017
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Great book

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Crystal G.
5.0 out of 5 stars Great readReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 10 July 2019
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Great read

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bbhenry21
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 1 April 2016
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Love this book!

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Sherri James
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August 25, 2017
This book is one of our intro texts. It's a great intro for anyone wanting to understand New Thought as a spiritual "denomination." I put that in quotation marks because New Thought does not consider itself a denomination. I think it lays out in very simple terms how New Thought approaches spirituality and sees the universe.

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Jo
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August 2, 2011
An excellent introduction to New Thought from a Christian perspective. First published in the 1970s, this is still very relevant to anyone seeking a spiritual path. 12 succinct chapters offer definitions and discussion of key concepts, such as God, the Christ, Balance and Affirmations. I read this book with my husband and enjoyed using the ten questions at the end of each chapter to discuss our thoughts and feelings as we went along. A denial and an affirmation were also offered at the end of each chapter, which are good aids to meditation and the chapter about forming your own denials and affirmations was very useful.

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David Teachout
 
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July 20, 2012


For a while now I had come to the realization that just as all religion is created out of human imagination so all interpretations of spiritual texts are based in this too, combined with social and historical ideologies. Here then is a New Thought spin on a religious text that is at once truer in the sense of resonating with human progress and profound in the sense of gleaning new material. One's interpretive lens is as much about the person than the text.
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Lessons in Truth by H. Emilie Cady | Goodreads

Lessons in Truth by H. Emilie Cady | Goodreads




Lessons in Truth

H. Emilie Cady
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Lessons in Truth Paperback – November 12, 2015
by H. Emilie Cady (Author)
4.7 out of 5 stars 279 ratings
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In entering upon this course of instruction, each of you should, so far as possible, lay aside, for the time being, all previous theories and beliefs. By so doing you will be saved the trouble of trying, all the way through the course, to put "new wine into old wineskins" (Lk. 5:37). If there is anything, as we proceed, which you do not understand or agree with, just let it lie passively in your mind until you have read the entire book, for many statements that would at first arouse antagonism and discussion will be clear and easily accepted a little farther on. After the course is completed, if you wish to return to your old beliefs and ways of living, you are at perfect liberty to do so. But, for the time being, be willing to become as a little child; for, said the Master, in spiritual things, "Except ye . . . become as little children, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven" (Mt. 18:3). If at times there seems to be repetition, please remember that these are lessons, not lectures.

===
Top reviews from the United States
Penelope Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons in Truth is a inspiring book that is logical and will open your heart ❤️
Reviewed in the United States on April 23, 2022
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Love - Lessons in Truth by Emilie Cady
The woman was light years before her time!!!
Its more fun to bring others into reading a chapter a week and have everyone share their perceptions
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Yogeek
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book!!!
Reviewed in the United States on February 22, 2016
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I watched a clip of Oprah and the late great Maya Angelou. Ms Angelou was sharing her wisdom with us on how she discovered that God loves her and how she came to accept and understand that. Her mentor directed her to read this book many years ago. Those three words coming out of her mouth "God loves me," was so powerful and impactful, I was compelled to search out this book and the author. I'm in search of being my true self and really understand how God truly can bring forth from me good, love, wisdom and power. Lessons in truth by Ms Cady is what I've been seeking my whole life. I will get a hard copy for friends, family and myself. This is a treasure to read and highlight passages for your lifetime! I highly recommend for truth seekers.
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S. Colson
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must have book!
Reviewed in the United States on January 13, 2021
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When I first bought this book I really did not get it. However, as my understanding has improved and and I have returned to reviewing it I have realized the simple and straight forward truth it presents.
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Sharhonda Kirksey
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!
Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2021
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The book was very insightful, thought provoking, and gave excellent guidance through spirituality. I feel more in tune with spirit.
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Margie A. Schneider
5.0 out of 5 stars Wisdom
Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2020
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This book, although written some years ago, is very relevant to today as so many of us are stepping away from established religions in order to locate that deeper spirituality within and around us, in order to discover the deeper truth of our lives. This book certainly helps one to do that, at least it did for me.
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Mary
2.0 out of 5 stars This edition is a revision of the original publication.
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2021
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I would give 5 stars to the actual content of the book, but this edition of the book has been revised and does not reflect what the author originally wrote and published. I had originally bought the Martino Publishing 2013 edition of this book. When I bought the Unity Classic Library edition, I was surprised to discover that the order of the chapters had been changed, with Chapter 12 moved to the beginning as Chapter 1. The study questions are also different. I checked online and found that the Martino Publishing edition is true to the original. If you, like me, want to read a book as the author wrote it, I would recommend finding an edition that as not been revised.
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Gary S
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and very much worth your read.
Reviewed in the United States on November 21, 2015
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An awesome book worth reading filled with great wisdom. Highly recommended. Originally published in 1894. But it all holds very true today. Take your time reading it and allow it all to sink in. UPDATE 6/2016: I read this book a second time and it filled me even more. An EXCELLENT read based on Unity Principles and well worth reading carefully and in detail. A lot of insight and practical advice for happy and successful living. Don't pass this one up.
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thrillseeker
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changer
Reviewed in the United States on June 17, 2013
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I have discovered the importance of a strong spiritual system is what holds us together as humans. This book is for anyone of any faith to make sense out of a belief system. Going to church or staying away because of some false idea of what spirituality is, is not giving you the answers you have buried deep in yourself. This book will help you understand the power you have in you to bring you joy and open you up to experiences you never realized were within your reach. I bought it on Kindle, but now will order the hard copy so I can really STUDY what it teaches us!
8 people found this helpful
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M. C.
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing little book, full of faith.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 5, 2015
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I love this book. Another version does not have the study guide and the lessons are in a slightly different order, but the message is clear and amazing. With a read of the other version I found that I understood more and more as I read and it resonated with me. God is good and present within everyone of us and wants to know us. Be present, read the lessons and have faith. It may not be believable at first for some, but try it and see for yourself. You have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain. Many blessings.
4 people found this helpful
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Ann
5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book with immense truth!
Reviewed in India on March 3, 2018
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Truth of man's being revealed through this book..The love of God for his children... God's Presence is with His children all the time..

I'm re- reading this book and wow the truth is explosive! A book on TRUTH ..a book to be studied in depth for revelation revolution!
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JSG
5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for Metaphysics students
Reviewed in Germany on October 4, 2018
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Although the language is a bit dated at times, this is a must read for serious metaphysics students. Fully recommend!
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===
4.37
340 ratings33 reviews

Every book in this series has earned the "classic" status due to its popularity, durability, and uncompromising quality. All books in the Unity Classic Library series feature hardcover binding with gold engraving, colorful endpapers, library nameplate page, author photograph, and biography. The series makes a beautiful display on a library shelf, and each book is a respected addition to any metaphysical collection.Cady simplifies metaphysics and practical Christianity from the perspective of her personal experiences.

