Showing posts with label Unity Church. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Unity Church. Show all posts

2023/01/05

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.
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2023/01/04

Unity Church - Wikipedia -- "New Thought denominations"

Unity Church - Wikipedia

Unity Church

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Not to be confused with Unitarianism, Unitarian Universalism, the United Church of Christ, or the Unification Church.
Unity Church
Unity Village
Unity Village
ClassificationUnity (new religious movement)
OrientationNew Thought Christianity
HeadquartersUnity Village, Missouri
FounderCharles and Myrtle Fillmore
Origin1889
Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Official websiteunity.org
Part of a series of articles on
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Unity, known informally as Unity Church, is an organization founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in 1889. 

It grew out of Transcendentalism and became part of the New Thought movement.[1] 

Unity is known for its Daily Word devotional publication. 

Unity describes itself as "for people who might call themselves spiritual but not religious."[2]

Overview[edit]

Unity School of Christianity

Unity describes itself as a worldwide organization offering an approach to Christianity which teaches a positive approach to life, seeking to accept the good in all people and events. 

It began as a healing ministry and healing has continued to be its main emphasis.[3] It teaches that all people can improve the quality of their lives through thought.[4]

Unity describes itself as having no particular creed, set dogma, or required ritual.[5] 

It maintains that there is good in every approach to God and in every religion that fulfills someone's needs.[6] 

It holds that one should focus not on past sins but on the potential good in all.[7]

Unity emphasizes spiritual healing, prosperity and the curing of illness by spiritual means, but it does not reject or resist medical treatments.[8] It is accepting of the beliefs of others.[9][10][11][12]

History[edit]

Unity was founded in Kansas City, Missouri, in 1889 by Charles Fillmore (1854–1948) and Myrtle Fillmore (1845–1931) after Mrs. Fillmore had been cured of her tuberculosis, she believed, by spiritual healing. This resulted in the Fillmores' studying world religions, spiritual healing, and the links between science and religion. They were influenced by Dr. E. B. Weeks, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Emma Curtis Hopkins and Mary Baker Eddy (the founder of Christian Science).

In 1891, the Fillmores named the movement Unity, and began publishing their first magazine, Unity. Later magazines included Wee Wisdom (for children) and Daily Word. Book publishing began with Lessons in Truth by H. Emilie Cady. In 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Fillmore accepted ordination and ordained seven other ministers.[13]

After World War I, Unity Village, which became a 1,200-acre incorporated town, was developed 15 miles from Kansas City. After Charles Fillmore's death, the movement was initially led by the Fillmores’ sons and grandchildren.[8] It originally described itself as a "positive, practical Christianity" which "teach[es] the effective daily application of the principles of Truth taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ."[14]

Organization[edit]

Individual Unity churches are autonomous, each governed by its own board and minister, and seeking affiliation according to guidelines. 

Minister training, ministerial placement, and educational resources are offered at Unity World Headquarters, which also publishes magazines, books and pamphlets. The organization's prayer ministry, Silent Unity—a telephone and email service—offers prayer and counseling.

Unity's other programs include the Unity Society of Practical Christianity, Unity School of Christianity, Unity Institute, the Office of Prayer Research, the Association of Unity Churches, and Unity House, the church's publishing arm. Its headquarters are at Unity Village, Missouri, a suburb of Kansas City.

Each Unity Church sponsors its own chapter of Youth of Unity (YOU), a group of high school-aged teens who come together to learn Unity principles and spiritual practices. All the chapters in a YOU region meet at least once a year for a weekend retreat called a 'rally.' A seven-day International YOU Conference is held each summer at Unity headquarters at Unity Village, Missouri.[15][16]

Basic teachings[edit]

New Thought
Divinity
Beliefs
Activities
Glossary

Unity's belief system is expressed as "The Five Principles."[17] They are:

  1. God is all there is and present everywhere. This is the force of love and wisdom that underlies all of existence.
  2. Human beings are divine at their core and therefore inherently good.
  3. Thoughts have creative power to determine events and attract experiences.
  4. Prayer and meditation keep us aligned with the one great power in the universe.
  5. It is not enough to understand spiritual teachings. We must live the Truth we know.

