Religious Science is a "New Thought" teaching. 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, the thread of truth which 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" in the menu to the left to read Dr. Holmes' Declaration of Religious Science Principles.
Dr. Holmes looked at the world's great religions and philosophy, studied the scriptures from many traditions [the Bible, Upanishads, Vedas, Koran, and so on], and the best 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 offering a practical way to approach spirituality free from dogma, free 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 which 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 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, Christiana Northrop, Suze Orman, Gabrielle Roth, Bernie Siegel, Iyanla VanZant, Neale Donald Walsh, Marianne Williamson, Michael Bernard Beckwith, 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: it is done unto us as we believe; as we sow, so shall we reap. While the theory of New Thought as taught in 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 is 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 (10:30 am) or contact us for more information.