GenresSpiritualityReligionSelf HelpNonfictionPhilosophyTheologyMetaphysics
...more



162 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1989
Original title
Lessons in Truth



This edition
Format
162 pages, Hardcover

Published
June 1, 1995 by Unity Books (Unity School of Christianity)


Displaying 1 - 10 of 33 reviews


Edythe Prince
3 reviews

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January 30, 2014
If you are reading this book I recommend you listen to Lessons in Truth series on the Truth Transforms podcast by Rev. Gaylon McDowell. It starts around February 2013 and he discusses a chapter per show and does a great job. Here is a link..
http://www.unity.fm/episode/TruthTran...

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Faythe Swanson
115 reviews · 8 followers

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ReadJuly 28, 2011
This book greatly enhanced my spiritual growth & made me think about things a little deeper. Reading this will make you think about what thoughts you have, the words you speak, & what you believe (& why!). I think the last chapter of this book was the best!

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Toi
1 book · 2 followers

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May 30, 2013
I love (and prefer) books that challenge my way of thinking, esp. about matters related to God and spiritually. You may or may not choose to agree with Cady. However, you are forced to AT LEAST think about why you believe what you believe and determine if it's all (or in part) worth reexamining.
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Debra
10 reviews · 1 follower

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ReadDecember 11, 2008
the one book that changed my life.

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Eileen
452 reviews · 14 followers

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January 18, 2013
First published in 1894, this book makes clear many of the important tenets of the New Thought movement of the late 1800s. The author emphasizes the indwelling of the Spirit in each person, that God is All in all, and the hopeful possibilities for the future as people become more & more aware of this reality. She was influenced by other New Thought teachers of her time – Emma Curtis Hopkins, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Emmet Fox and other great minds of the New Thought movement.
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Mikalito
6 reviews · 3 followers

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March 13, 2017
Very healing. Embrace this book with an open heart and mind. Once you understand some of the truths and ideas, you cannot go back to your old way of thinking. Strengthened my awareness of my oneness with God. One thing; you must be seeking wisdom or fulfillment to understand this book. If you are not ready, don't waste your time. Keep the book on the shelf for when you are ready because you WILL need it someday. Then read it over and over and over. This is a book you keep for a lifetime of reference.

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Barb
319 reviews · 2 followers

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December 28, 2016
Cady presents New Thought philosophy to increase our personal empowerment transforming our thoughts, words, and beliefs. Although first published over 100 years ago the relevance today is clear, dispite the "old language'. She expounds on 12 truth principles to live by. Emilie Cady's premise is of an "indwelling Christ through whom and by whom come life, health, peace, power, all things". Lessons in Truth is a part of the curriculum used at Unity School of Chrisitianity.

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Elena
28 reviews · 1 follower

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June 26, 2009
This book was my introduction to "New Thought" religion and philosophy. Irreplaceable.

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Tim Capps
6 reviews · 3 followers

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February 10, 2019
Half of the Book is Wonderful

I will re-read this book and see if the first half makes any sense in light of second. For now, let me first place this book in the context of the 19th Century New Thought Movement, then look at chapters 7-9, and then 1-6. I hope my unusual approach will prove justified.

Religious or spiritual movements like Christian Science and Unity, (and, for that matter 20th Century best-selling secular self-help books like Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich and Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking) can be traced back to a New England watchmaker named Phineas Quimby (1802-1866). New Thought may be America’s sole original contribution to religion.

The common element in New Thought schools is the supremacy of mind over circumstances. Of course, the more religious sort had their own theology emphasizing the all-ness of God and the unreality of evil (sickness, poverty, death). They became associated with healing, and with Unity, the broader applications presented in Cady’s book of 12 Lessons.

New Thought has survived primarily in the muddy “power of positive thinking” current while Christian Science and Unity are struggling.

The latter half of Cady’s book is a very good practical exploration of what today we would call meditation. While Christian Science focused on healing, Cady had no problems with dismantling resistance to any of God’s good things. This might be dismissed as a precursor to the “prosperity gospel” except Cady—whose Yankee practicality is her most attractive feature—seems to view the material benefits of answered prayer as God’s way of proving the lessons in the book and leading the seeker to more disinterested enlightenment.

Cady gets into the nitty gritty of meditation or “sitting in silence,” giving good advice on what to do with intrusive thoughts, or why aspirations are better than trying to keep one’s mind empty. But the end of all this is what seems to be a touchingly sincere desire for people to find that “their Lord” is within them, and that God is not just the Father of cold divine principles, but a warm and loving personal Mother to whom we can turn in confidence.

I read the second half with great interest. The first half I read with exasperation, as my copious notes reflect.

The first half of the book attempts to outline a theology underlying what I just described. There are “denials,” and “affirmations” and “demonstrations” and who knows what all.

Frankly, it’s a mess.

On its surface, it sounds Christian. However, Cady borders on the unscrupulous in her appropriation of Christian terms, like “Christ” and “God” for concepts far removed from any orthodox understanding. Similarly, she (like Mary Baker Eddy) is addicted to out-of-context proof texting from the Bible to support ideas that could not be further from the text. Sometimes Cady seems to realize the weak intellectual foundations of her teachings and exhorts the reader to just forget about it and see if it works! She is refreshingly endearing at those points. But then she’s back to argument by analogy and other tricks.

Since there doesn’t seem to be any essential link between New Thought and orthodox Christianity, I found myself wondering why people like Cady, and Mary Baker Eddy and Unity’s Charles and Myrtle Fillmore bothered. The historical Jesus does not seem to be God, but rather the greatest Master—a sort of Western Buddha. There doesn’t seem to be sin, just illusion or error. New Thought theology is pretty slippery, though. In the first half of the book, it seems Cady can’t write more than two pages without contradicting herself! Then again, she’s walking a very fine line between both using and disabusing terms like “sin.”

However, America was a solidly Christian nation during the heyday of New Thought. To give some perspective, Cady’s lifetime spanned the Civil War and she did not even have the right to vote when she wrote this book. A blatantly non-Christian religious movement spearheaded by women would have had trouble gaining traction. Moreover, she didn’t have all the intellectual reference points we take for granted today. When viewed in the context of her era, the second half is truly remarkable and the first is more forgivable.

Unity today seems to be spreading its wings beyond Christianity, perhaps in a conscious bid for the buying power of women attracted to a plethora of New Age ideas. Cady’s book is old style Unity, inspired by, if not based on, Christianity.

While the thinking isn’t always clear, the writing is often direct and fresh, and I enjoyed it, giving it a good study in just a few days. Cady comes through as a sincere and appealing personality. Among the New Thought canon, I enjoyed it much more than the disjointed and labored Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. The second half makes a very intriguing and enlightening read. I would recommend this to anyone interested in New Thought, and for admirers of Unity, especially those curious about its roots.