Unity aims to demonstrate that the teachings of Jesus Christ can be lived every day. Its followers believe that the true "Church" is a "state of consciousness in mankind."[18] Unity teaches that each person is a unique expression of God and is sacred and worthy. It emphasizes the creative power of thought, and encourages taking personal responsibility to choose life-affirming thoughts, words and actions, to experience a more fulfilling and abundant life.[19][20]

H. Emilie Cady's 1896 book Lessons in Truth, A Course of Twelve Lessons in Practical Christianity is considered a core text of Unity.

God[edit]

Unity Church views God as spiritual energy which is present everywhere and is available to all people. Members of the church believe that God seeks only to express the highest good through everyone and everything.[21] According to Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore:

God is not a person who has set creation in motion and gone away and left it to run down like a clock. God is Spirit, infinite Mind, the immanent force and intelligence everywhere manifest in nature. God is the silent voice that speaks into visibility all the life there is.[22]

He later wrote that:

God is your higher self and is in constant waiting upon you. He loves to serve, and will attend faithfully to the most minute details of your daily life.[23]

Jesus[edit]

Unity Church followers believe in the divinity of Jesus. They believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, the master teacher who demonstrated divinity and came to teach humankind, and that Jesus is the great example of God in physical form.[24][25][26]

Nature of humanity[edit]

Unity Church teaches that all people are individual, eternal expressions of God, and that their essential nature is divine and therefore inherently good. Followers believe their purpose in life is to express their divine potential as demonstrated by Jesus, and that the more they awaken to their divine nature, the more they can do this.[27][28] Salvation, in the Unity view, is found in consciously understanding one's innate divinity, then putting that knowledge into practice in one's life.[29]

Bible[edit]

Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore studied the Bible as history and allegory. They interpreted it as a metaphysical representation of each soul's evolutionary journey toward spiritual awakening. Unity considers the Bible a valuable spiritual resource, a complex collection of writings compiled over many centuries, and a reflection of the comprehension and inspiration of the writers and their times.[30][31][32]

Affirmative prayer[edit]

Affirmative prayer is understood, in Unity, as the highest form of creative thought; that it includes the release of negative thoughts and the holding in mind of statements of spiritual truth. Unity teaches the use of meditation and prayer as a way to experience the presence of God, heighten the awareness of truth, and thereby transform lives.[33][34] According to poet James Dillet Freeman:

Prayer is valuable not because it alters the circumstances and conditions of your life, but because it alters you.[35]

Unity teaches that it is helpful to pray with the belief that we have already received all that we need, that through prayer the mind is renewed and the body transformed, and that awareness that we are conscious creators of our lives is the bridge from the old Christianity, where we are "sinners", to the new understanding that we are "learners."[36] The Unity School of Christianity holds that prayer is not a way to inform God of one's troubles, or to receive favors or preferential treatment, but to align one's self with the power that is God.[37][38]

Relationship to Christianity[edit]

Unity emphasizes its agreements, not differences, with traditional Christians and[9] stresses its concurrence with the teachings of Jesus and the Bible.[39][40][41][42][43][44] According to Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore:

It has been generally accepted that Jesus' great works were miracles and that the power to do miracles was delegated to His immediate followers only. In recent years many of Jesus' followers have inquired into His healing methods, and they have found that healing is based on universal mental and spiritual laws which anyone can utilize who will comply with the conditions involved in these laws.[45]

Unity considers itself a non-sectarian educational institution, although Unity ministers are ordained following their prescribed courses and training.[9]

Notable members[edit]

