What is New Thought?
Religious Science is a "New Thought" religion. But what does that mean?
William James called New Thought, "The religion of healthy-mindedness." And
that's really the truth! Don't confuse New Thought with what is often called
"New Age" in the media today, New Thought is actually a perennial
philosophy, that thread of truth that is woven through all the world's great spiritual traditions. New Thought principles are found in Christianity,
Buddhism, Islam, Zen, Hinduism, and many philosophical and theological
works.
The particular style of New Thought we teach, Religious Science, is based on
the ideas to be found in Dr. Ernest Holmes' 1926 book, The Science of Mind®,
revised in 1938. These ideas aren't new, of course! In fact, there were many
influences on the formation of Religious Science. Click on the link called "What We Believe" at the bottom of this page to read Dr. Holmes' Declaration
of Religious Science Principles."
Dr. Holmes looked at the world's great religions and philosophy, at the
scriptures from many traditions [the Bible, Upanishads, Vedas, Koran, and so
on], and the best that science had to offer in his day. He read the works of
Emerson and Thoreau, studied the mystics, and followed his own intuition.
The result is a book that offers a practical and practicable way to approach
spirituality that is free from dogma, from rigid rules or thinking, and
totally contemporary today.
Of course, in the West, we love practicality. And it's the practical
application of these principles that make all the difference. If you've ever
watched Oprah Winfrey, and seen her interview a guest who explains a way to
make your life better by changing your intentions, you've seen New Thought
principles being taught. If you've read some of the works of Deepak Chopra,
which focus on how to heal your body by healing your mind, you've read about
New Thought.
Contemporary New Thought Teachers
Here are just a few of the contemporary authors that are teaching the ideas
found in New Thought. You might be surprised at how long the list is:
Fritja Capra, Julia Cameron, Alan Cohen, Stephen Covey, Ram Dass, Wayne
Dyer, Larry Dossey, John Gray, Louise Hay, Jerry Jampolsky, Caroline Myss,
Christiane Northrop, Suze Orman, Gabrielle Roth, Bernie Siegel, Iyanla
VanZant, Neale Donald Walsh, Marianne Williamson, and Gary Zukav.
There are so many ways to approach the Truth, and all of these authors are
offering a pathway to understanding and transformation. We invite you to
join us in an ongoing exploration of these principles, and in learning to
consistently and persistently apply them to your life.
What Does New Thought Teach?
Simply, New Thought teaches the law of cause and effect; that it is done
unto us as we believe; that as we sow, we do indeed reap. While the theory
of New Thought as taught Religious Science is simple, the proof of it is in
the practice. Religious Science teaches clear, easy-to-follow ways to change
our belief, to sow more mindfully, and to set only those causes in motion
we're happy to experience. The main practice we teach is affirmative prayer,
also known as spiritual mind treatment. It's spiritual, because it deals
with the spiritually based causes of what we experience. It's mental,
because it happens within our own minds and hearts. And it's a treatment,
because it provides tangible, definite results! Thousands of people have
experienced healings of everything from terminal, inoperable cancer,
depression, poverty, bad relationships, and a lack of job fulfillment.
To learn more about these ideas generally and our spiritual community in
particular, please visit our weekly Sunday services or contact us for more
information.