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Lisa Salinas
114 reviews · 9 followers

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August 30, 2020
Some good quotes worth highlighting and saving, but overall did not enjoy. Also did not mesh with my beliefs... the following quote as an example:

"I believe that the veriest heathen that ever lived, he who worships the golden calf as his highest conception of God, worships God. His mind has not yet expanded to a state where he can grasp any idea of God apart from a visible form, something that he can see with human eyes and handle with fleshly hands. But at heart he is seeking something higher than his present conscious self to be his deliverance out of evil."

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Displaying 1 - 10 of 33 reviews


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4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
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Lessons in Truth (Unity Classic Library)
byH. Emilie Cady


255 total ratings, 85 with reviews

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From other countries

Penelope Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons in Truth is a inspiring book that is logical and will open your heart ❤️Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 23 April 2022
Verified Purchase
Love - Lessons in Truth by Emilie Cady
The woman was light years before her time!!!
Its more fun to bring others into reading a chapter a week and have everyone share their perceptions

One person found this helpfulReport abuse

Yogeek
5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book!!!Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 22 February 2016
Verified Purchase
I watched a clip of Oprah and the late great Maya Angelou. Ms Angelou was sharing her wisdom with us on how she discovered that God loves her and how she came to accept and understand that. Her mentor directed her to read this book many years ago. Those three words coming out of her mouth "God loves me," was so powerful and impactful, I was compelled to search out this book and the author. I'm in search of being my true self and really understand how God truly can bring forth from me good, love, wisdom and power. Lessons in truth by Ms Cady is what I've been seeking my whole life. I will get a hard copy for friends, family and myself. This is a treasure to read and highlight passages for your lifetime! I highly recommend for truth seekers.

34 people found this helpfulReport abuse

S. Colson
5.0 out of 5 stars This is a must have book!Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 13 January 2021
Verified Purchase
When I first bought this book I really did not get it. However, as my understanding has improved and and I have returned to reviewing it I have realized the simple and straight forward truth it presents.

2 people found this helpfulReport abuse

Sharhonda Kirksey
5.0 out of 5 stars Great read!Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 28 June 2021
Verified Purchase
The book was very insightful, thought provoking, and gave excellent guidance through spirituality. I feel more in tune with spirit.
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Margie A. Schneider
5.0 out of 5 stars WisdomReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 28 January 2020
Verified Purchase
This book, although written some years ago, is very relevant to today as so many of us are stepping away from established religions in order to locate that deeper spirituality within and around us, in order to discover the deeper truth of our lives. This book certainly helps one to do that, at least it did for me.

5 people found this helpfulReport abuse

Mary
2.0 out of 5 stars This edition is a revision of the original publication.Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 4 January 2021
Verified Purchase
I would give 5 stars to the actual content of the book, but this edition of the book has been revised and does not reflect what the author originally wrote and published. I had originally bought the Martino Publishing 2013 edition of this book. When I bought the Unity Classic Library edition, I was surprised to discover that the order of the chapters had been changed, with Chapter 12 moved to the beginning as Chapter 1. The study questions are also different. I checked online and found that the Martino Publishing edition is true to the original. If you, like me, want to read a book as the author wrote it, I would recommend finding an edition that as not been revised.

12 people found this helpfulReport abuse

M. C.
5.0 out of 5 stars An amazing little book, full of faith.Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 5 January 2015
Verified Purchase
I love this book. Another version does not have the study guide and the lessons are in a slightly different order, but the message is clear and amazing. With a read of the other version I found that I understood more and more as I read and it resonated with me. God is good and present within everyone of us and wants to know us. Be present, read the lessons and have faith. It may not be believable at first for some, but try it and see for yourself. You have nothing to lose and EVERYTHING to gain. Many blessings.

4 people found this helpfulReport abuse

Gary S
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and very much worth your read.Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 21 November 2015
Verified Purchase
An awesome book worth reading filled with great wisdom. Highly recommended. Originally published in 1894. But it all holds very true today. Take your time reading it and allow it all to sink in. UPDATE 6/2016: I read this book a second time and it filled me even more. An EXCELLENT read based on Unity Principles and well worth reading carefully and in detail. A lot of insight and practical advice for happy and successful living. Don't pass this one up.

2 people found this helpfulReport abuse

thrillseeker
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changerReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 17 June 2013
Verified Purchase
I have discovered the importance of a strong spiritual system is what holds us together as humans. This book is for anyone of any faith to make sense out of a belief system. Going to church or staying away because of some false idea of what spirituality is, is not giving you the answers you have buried deep in yourself. This book will help you understand the power you have in you to bring you joy and open you up to experiences you never realized were within your reach. I bought it on Kindle, but now will order the hard copy so I can really STUDY what it teaches us!

8 people found this helpfulReport abuse

Laura Washington
5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons In TruthReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 15 May 2012
Verified Purchase
The book was in mint condition upon reciept, even the book jacket was perfect. I had read the original version and handled it to the point where it was falling apart. I was a bit disappointed that there were changes in the revision that changed the context of the some of the writers thoughts, however, since I have the original manuscript I can refer back to it and make my own notes so that nothing is lost.
Overall, I'm a happy camper. this book is a MUST READ for anyone who is a seeker of TRUTH.

3 people found this helpfulReport abuse





Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel: 9780190876739: Bowler, Kate: Books

Amazon.com: Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel: 9780190876739: Bowler, Kate: Books



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Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel Reprint Edition
by Kate Bowler (Author)
4.4 out of 5 stars 198 ratings
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How have millions of American Christians come to measure spiritual progress in terms of their financial status and physical well-being? How has the movement variously called Word of Faith, Health and Wealth, Name It and Claim It, or simply prosperity gospel come to dominate much of our contemporary religious landscape?

Kate Bowler's Blessed is the first book to fully explore the origins, unifying themes, and major figures of a burgeoning movement that now claims millions of followers in America. Bowler traces the roots of the prosperity gospel: from the touring mesmerists, metaphysical sages, pentecostal healers, business oracles, and princely prophets of the early 20th century; through mid-century positive thinkers like Norman Vincent Peale and revivalists like Oral Roberts and Kenneth Hagin; to today's hugely successful prosperity preachers. Bowler focuses on such contemporary figures as Creflo Dollar, pastor of Atlanta's 30,000-member World Changers Church International; Joel Osteen, known as "the smiling preacher," with a weekly audience of seven million; T. D. Jakes, named by Time magazine one of America's most influential new religious leaders; Joyce Meyer, evangelist and women's empowerment guru; and many others. At almost any moment, day or night, the American public can tune in to these
preachers-on TV, radio, podcasts, and in their megachurches-to hear the message that God desires to bless them with wealth and health. Bowler offers an interpretive framework for scholars and general readers alike to understand the diverse expressions of Christian abundance as a cohesive movement bound by shared understandings and common goals.



