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The earliest identifiable proponent of New Thought was ](1802–66), an American ], student of ], and practitioner of ], who claimed he could heal by mere ]. Quimby developed a ] system that included the tenet that ] originated in the ] as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to ]'s wisdom could overcome any illness.<ref></ref> During the late 19th century the ] healing practices of Quimby mingled with the "Mental Science" of Warren Felt Evans, a ] ].<ref></ref> The earliest identifiable proponent of New Thought was ](1802–66), an American ], student of ], and practitioner of ], who claimed he could heal by mere ]. Quimby developed a ] system that included the tenet that ] originated in the ] as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to ]'s wisdom could overcome any illness.<ref></ref> During the late 19th century the ] healing practices of Quimby mingled with the "Mental Science" of Warren Felt Evans, a ] ].<ref></ref>
New Thought as a movement had no single origin, but rather emerged along with a variety of religious denominations and churches, particularly the ], ], and ].<ref name=lewis16>{{cite book |title=Perspectives on the New Age |first=James R. |last=Lewis |coauthors=J. Gordon Melton |year=1992 |publisher=SUNY Press |pages=pp16–18 |isbn=079141213X}}</ref> It was a feminist movement in that most of its teachers and students were women; notable among the founders of the movement were ] known as the "Teacher of Teachers" early adopter of the phrase ''New Thought'' in the late 1800s. ] and ] founders of (Divine Science).<ref name=lewis16/> New Thought as a movement had no single origin, but rather emerged along with a variety of religious denominations and churches, particularly the ], ], and ].<ref name=lewis16>{{cite book |title=Perspectives on the New Age |first=James R. |last=Lewis |coauthors=J. Gordon Melton |year=1992 |publisher=SUNY Press |pages=pp16–18 |isbn=079141213X}}</ref> It was a feminist movement in that most of its teachers and students were women; notable among the founders of the movement were ] known as the "Teacher of Teachers" early adopter of the phrase ''New Thought'' in the late 19th century. ] and ] founders of (Divine Science).<ref name=lewis16/>


===20th century diversity=== ===20th century diversity===

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The New Thought Movement or New Thought is a loosely allied group of organizations, authors, philosophers, and individuals who share a set of metaphysical beliefs concerning healing, life force, Creative Visualization, and personal power. The New Thought Movement developed in the United States during the mid to late 19th century and continues to the present time. It promotes the ideas that God is all powerful and ubiquitous, Spirit is the totality of all things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, all sickness originates in the subjective mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.

History

19th century origins

The earliest identifiable proponent of New Thought was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby(1802–66), an American faith healer, student of Mesmerism, and practitioner of hypnosis, who claimed he could heal by mere suggestion. Quimby developed a belief system that included the tenet that illness originated in the mind as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to God's wisdom could overcome any illness. During the late 19th century the metaphysical healing practices of Quimby mingled with the "Mental Science" of Warren Felt Evans, a Swedenborgian minister.

New Thought as a movement had no single origin, but rather emerged along with a variety of religious denominations and churches, particularly the Unity Church, Religious Science, and Divine Science. It was a feminist movement in that most of its teachers and students were women; notable among the founders of the movement were Emma Curtis Hopkins known as the "Teacher of Teachers" early adopter of the phrase New Thought in the late 19th century. Melinda Cramer and Nona L. Brooks founders of (Divine Science).

20th century diversity

From 1900 through the 1920s, many books of the New Thought movement were published, including the financial success and will-training books of Wallace Wattles, Frank Channing Haddock, and Thomas Troward.

In 1906, William Walker Atkinson (1862–1932) wrote and published Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction in the Thought World. Atkinson was the editor of New Thought magazine and the author of more than 100 books on an assortment on religious, spiritual, and occult topics. He claimed to be a student of Hinduism as well.

The following year,Elizabeth Towne, the editor of The Nautilus Magazine, a Journal of New Thought, published Bruce MacLelland's book Prosperity Through Thought Force, in which he summarized the "Law of Attraction" as a New Thought principle, stating "You are what you think, not what you think you are."

The 1915 INTA conference, held in conjunction with the Panama-Pacific International Exposition – a world's fair that took place in San Francisco – featured New Thought speakers from far and wide. The PPIE organizers were so favorably impressed by the INTA convention that they declared a special "New Thought Day" at the fair and struck a commemorative bronze medal for the occasion, which was presenting to the INTA delegates, led by Annie Rix Militz.

In 1916, the International New Thought Alliance was formed, encompassing many smaller groups around the world; several years later the Alliance adopted a creed known as the "Declaration of Principles". The alliance is held together by one central teaching: that people, through the constructive use of their minds, can attain freedom, power, health, prosperity, and all good, molding their bodies as well as the circumstances of their lives. The declaration was revised in 1957, with all references to Christianity removed, and a new statement based on the "inseperable oneness of God and Man".

Belief systems

The chief tenets of New Thought are:

The five basic ideas that make up the Unity belief system are:

  1. ) God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere.
  2. ) We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good.
  3. ) We create our life experiences through our way of thinking.
  4. ) There is power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our connection to God.
  5. ) Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.

Evolution of thought

Adherents also generally believe that as humankind gains greater understanding of the world, New Thought itself will evolve to assimilate new knowledge. Alan Anderson and Deb Whitehouse have described New Thought as a "process" in which each individual and even the New Thought Movement itself is "new every moment." Thomas McFaul has hypothesized "continuous revelation," with new insights being received by individuals continuously over time. Jean Houston has spoken of the "possible human," or what we are capable of becoming.


