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New Thought Movement

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Not to be confused with New Age Movement.

The New Thought movement, a religio-metaphysical healing group, was founded by Phineas Parkhurst Quimby[1](1802-66) of Belfast, Maine, an American mental healer, student of mesmerism, and practitioner of hypnosis, who claimed he could heal by mere suggestion. Quimby developed a belief system that included the belief that illness originated in the mind as a consequence of erroneous beliefs and that a mind open to the Christian God's wisdom could overcome any illness. Mary Baker Eddy[2], the founder of Christian Science[3], was a disciple and patient of Quimby, but rejected his healing methods citing her belief that healing came from the power of the Christian God, not the mind. John Bovee Dods(1795-1862), another 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. Warren Felt Evans, a Swedenborgian minister and follower of Quimby's, also contributed to the development of the 'mental science' movement. New Thought is typically recognized as a distinct sect separate from Christian Science and clearly differentiated from medical psychotherapy.[4]

The New Thought movement promoted the ideas that that God is all powerful and ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, all sickness originates in the mind, and 'right thinking' has a healing effect. The Divine Science Church[5] gave particular emphasis to the therapeutic theories of New Thought and promoted the ideas that the God is sole reality, sickness results from failing to realize this truth, and healing results through oneness of the human race with the God.[6]


From New Thought evolved various theosophic and psychotherapeutic systems, such as Higher Thought, Mental Science, Metaphysical Healing, and Practical Christianity. New thought shares numerous connections with the mystical doctrines of Platonism[7] and the ideas of the American transcendental philosophers Amos Bronson Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Henry David Thoreau.

Religious denominations have continued to emerge from this movement, including Divine Science, Religious Science, the Unity Church, the Universal Foundation for Better Living, and Huna. Although Mary Baker Eddy was an important figure to many New Thought group founders, the Christian Science with which she was associated, developed in a different direction and is not considered a New Thought denomination. After her excommunication from Mary Baker Eddy's church, Emma Curtis Hopkins who is "the teacher of teachers" inspired other personal interpretations.

Overview

New Thought emphasizes the idea of growing or developing thought. The word New stresses the movement's interest in what is innovative and progressive. New Thought practitioners hold that as ideas form and spread, they become part of the fabric of human consciousness and human thought is transformed; they accept and even embrace this endless transformation, while simultaneously acknowledging the thread of history and the unfoldment of creative thought.

New Thought religions are a panentheistic belief system, and are often considered more philosophy than religion by adherents. New Thought holds that an immanent presence, often referred to as Mind, Universal Intelligence, Universal Presence, or Life, is the primary basis of all interconnected reality, personal and transcendent. In line with Philosophical Idealism, New Thought professes the primacy of mind in relation to the experience of the physical world, and places great emphasis in positive thinking, affirmations, meditation, and prayer.

New Thought churches often avoid dogmatic pronouncements about the afterlife or other theological questions, and vary significantly in the degree to which they associate themselves with Christianity or other major world religions. New Thought teaching asserts some distinction from traditional religious movements in that the personal experience and understanding of (God, Presence, Truth) is expected to evolve and not remain static. The majority of New Thought churches display, discuss, and sell a wide variety of religious and New Age literature.

Although New Thought churches are sometimes identified or associated with the New Age movement, New Thought churches typically do not share major tenets of New Age thinking (frequently avoiding any teaching of mysticism or Occultism.)

The Essence of New Thought Teaching

New Thought teaches that we are evolved and evolving beings, physically, mentally, and spiritually. Universal law or cosmic urge forever pushes and projects humankind forward into higher physical, mental, and spiritual growth and development. Alan Anderson and Deb Whitehouse described New Thought as a "process," such that 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.

History

The following individuals figured prominently in the history of the New Thought Movement:

There have also been significant individuals through the years who have left their mark on the New Thought Movement as respected authors & leaders:

Contemporary leaders

In recent times, Iyanla Vanzant and Wayne Dyer have been described as being in the vanguard of the New Thought Movement, along with other popular self-help teachers such as Louise Hay, Deepak Chopra, Dr.Rev. Michael Beckwith, Rev. August Gold and Rev Joel Fortinos authors of The Prayer Chest (The three secrets of prayer).

Literature

See also

External links

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