Editorial Reviews

Review

"Blessed is beautifully written and extremely entertaining, yet not at the expense of its subjects. Bowler analyses them with academic rigor and as an insider-outsider-a Christian who does not claim the prosperity gospel-yet she exudes compassion, even for easy targets like disgraced televangelists. Her sources are varied and vast, with two appendices clearly laying out intensive research. Recently re-released in paperback, Blessed a must-read for all students of religion and American culture, from college undergraduates to journalists to academics. Read it now!" -- Brendan J. Payne, North Greenville University


"[A] magnificent study."--Heath W. Carter, Journal of Cultural Economy


"Highly entertaining...and deeply human."--David F. Ruccio, Journal of Cultural Economy


"Very readable and engaging...Blessed is the best history of the development of the prosperity gospel written to date. It is an important addition to the library of pastors or scholars who regularly encounter the prosperity gospel in their ministry."--Southwestern Journal of Theology


"Bowler shows how the prosperity gospel movement has drawn from multiple denominational, racial, ethnic, and even secular subtraditions. She identifies both the dazzling diversity and the common understandings that have given the prosperity gospel coherence"
--Christian Century


"Bowler's respect for her subjects and her ability to locate them in the larger American religious narrative mean that serious scholars dismiss the prosperity gospel at their own peril. Bowler shows us that its deep roots and vibrant future, even after the recent recession, place it solidly in the category of religious movements to watch." --Church History


"Marvelous this is a stunningly empathetic book. By pushing far beyond caricature, Bowler has produced a must-read for anyone who wants to understand the prosperity gospel and how it is, even now, remaking the American religious landscape." --The Christian Century


"An important account of an audacious contemporary religious phenomenon." --Booklist


"[A] riveting historical account." --Publishers Weekly


"The 'prosperity gospel' is as much despised by its detractors as it is embraced by its millions of adherents. Yet until Kate Bowler's Blessed, no one has attempted a balanced, informative, inquisitive survey. Her book is a metaphorical godsend for those with an outsider's curiosity about one of the fastest growing religious movements in contemporary America and a literal one for those inside." -- Mark A. Noll, author of Protestantism: A Very Short Introduction



"Though often maligned and misunderstood, Bowler's comprehensive and exciting examination of the prosperity gospel demonstrates the ways 'health and wealth' has been a staple of American Protestant life since the 19th century. Blessed provides a thorough and nuanced account of the phenomenon, as it skillfully examines varying attitudes toward prosperity which emerged across racial, regional, and denominational lines. This is a grand contribution to the field of American religious history." -- Jonathan L. Walton, Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Professor of Religion and Society, Harvard University


"This book propels Kate Bowler into the first rank of younger historians of religion in America. The author's keen ear, her perceptive insights, and her command of history make this a remarkable and unforgettable book-and her conclusion that the 'prosperity gospel consecrated America's culture of optimism' rings very true." -- Randall Balmer, author of Mine Eyes Have Seen the Glory: A Journey into the Evangelical Subculture in America


"Blessed is worthwhile reading for what it is-a history of the prosperity gospel and not a theology of the prosperity movement. I've benefited from time spent working through it and would recommend it to those seeking to learn about this topic." --The Gospel Coalition


"Blessed is a good history of the rise and flourishing of the gospel." --The Blade


"...[A]n unprecedented historical examination of health and wealth as spiritual subjects in American Christianity by tracing the rise, development, and transformation of the prosperity gospel in the United States." --Religious Studies Review




About the Author

Kate Bowler is Assistant Professor of American Religion at Duke Divinity School.



Product details
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press; Reprint edition (March 1, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 352 pages

Kate Bowler



Kate Bowler, PhD is a New York Times bestselling author, podcast host, and a professor at Duke University. She studies the cultural stories we tell ourselves about success, suffering, and whether (or not) we’re capable of change. In her twenties, she became obsessed with writing the first history of the movement called the “prosperity gospel”—which promises that God will reward you with health and wealth if you have the right kind of faith. She researched and traveled across Canada and the United States interviewing megachurch leaders and televangelists and everyday believers about how they make spiritual meaning out of the good and bad in their lives. The result was the book, Blessed: A History of the American Prosperity Gospel, which received widespread media attention and a lot of puns about being #blessed.

At age 35, she was unexpectedly diagnosed with Stage IV cancer, causing her to think in different terms about the research and beliefs she had been studying. She penned the New York Times bestselling memoir, Everything Happens for a Reason (and Other Lies I’ve Loved), which tells the story of her struggle to understand the personal and intellectual dimensions of the American belief that all tragedies are tests of character.

Her third book, The Preacher’s Wife: The Precarious Power of Evangelical Women Celebrities follows the rise of celebrity Christian women in American evangelicalism. Whether they stand alone or beside their husbands, they are leading women who play many parts: faithful wife, spiritual authority, and Hollywood celebrity.

On her popular podcast, Everything Happens, Kate speaks with people like Malcolm Gladwell, Matthew McConaughey, and Anne Lamott about what wisdom and truth they’ve uncovered during difficult circumstances.

Her latest book, No Cure For Being Human (and Other Truths I Need to Hear), grapples with her diagnosis, her ambition, and her faith as she tries to come to terms with limitations in a culture that promises anything is possible.

Kate’s work has received wide-spread media attention from NPR, The Today Show, The New York Times, The Washington Post, the TED Stage, and Fresh Air with Terry Gross. She lives in Durham, North Carolina, with her family, continues to teach do-gooders at Duke Divinity School, and stockpiles anecdotes about the hidden benefits of being from the middle of Canada.

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Gary E. Gilley

5.0 out of 5 stars "... helpful book for understanding the theology, history, and dangers of the prosperity movement."Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2018
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The prosperity gospel has emerged from the roots of the 19th century New Thought movement, coupled with elements of 20th century Pentecostalism and the American “can-do” spirit, to become the dominant force in 21st century Christianity, especially in America but increasingly exported globally (chapter one). Professor Kate Bowler spent years researching for this book, visiting 25 percent of all prosperity megachurches, attending all of the major conferences and participating for 18 months in a small African American prosperity church (p. 261). Her research is thorough, objective and insightful. The book is developed according to a three-fold thesis (p. 7):

• Seeking to show how millions of American Christians came to see money, health, and good fortune as divine.
• Documenting the transformation of Americans who question an ethic of self-denial, and replacing it with a method of reaching into “God’s treasure trove and pulling out a miracle”.
• Explaining how the prosperity gospel is centered on four themes: faith, wealth, health, and victory.

Much of Bowler’s work is that of a historian. She traces the history and development of the prosperity gospel from its New Thought beginnings which led to positive thinking (p. 36), including the influence of Norman Vincent Peale (pp. 55-60). This was followed by the healing revivals of the 1940s and 1950s (pp. 39-55), the charismatic movement of the 1960s and the subsequent Vineyard Movement which opened the door between Pentecostalism and the traditional church. It was through this door that the prosperity gospel entered main-stream Christianity (p. 76). The Full Gospel Business Men’s Association became an important catalyst for the spread of this rising brand of Pentecostalism (pp. 82, 121). Kenneth Hagin, Oral Roberts and the Copelands all played major roles in the early spread of prosperity teachings. The mantle was later picked up by a great number of Word of Faith and prosperity leaders such as Benny Hinn, Jimmy Bakker, Fred Price, David Cho, Paul Crouch, Marilyn Hickey, Creflo Dollar, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Randy & Paula White, and Joel Osteen. By 1970 there were 50 prosperity megachurches; by 1990 there were 310 (pp. 100, 181-186). The number has greatly increased since then.