Therapeutic theories

John Bovee Dods (1795–1862), an early practitioner of New Thought, wrote several books on the theory that disease originates in the electrical impulses of the nervous system and is therefore curable by a change of belief. Later New Thought teachers, such as the early 20th century author, editor, and publisher William Walker Atkinson, delved into this theory as well. Atkinson wrote a number of books on healing and he also developed a theory of personal magnetism and success that outlined a linkage between general electromagnetic phenomena, neural processes, and mental states of being.

Divine Science, Unity Church and Religious Science are organizations which developed from the New Thought movement, which teach that Infinite Intelligence or God is the sole reality, most sickness is the result of the failure to realize this truth, and healing is accomplished by the affirmation of the oneness of the human race with the Infinite Intelligence or God.

Distinguishing New Thought from other belief systems

New Thought / Christian Science

Both New Thought and Christian Science do place an emphasis on direct healing of the body, but Christian Science developed in a different direction from New Thought and is not considered a New Thought organization. Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, was a disciple and patient of New Thought pioneer Phineas Quimby, but she rejected his healing methods, citing her belief that healing came from the power of the Christian God, not the human mind.

New Thought / Christianity

Not all New Thought organizations consider themselves to be Christian, Seicho-No-Ie or Huna for example do not. The Unity School of Christianity quite obviously does. Many traditional Christian writers have raised criticism aimed at Unity concerning matters of how Unity interprets the Bible.

New Thought / Spiritualism

Although both New Thought and Spiritualism developed during the late 19th century and were at the height of their popularity by the First World War, each has its own churches, denominations, and organizations, and there are no formal ties between the two. Neither belief system absolutely excludes the tenets of the other, but neither is wholly congruent with the other, either. Some New Thought adherents profess a belief in Spiritualist concepts such as the survival of the soul after death and the possibility of communication with spirits, but others do not. Likewise, while some Spiritualists profess belief in the Law of Attraction, many do not. There is no doctrinal point that binds the two traditions to one another, nor is there a doctrinal point that prevents members from professing limited, partial, or even complete belief in the tenets of the other system.

Differences between various New Thought teachings

Unity / Religious Science

The two largest New Thought denominations are Religious Science and Unity. Religious Science operates under two umbrella organizations: Religious Science, International and the United Church of Religious Science. Ernest Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, stated that Religious Science/Science of Mind (RS/SOM) is not based on any "authority" of established beliefs, but rather on "what it can accomplish" for the people who practice it. It therefore differs from the philosophy of another New Thought organization, Unity, which identifies itself as "Christian" with the Bible as it's main text, although not interpreted literally. The Science of Mind, authored by Ernest Holmes is also based largely on Jesus' teachings.

See also

Notes

  1. Phineas Parkhurt Quimby at MSN Encarta. Retrieved Nov. 16, 2007.
  2. New Thought entry, The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, at Bartleby.com. Retrieved Nov. 16, 2007.
  3. ^ Lewis, James R. (1992). Perspectives on the New Age. SUNY Press. pp. pp16–18. ISBN 079141213X. {{cite book}}: |pages= has extra text (help); Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  4. William Walker Atkinson. Thought Vibration or the Law of Attraction. Advanced Thought Publishing. 1906. Full text public domain version online.
  5. MacLelland, Bruce, Prosperity Through Thought Force, Elizabeth Towne, 1907
  6. Dresser, Horatio, History of the New Thought Movement, 1919
  7. Retrieved July 15, 2008.
  8. Houston, Jean. The Possible Human. 1997.
  9. Dumont, Theron, Q. [pseudonym of William Walker Atkinson. Mental Therapeutics, or Just How to Heal Oneself and Others. Advanced Thought Publishing Co. Chicago. 1916.
  10. New Thought at MSN Encarta. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007.
  11. Official website of Divine Science. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007.
  12. Official web site of Unity Church. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007.
  13. Official web site of Religious Science International. Retrieved Nov 16, 2007.
  14. Mary Baker Eddy at MSN Encarta. Retrieved Nov. 16, 2007.
  15. Vahle, Neal (1993). Open at the top: The life of Ernest Holmes, Open View Press, 190 pages, Chapter 16.
  16. adherants.com retrieved July 16, 2008
  17. Vahle, Neal (1993). Open at the top: The life of Ernest Holmes, Open View Press, 190 pages, p7.
  18. Holmes, Ernest (1926) The Science of Mind ISBN 0874778654, pp. 327-346 "What the Mystics Have Taught".

Further reading

  • Albanese, Catherine. A Republic of Mind and Spirit. Yale University Press, 2007.
  • Anderson, Alan and Deb Whitehouse. New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality. 2003.
  • Braden, Charles. Spirits in Rebellion.
  • Gold, August and Joel Fortinos. The Prayer Chest. Doubleday. 2007) ISBN 0-385-52349-1
  • Judah, J. Stillson. The History and Philosophy of the Metaphysical Movements in America. Philadelphia: The Westminster Press. 1967. Review by Neil Duddy.
  • McFaul, Thomas R. Religion in the Future Global Civilization printed in The Futurist magazine. September-October 2006.
  • White, Ronald M. New Thought Influences on Father Divine (Masters Thesis, Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. 1980. Abstract

External links

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