Well-known people affiliated with Unity include Della Reese,[46][47] Betty White,[48][47] Eleanor Powell,[49] Lucie Arnaz,[50] David Friedman,[51][failed verification] Wally Amos,[47] actress Michael Learned,[52] Licensed Unity Teacher Ruth Warrick,[53] Barbara Billingsley, Theodore Schneider, Erykah Badu, Matt Hoverman, author Victoria Moran,[54] Patricia Neal,[55] Johnnie Colemon, and Maya Angelou.[47][56][57]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "About Us". Unity.org.
  2. ^ "What Is Unity?". Unity.org. Retrieved 2020-05-23.
  3. ^ Rhea, Rosemary Fillmore, "Unity in the twenty-first Century" Unity Magazine, Sept–Oct 2004, pp. 32–34
  4. ^ Omwake, Mary, "The Power to Heal" Unity Magazine Nov–Dec 2005, p. 38
  5. ^ Rosemergy, Jim "No More Dogmas, No More Creeds, Unity Magazine, March–April 2003, p 17
  6. ^ Bazzy, Connie Fillmore, "Unity School of Christianity and the Unity Movement" Unity Magazine, Sept–Oct 2001, pp. 4–6
  7. ^ "Unity:A Path for Spiritual Living" Unity Magazine, Nov–Dec 2007, pp.41–42
  8. ^ Jump up to:a b "Unity School of Christianity". Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 2009-06-26.
  9. ^ Jump up to:a b c "Unity School of Christianity, The New Encyclopædia Britannica, 1987, Vol 12 P, 162.
  10. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions about Unity". Unity.org. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  11. ^ Kornfield, Jack, "The Wisdom of Not Knowing" Unity Magazine Nov–Dec 2005 p. 10
  12. ^ Gaither, Jim, Metaphysical Musings, Unity Magazine, Jan–Feb 2008, p. 10
  13. ^ www.unity.org/timeline
  14. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Unity.org. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  15. ^ "About Youth of Unity | Unity in the Gold County Spiritual Center". www.unitygold.us. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  16. ^ "Youth of Unity – Unity Worldwide Ministries South Central Region". unitysouthcentral.org. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
  17. ^ "What is Unity?". Unity.org. Unity. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
  18. ^ Fillmore(1997) p37
  19. ^ Fillmore, Charles, Talks on Truth,17th ed 1998 pp. 7–13
  20. ^ Cady, Emilie Lessons in Truth, 15th ed 1995, pp. 97–109, 143–154
  21. ^ Shepherd, Thomas, "I've Always Wondered About" Unity Magazine, Sept–Oct 2007, p. 10
  22. ^ "Talks on Truth, by Charles Fillmore, page 9". The New Thought Library. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  23. ^ "Talks on Truth, by Charles Fillmore, page 11". The New Thought Library. Retrieved 2 November 2015.
  24. ^ Fillmore(1997) p111
  25. ^ Fillmore(1997) p25
  26. ^ Braden, Charles, Spirits in Rebellion:The Rise and Development of New Thought. 1987, Southern Methodist University Press. pp. 260–262
  27. ^ Cady, Emilie, Lessons in Truth, 15th ed 1995 pp. 17–24
  28. ^ Butterworth, Eric MetaMorality: A Metaphysical Approach to The Ten Commandments. 1988, pp. 119–122
  29. ^ Braden, Charles Spirits in Rebellion: The Rise and Development of New Thought. 1987, Southern Methodist University Press. p. 238
  30. ^ Fillmore(1997) p. 24
  31. ^ Turner, Elizabeth S. Be Ye Transformed: Bible Interpretation Acts through Revelation 1988, pp. 9–13
  32. ^ "What We Believe". Unity.org. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  33. ^ Mosley, Glenn, "Learning to Pray," Unity Magazine May–June 2001, pp. 16–17
  34. ^ "Unity Beliefs". Bible.ca. Retrieved 2012-12-29.
  35. ^ Freeman, James Dillet, "Life is a Wonder" Unity Magazine, Mar–Apr 2001, pp. 18–19
  36. ^ Baherman, Steve, "Unity: The Healing Edge of Christianity", Unity Magazine, Jan–Feb 2008, pp. 20–22
  37. ^ Fillmore(1997) pp 152–154
  38. ^ Cady, Emilie, Lessons in Truth, 15th ed 1995, pp 97–108
  39. ^ Fillmore, Charles Jesus Christ Heals, 19th ed 1999, pages 9–35
  40. ^ Turner, Elizabeth Sands, Your Hope of Glory, 10th ed, 1996, pp. 7–15
  41. ^ Butterworth, Eric The Universe is Calling, 1994, pp. 129–135
  42. ^ Freeman, James Dillet, The Story of Unity, 2000, pp. 9–19, 225–269
  43. ^ Mosley, Glenn, "Unity, Much more than a Denomination" Unity Magazine, Mar–Apr, 2003, pp. 15–16
  44. ^ Shepherd, Thomas, "That's a Good Question" Unity Magazine, Jan–Feb 2008, p. 7
  45. ^ Fillmore, Charles Jesus Christ Heals, 19th ed 1999, p. 79
  46. ^ Banks, Adelle M. (October 19, 1996). "Della Reese Is No Angel, But She's Real Reverend -- In Dual Roles Of Minister And Actress, She Has A Big Following". Seattle Times Newspaper. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  47. ^ Jump up to:a b c d Hingston, Sandy (October 10, 2020). "Science and Religion Have Never Been More at Odds. Can Conshohocken's Templeton Foundation Bridge the Divide?". Philadelphia Magazine. Metro Corp. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  48. ^ Villalva, Brittney R. (6 February 2013). "Betty White- I'm 'Sexier' and 'More Wise' at 91 (PHOTO)". www.christianpost.com. The Christian Post. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  49. ^ Taylor, Jim. "OUR "QUEEN OF TAP DANCING" - ELEANOR POWELL". www.tapdance.org. International Tap Association. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  50. ^ Messer, Kate X. "Lucie 'splains It All". www.austinchronicle.com. The Austin Chronicle. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  51. ^ "MidderMusic | We Make Learning Musical Instruments Easy". 4 May 2020.
  52. ^ Learned, Michael (December 2002). "My Spiritual Journey". Daily Word. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved January 20, 2014.
  53. ^ "Paid Notice: Deaths WARRICK, RUTH". The New York Times. January 18, 2005. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  54. ^ Moran, Victoria (21 March 2013). "Growing Up on Daily Word". www.dailyword.com. Daily Word. Retrieved 13 March 2015.
  55. ^ Raven, Barbara C. Badge of Courage. Unity Church of New York, 2002.
  56. ^ "The Revelation That Changed Dr. Maya Angelou's Life". Oprah.com. May 19, 2013. Retrieved July 3, 2022.
  57. ^ Italie, Hillel (May 28, 2014). "Maya Angelou dead at 86". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved July 3, 2022.