It is interesting that, when questioned, most prosperity teachers deny the title (p. 249) but they can be identified by their common teachings such as (see chart p. 253):

• Positive confession (our words determine our life (pp. 22, 66-68, 187-190, 225)).
• Healing in the atonement (pp. 18, 95, 149).
• Promise of health
• Sowing and reaping.
• Rhema – or Word of Faith Theology
• Seed faith
• Victory in this life as our destiny (p. 179).
• The law of attraction – our words and faith attract good or ill (p. 236).

Some form of the prosperity gospel has now won over the majority of Christians worldwide. Its appeal is well summarized by Bowler:

"The prosperity movement offers a comprehensive approach to the human condition. It sees men and women as creatures fallen, but not broken, and it shares with them a “gospel,” good news that will set them free from a multitude of oppressions…The faith movement sells a compelling bill of goods: God, wealth, and a healthy body to enjoy it…The prosperity gospel’s chief allure is simple optimism" (p. 232).

Blessed is a most helpful book for understanding the theology, history, and dangers of the prosperity movement.

Reviewed by Gary E. Gilley, Pastor-teacher, Southern View Chapel

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Ken Jacobsen

1.0 out of 5 stars Truly Horrifying...Reviewed in the United States on September 10, 2022
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Imagine a book about Muslim mullahs who are preaching polytheism but never mentions that the religion of Muhammad strictly opposed polytheism. Imagine a book about a group of Jewish rabbis who preach eating pork without ever mentioning that Moses and two thousand years of Jewish tradition forbid it. Imagine a book about a group of Lutheran pastors who are preaching submission to the pope without any mention of Luther or his opposition to Catholicism.

This is Ms Bowler's book. She is writing about Christian 'prosperity' preachers who relentlessly equate wealth with being 'Blessed' yet, like these preachers, she never once in her long book bothers to mention the fact that Christ himself teaches exactly the opposite.

And it's Christ's words that completely demolish the entire premise of the 'prosperity gospel';

“Blessed are you who are poor,

for yours is the kingdom of God. ..
.
But woe to you who are rich,

for you have already received your comfort."

These are not at all Christ's only words in the subject and his teachings are known throughout the world – that it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a sewing needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God, that his followers should be on guard against every form of greed, that the poor man Lazarus went to heaven and the rich man went straight to hell, yet Bowler finds none of Christ's teachings on the subject worth mentioning. Why on earth not?

Instead Bowler's book is like reading a history of American slavery that's full of gushing praise for the institution of slavery and unabashed admiration for its proponents while it whitewashes the situation of the slaves themselves, who only appear briefly in its final pages. And for anyone who's been involved in one of these churches, like I have, it's slaves that these people are – lied to, manipulated and ruthlessly exploited.

Concluding with a seemingly endless stream of glowing praise for this deliberate deception, Bowler's book declares;

"The prosperity gospel’s emphasis on the individual’s responsibility for his or her own fate resonated strongly with the American tradition of rugged self-reliance."

But these people are not living in 'rugged self reliance' they are living in fear – fear that their financial difficulties are caused by not giving enough money to their 'pastor', fear that their situation will only get worse if they stop 'tithing', fear that if they tell anyone about their difficulties that such 'negative confession' will only make things even worse. It is a prison of lies, worse than any legal prison because freedom will not come until they are convinced to believe otherwise.

Out of the many hundreds of books that have been produced by these 'prosperity preachers', I suspect that none will do more to keep these people trapped in that miserable slavery than this one.

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Mum of 4
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating readReviewed in the United Kingdom on November 10, 2018
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I struggled to get into this book when I first started reading it, but once I was past the first few pages I was gripped! I found it fascinating, informative and very helpful. The author writes as an impartial observer, allowing the reader to draw their own conclusions. What I read clarified many issues for me and I was really glad that I had read it. I have passed it on to others to read also.

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jshack73
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent surveyReviewed in the United Kingdom on December 10, 2018
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Researched over a decade ago but very helpful. Dry in parts - reflecting the dissertation it was born out of - but full of incite, sense & observation.
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Fran Ugo
5.0 out of 5 stars Five StarsReviewed in the United Kingdom on May 21, 2018
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An excellent and well-researched book on an important subject. Highly recommended.
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Ken Penner
5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating readReviewed in Canada on June 23, 2013
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Top notch research and wonderful story telling opened up this relatively unfamiliar world to me. The good, the bad and the ugly - all portrayed with an even-handed approach with the author assuming that the 'truth will out'. The best parts of this book for me were the personal stories the author brought to bear on various aspect of 'health and wealth' theology; the most touching - the way in which followers of the prosperity gospel deal with the death of their own; the most enlightening - the way in which this theology dovetails with the American dream.
Good stuff!

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Brad Sumner
5.0 out of 5 stars Hashtag BlessedReviewed in Canada on June 23, 2018
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I have appreciated both of Kate's books as well as her podcast. The mix of scholarship, history and personal narrative in this one is compelling. She is seeking to genuinely understand and also critique misuses and misunderstandings with an eye to being constructive and helping people spot genuine faith in the midst of all the bling.
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The New Thought Roots of the Prosperity Gospel

The New Thought Roots of the Prosperity Gospel




The New Thought Roots of the Prosperity Gospel
THOMAS KIDD | AUGUST 28, 2018


Kate Bowler’s Blessed is the best history of the American prosperity gospel. Here she explains the intellectual and theological roots of the prosperity gospel in the “New Thought” movement.

New Thought represents a cluster of thinkers and metaphysical ideas that emerged in the 1880s as the era’s most powerful vehicle of mind-power. Three aspects of New Thought became foundational to the twentieth century’s views of mind-power. First, it assumed essential unity between God and humanity, declaring that separation from the divine was only a matter of degree. The American religious terrain, plowed deep by the soulful individualism of Ralph Waldo Emerson, was fertile soil for a high anthropology (which is to say, an optimistic theology of human capacity.) As many New Thought authors worked inside a Christian framework, they explored “salvation” not as an act imposed from above by God, but rather an act of drawing out humanity’s potential.

Second, New Thought taught that the world should be reimagined as thought rather than substance. The spiritual world formed absolute reality, while the material world was the mind’s projection. Unlike Christian Science, New Thought never denied the reality of the material world, but saw it as contingent upon the mind. Right standing with the divine required sacred alignment, a mystical connection that won the historian Sydney Ahlstrom’s famous label of “harmonial religion.”

Third, New Thought argued that people shared in God’s power to create by means of thought. People shaped their own worlds by their thinking, just as God had created the world using thought. Positive thoughts yielded positive circumstances, and negative thoughts yielded negative situations. These three features—a high anthropology, the priority of spiritual reality, and the generative power of positive thought—formed the main presuppositions of the developing mind-power.

In its infancy, New Thought was largely preoccupied with healing, the same issue that consumed Christian Science and the wider American culture. Like hydropathy, Grahamism, Adventism, homeopathy, and the burgeoning faith cure movement, New Thought offered a religious alternative to the often harsh regimen of standard medical treatments. Bloodletting, mercury-laced purgatives, and arsenic tonics formed common “cures,” making orthodox medicine a potentially risky treatment. Warren Felt Evans, New Thought’s first author, promulgated the physical benefits of this therapeutic brand of metaphysics with the publication of The Mental Cure in 1869. Evans, as a practicing healer and systematizer of New Thought, sought to explain illness as an imbalance resulting from wrong thinking. William James labeled these buoyant ideas, “the religion of healthy-mindedness.”

These gospels of health stood on one side of a blurry line between Christian metaphysics and metaphysical Christianity. One prioritized the method of mind-power, while the other concentrated on its relationship to Jesus’ death and resurrection.

As with so many types of aberrant theology, the prosperity gospel is dangerous precisely because it takes biblical themes to non-biblical extremes. It is not hard to demonstrate biblically that God wants an “abundant life” for his followers. But when that abundance gets defined in worldly terms, through the lenses of pseudo-Christian therapeutic psychology, we have the makings of a theological disaster.

New Thought opens mind to the God living inside us

New Thought opens mind to the God living inside us

New Thought opens mind to the God living inside us

ByMAUREEN BYRNE

Published Aug. 7, 1999|Updated Sep. 30, 2005

About 200 gather for a conference on the philosophy that stresses the teachings of Jesus and promotes the power of mental energy.

Edwene Gaines implored the members of the audience to tithe 10 percent of their income.

"My belief system is, you tithe where you receive your spiritual food," she told them, even if it comes from a waitress in a diner.

Gaines was one of about 40 speakers at the 84th annual congress of the International New Thought Alliance, a grass-roots umbrella organization for individuals in the New Thought movement. About 200 followers of the century-old belief that humans can affect their health, wealth and relationships through mental energy attended the conference, which was held last week at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.


The three largest branches of New Thought are Unity, Religious Science and Divine Science.

New Thought, a philosophy that dates to the 1800s and emphasizes the teachings of Jesus, is a positive approach to living that emphasizes the practice of the presence of God for practical reasons. Its principles follow a freewheeling Christian path with an openness to metaphysics and other philosophical thought.

It is such statements as Gaines' that may confuse mainline Christians who are told to give 10 percent of their income to their church. Yet it is this individualistic approach to spirituality and a lack of rituals that many New Thought converts find attractive.

"I came from a background of hellfire and brimstone and guilt," said Pat Buckley, president of Emma Curtis Hopkins College and Theological Seminary, which is at Unity Church of Clearwater at 2465 Nursery Road.

"We see God not as a person, but as a spirit who is within us and around us at all times," she said.

Buckley was raised a fundamentalist. In the mid-1980s, she turned to other religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. Five years ago, she embraced Unity after participating in a friend's wedding at the Unity Church of Clearwater, which hosted the six-day conference.

"The minute I walked into the building, I knew that I was home," Buckley , 50, said.


The Rev. Leddy Hammock of Unity Church of Clearwater served as chairwoman of the conference and is a member of the INTA executive board. "New Thought is meant to be an expression _ a 'new thought' about God and about humanity rather than thinking of God as an anthropomorphic being," she said. "The restrictive elements of mainstream religion are not present. It's preoccupied with how people think."

Drawing on many Western and Eastern sources, especially the healing tradition of Christianity, New Thought recognizes Maine clockmaker Phineas Parkhurst Quimby as the Father of New Thought. Quimby, who developed a philosophy of "'mind cure" in the early 1800s, taught that one's mental state could affect circumstances, especially illness.

The ideas of Quimby, who died in 1866, influenced other metaphysical leaders, such as Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science; Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, founders of Unity; and Mary Baker Eddy, founder of Christian Science.

Originally known by such names as Mind Cure and Mental Science, the movement has been called New Thought since the 1890s. The INTA, a successor to earlier groupings, was formed in 1914 as an umbrella organization to further the work of New Thought groups and individuals. The organization has 300 churches, ranging from small, 50-member congregations to Christ Universal Temple in Chicago, which draws about 10,000 people every Sunday, said Mimi Ronnie, chief executive officer of the Meza, Ariz.-based INTA.


"The movement never really started to start churches," said Blaine C. Mays, president of the INTA and a leader in the organization for more than 25 years. "It simply started as people wanting to share their beliefs in God," he said. "God is with me. I am with God. We are one."

Many people in the New Thought movement stress it is founded on the teachings of Jesus. His life and what he taught and how he lived are considered to be important.

"New Thought is something that has more influence than it has recognition," said Deb Whitehouse, editor of New Thought, the official publication of the INTA.

For example, she said, New Thought is the background for many things accepted in today's American culture, such as positive thinking. "The link of the New Thought movement and success literature is well-established," said Whitehouse, who co-authored Practicing the Presence of God for Practical Purposes with her husband, Alan Anderson, a professor of philosophy and religion at Curry College in Milton, Mass.

Whitehouse cited positive thinkers Robert Schuller, founder of the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, Calif., and the late Norman Vincent Peale, author of the best-selling The Power of Positive Thinking.

"In its early days, New Thought was a protest against orthodox religion," said Dewey D. Wallace Jr., a professor of religion at George Washington University.


Today, it is one of the sources of the New Age movement, Wallace said. "New Age has an awful lot of similarities," especially mind-over-matter principles.

While New Agers incorporate channeling, crystals and astrology in their spiritual practices, New Thought adherents follow a more divinely oriented approach to life, Whitehouse said.

"Both movements will continue to grow because that's where the action is in terms of human development," she said.

Since New Thought influence reaches beyond brand-name practitioners, the movement's true size is difficult to estimate. The INTA lists 90 New Thought ministries in Florida and 11 in Pinellas County.

Charlotte Starfire, 42, of Tampa attended the conference last week. She said she has never been interested in traditional Christian theology. In January, she decided to make the Unity Church of Clearwater her spiritual home. This month, she will begin seminary studies at Emma Curtis Hopkins College.

"The thing I love about New Thought is that there is only one power and one source and one God, and it's all good," she said.

New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality : Anderson, Alan, Whitehouse, Deborah: Amazon.com.au: Books

New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality : Anderson, Alan, Whitehouse, Deborah: Amazon.com.au: Books





New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality Hardcover – 1 May 1995
by Alan Anderson (Author), Deborah Whitehouse (Author)
4.1 out of 5 stars 10 ratings

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This book introduces New Thought, a more than a century old movements dedicated to the healing of body,pocketbook,and interpersonal relationships through persistent positive thinking and the acceptance of one's indwelling divinity.