Further reading[edit]

  • Berry, Harold J. (1975). Unity School of Christianity: What's Christian about It?. Lincoln, Neb.: Back to the Bible Publications. ISBN 0-8474-0745-4
  • Fillmore, Charles (1931). Metaphysical Bible Dictionary. Unity Village, Mo.: Unity School of Christianity.
  • Fillmore, Charles (1997). The Revealing Word: a dictionary of metaphysical terms. Unity Books. ISBN 0-87159-006-9.
  • Fillmore, Charles ([19--]). The Adventure Called Unity. Unity Village, Mo.: Unity. Without ISBN
  • Freeman, James Dillet (2000). The Story of Unity. Unity Village, Missouri: Unity Books. pp. 274 pages. ISBN 0-87159-145-6.
  • Vahle, Neal (September 2002). The Unity Movement: Its Evolution and Spiritual Teachings. Templeton Foundation Press. pp. 504 pages. ISBN 1-890151-96-3.
  • Mosley, Glenn R. (2006). The History and Future NEW THOUGHT, ANCIENT WISDOM of the New Thought Movement, Templeton Foundation Press. ISBN 1599470896

External links[edit]

Categories: Unity Church
1889 establishments in Missouri
New religious movements
New Thought denominations
Religious organizations established in 1889
Religious belief systems founded in the United States


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Subcategories

This category has the following 3 subcategories, out of 3 total.

  1. D Divine Science‎ (1 C, 3 P)
  2. R Religious Science‎ (1 C, 11 P)
  3. U Unity Church‎ (12 P)

Pages in category "New Thought denominations"

The following 10 pages are in this category, out of 10 total. This list may not reflect recent changes.

CChurch of Divine Science

HHome of Truth

JJewish Science

LList of New Thought denominations and independent centers

NNew Civilization Church

PPsychiana

RReligious Science

SSeicho-no-Ie

UUnity Church
Universal Foundation for Better Living









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