Print length

160 pages

C. Alan Anderson



In Memoriam: C. Alan Anderson (1930-2012)

Alan was born in Manchester, Connecticut on July 21, 1930. He died on November 25, 2012, of complications following surgery for a fractured hip suffered in a fall. He is survived by his wife and partner, Deborah G. Whitehouse; and a son from a previous marriage, Eric Alan Anderson.

He received his B.A. degree from American International College in 1952, an L.L.B. (later converted to J.D.) from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1955, and an M.A. from the University of Connecticut Graduate School in 1957. Having been introduced to the more-than-a-century-old philosophico-religious New Thought movement through some books given to him by a former classmate, Alan decided to pursue a Ph.D. degree in philosophy “to determine whether New Thought was the greatest thing in the world or the nuttiest”. He earned his Ph.D. at Boston University in 1963, where he was influenced by his dissertation directors, personalist philosophers Peter Bertocci and John Lavely. His dissertation topic was Horatio W. Dresser and the Philosophy of New Thought, possibly the only major university Ph.D. degree in philosophy with a dissertation dealing with New Thought. His dissertation was later published by Garland with the title "Healing Hypotheses" and numerous appendices; it is now available online at www.ppquimby.com. Dresser, who earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Harvard, was the eldest son of parents who were both patients of “the father of New Thought”, P. P. Quimby. They had met in Quimby’s offices and later married. New Thought can be summarized as “the practice of the Presence of God for practical purposes” or “habitual God-aligned mental self-discipline”. Two New Thought authors, Dresser and Henry Wood (1834-1909) were mentioned with approval by William James in Varieties of Religious Experience.

Other mentors introduced Alan to the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead and his colleague, Charles Hartshorne. Since process thought is the only constructive postmodern philosophy, Alan saw almost immediately that it was a far more suitable metaphysical foundation for New Thought than the shifting sands on which it had rested. He then created what he came to call Process New Thought, which amalgamated the Bible-based Christian taproots of mid-nineteenth century Universalism embraced by Quimby with the upbeat, positive practices of New Thought (later supported by research in psychology) and the updated idealism of process thought, known as panexperientialism.

After teaching history and philosophy at Babson College for a few years, Alan spent 34 years as Professor of Philosophy and Religion at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, where he was instrumental in helping it earn its accreditation. His courses included Life After Death, Dimensions of Consciousness, Philosophy and Health Issues, American Philosophy, Social and Political Philosophy, Mysticism, World History, and (with his wife) Self Leadership Through Mind Management. Many of his courses were particularly popular with student nurses.

Books by Alan include The Problem is God (Stillpoint, 1985) and two books jointly authored with his wife: New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality (Crossroad, 1995, rev. ed. Author House, 2003) and Practicing the Presence of God for Practical Purposes (Author House, 2000). He also authored numerous pamphlets and monographs. Papers include “The Healing Idealism of P. P. Quimby, Warren F. Evans, and the New Thought Movement” (Bicentennial Symposium of Philosophy, 1976); “New Thought: A Link Between East and West” (Parliament of the World’s Religions, 1993), and “New Thought: Linking New Age and Process Thought (Center for Process Studies Silver Anniversary International Whitehead Conference, 1998). Many of Alan’s writings are available online at www.neweverymoment.com .

Alan was a member of the American Philosophical Association, the American Academy of Religion, the Center for Process Studies, the Metaphysical Society of America, the Society for the Study of Metaphysical Religion, The Academy for Spiritual and Consciousness Studies, and the International New Thought Alliance, in many instances as officer, Board member, or committee chairman.

Alan blended gentle wit, whimsy, charm, and humor with a passion for what he referred to as “ever-closer approximations of truth”. He was well known for defending unpopular positions in the interest of integrity. He took his work seriously but never himself; and although a stickler for proper grammar, he never met a pun he didn’t like. He coined the phrase "serial selfhood" to describe the process concept of a self as a whole series of experiences, reminiscent of the Buddhist concept of one candle lighting another; and he always explained to his audiences that this had nothing to do with flakes of corn or crisps of rice! His favorite bit of his own writing was a bit of doggerel that first appeared in a pamphlet, “God in a Nutshell”:

“I am tempted to say

That the best way to pray

Is to shut up your mouth

And get out of the way.

Simply listen for God

And go join God in play.”

---Deborah G. Whitehouse, Ed.D. (Mrs. Alan Anderson)

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Deborah G. Whitehouse



Dr. Deb Whitehouse and her husband, Dr. C. Alan Anderson, are a team of educators, scholars who have studied the history of the century-old New Thought movement and practiced its teachings for many years. Both have served on the International New Thought Alliance Executive Board, and Deb is editor of its magazine. Alan and Deb collaborated on the first edition of "New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality" for Crossroad Publishing Company in 1995; followed by a Revised Edition in 2003. Their second jointly written book was "Practicing the Presence of God for Practical Purposes", published by Author House in 2000. Deb and Alan share a passion for Gilbert and Sullivan, for walks along the ocean, and for skewering sacred cows.





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Cameron B. Clark
4.0 out of 5 stars A Valuable Introduction to New Thought MetaphysicsReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 5 July 2001
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American philosopher William James, in his book "Varieties of Religious Experience," called New Thought (NT) "the religion of healthy-mindedness" and considered it the American people's "only decidedly original contribution to the systematic philosophy of life." The authors consider Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802 - 1866) to be the modern founder of the movement although some of the philosophical roots go all the way back to the idealism of ancient Greece. Contemporaneous American influences include the transcendentalists, especially Ralph Waldo Emerson, who drank from the wells of eastern thought. The movement's "healthy-mindedness" began with Quimby's interest in mesmerism as it related to physical healing, but expanded through time to include mental, financial, and interpersonal well-being and success. Although the authors state that Quimby eventually rejected the idea, held by Franz Mesmer among others, of a subtle magnetic fluid that supposedly links all people and things together, it seems clear that he merely replaced it with the idea of "spiritual matter, or fine interpenetrating substance, directly responsive to thought..." (pg. 20). Truth (or Divine Wisdom) is considered the real cure for all ills. Through Warren Felt Evans and Emma Curtis Hopkins, the movement spread. Mary Baker Eddy, a disciple of Quimby and founder of Christian Science (CS), is considered a diversion from the stream. Eddy taught that "there is no life, substance, or intelligence in matter." But according to NT, matter is a part of God, not an illusion or error as taught by CS.
There are various New Thought denominations: Divine Science, Unity, Religious Science, and Seicho-No-Ie, among others. The umbrella organization is the International New Thought Alliance. The book notes that the founders of the various denominations, except the Japan-based Seicho-No-Ie, were from traditional Christian backgrounds which didn't meet their needs, especially for healing. It is noteworthy that the same general interest during the nineteenth century in divine and/or faith healing that produced NT also led to the current Pentecostal and Charismatic movements within traditional Christianity. Distinctions, however, are noted. The authors also note differences between the theology of NT and that of traditional Christianity (as they perceive it) as well as differences between traditional ("substance") New Thought and the more recent Process New Thought, which they promote. They admit that traditional NT is more or less pantheistic and believe that the limitations of such a world view are overcome by the panentheism of Process New Thought.
Other discussions include the similarities and differences between NT and the New Age Movement (NAM), including the occult and magic. They observe that both the NAM and NT have a growing interest in panentheism (as expounded by Whitehead and Hartshorne) but feel that the NAM is overly interested in occult trappings such as crystals, pyramids, magic, and the like. They consider NT to be more mystically rather than magically (or psychically) inclined. Also discussed is NT's position on ethics and evil. The authors state: "...unlike Hinduism or Christian Science, it [NT] does not see evil as maya, illusion"... "Evil is good that is immature or misdirected. It has no power of its own; it has only the power that our minds give to it..." (pg. 50). This follows from NT's idea that "there is only one Presence and Power, and that power is good." Regarding sin, they say: "It is New Thought that understands that we are punished by our sins, not for them, and that by rising in consciousness we can contact the Divine Intelligence within, learn what we need to learn, and straighten out our thinking - and our lives" (pg. 51). Regarding ethics, the authors note the distinction between the shallow personality ethic and the more substantial character ethic and see the need to reemphasize the latter in New Thought.
Although I don't agree with the overall theology of New Thought, I consider this book essential to understanding the movement. It has also provided valuable historical and philosophical links in my own research in areas only superficially covered or overlooked by the authors. For example, the authors note that some self-professing Christians such as Norman Vincent Peale and Robert Schuller have incorporated NT principles into their teachings on positive thinking without adopting pantheism or panentheism. Both Peale and Schuller have been criticized by other Christians for their views. But neither is Pentecostal or Charismatic (P/C). Within the P/C movements is another movement that the authors do not mention in their book and may not be aware of: The Word of Faith Movement. This movement has some things in common (not necessarily all bad) with New Thought and is also criticized by other Christians, including some fellow P/C Christians. For those who are interested, see the Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements in the book's bibliography. In the areas of evil, ethics, and occultism, the authors provided superficial coverage. Without giving too much detail, traditional Christianity's concepts of sin and evil are more complex. Evil is seen more as "spoiled goodness" (C. S. Lewis) than immature or misdirected goodness, and includes the idea that at least some sin is intentional, not in ignorance, and deserving of punishment. Punishment is integral to vicarious atonement. The idea, however, that we are punished by our sins has a place too. Also, an eschatological dimension is lacking in the book although NT implies a type of universalism (everybody will be saved) that denies hell and has much in common with the Unitarian Universalists (not mentioned in the book). Reincarnation is usually promoted, but this also isn't mentioned.
The authors' attempt to distinguish NT from occultism and magic fails to see the deeper connection. Like the authors, serious occultists shy away from the largely shallow New-Agers who are more into dabbling than discipline. Also, Evelyn Underhill, in her massive book "Mysticism," in the chapter entitled "Mysticism and Magic," provides information on occult magic which parallels and links to New Thought metaphysics. One of the key axioms of occult magic (or magick) is "the existence of an imponderable medium or universal agent which is described as beyond the plane of our normal sensual perceptions yet interpenetrating and binding up the material world." Sound familiar? Remember the interpenetrating "magnetic fluid" and "spiritual matter"? Well, occultists call it "the astral light," among other names (akasha, ether, quintessence, etc.). The second axiom of magic is "the limitless power of the disciplined human will." Ms. Underhill says: "this dogma has been `taken over' without acknowledgment from occult philosophy to become the trump card of menticulture, `Christian Science,' and `New Thought.'" Richard Cavendish, in his book "A History of Magic," says: "Mesmer was a powerful influence on the development of Spiritualism, Christian Science and the New Thought movement. His significance for magic was that he appeared to have demonstrated the existence of a universal medium or force responsive to the human mind, which could employ it to affect the behavior of others. For magicians this was a welcome gift and Eliphas Levi, the leading French magus of the nineteenth century, turned Mesmer's magnetic fluid into one of the bastions of modern magical theory." There is certainly an overlap between mysticism and magic, but distinctions as well. I've noticed the terms are used loosely by magicians. Some divide magic into two general groups: high magic (theurgy) and low magic (thaumaturgy). The former is sometimes associated with mysticism and spiritual progress whereas the latter is more concerned with strict wonder-working apart from any reference to salvation or sanctification. The book doesn't get into any of this in any depth. One of the best traditional Christian critiques of pantheism and panentheism and defenses of Christianity is Norman Geisler's Christian Apologetics. One of the "best" expositions of New Thought metaphysics is "In Tune With the Infinite" by Ralph Waldo Trine. A recent book by a Neo-Pagan, Gus DiZerega, entitled "Pagans & Christians" explains how pantheism and panentheism relate to Neo-Pagans and Wiccans.
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Ken Wolf
4.0 out of 5 stars Perhaps the most thoughtful and unbiased account (even humorous in ...Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 3 March 2017
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Perhaps the most thoughtful and unbiased account (even humorous in places) written by an "insider." The only part that was difficult to understand was the discussion of process theology--but even that was a bit clearer than other accounts I have read of the difficult subject.

It should be read with Mitch Horowitz's "One Simple Idea" written several years ago. Both of these books are written by people who appreciate New Thought but who are also aware of its weaknesses (especially true of Horowitz) and of how it can be misinterpreted and misunderstood by Positivist intellectuals who think "positive thinking" is a con.

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Dr. C. H. Roberts
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent introduction and historyReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 23 September 2005
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The authors have given us a marvelous, easy to read, introduction and history of New Thought. The material is at once simple and to the point for the "average" reader, but those with previous knowledge of New Thought metaphysics will not find it simplistic. Anderson and Whitehouse are clearly "at home" discussing both the past history and current issues of modern debate (especially Process Theology's influence in some areas of New Thought). I highly recommend this book to all interested readers and sincerely thank the authors of a job well done.

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Jason Fairbanks
5.0 out of 5 stars When the Student is Ready the Book Will ComeReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 3 June 2013
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I was drawn to this book after happening upon the authors' website. As a student and former bookseller, I have to admit that I was a bit hesitant in reading a book not published by a major publisher. However, this was exactly the book I needed.

It is very clear and well written. I did not find it "dry" in the least. It is an outstanding primer on the history and lineage of the New Thought movement. It is very helpful for someone like me who is coming from a (loosely) orthodox Christian perceptive.

The authors give just enough of a taste of their ideas about practice to whet my apetite for their other book.

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Tim Stewart
5.0 out of 5 stars Highly RecommendedReviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on 26 October 2005
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This is a great book for anyone interested in knowing more about New Thought. The authors detail the beliefs of most major New Thought organizations and explain the differences between New Thought and new age. I highly recommend this book to those who may be new to New Thought, ESPECIALLY those coming from a fundamental background.

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