The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140

1. The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140

3. a time of prayer

4. AgendaSession 6 • Brief discussion about the similarities between traditional & Unity Christianity • Review: the nature of God • Discussion: the relationship between • God & humanity • Assignments for this week • Plan for next session

6. Review:The Nature of God

7. Ideas about God • Plato [~427 – ~347 bce] • God is where forms [perfection] exist • 2 realms: transcendent & material • Philo [c 20 bce – 50 ce] • God is absolutely transcendent • used allegory to interpret the Bible

8. Ideas about God • Meister Eckhart [1260-1328 ce] • God as abundance • spark of the soul • oneness [panentheism] • experience of God is most important • father of Practical Christianity

9. Ideas about God • Emanuel Swedenborg [1688-1772 ce] • universal, vitalizing influx that flows into all • life-giving force & substance of the cosmos • transcendent & immanent • Bible is the word of God • Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-1882] • all powerful presence • humans commune with God in prayer & • meditation

10. Transcendentalism1820s-1830s • First notable American intellectual movement • There is a higher reality and greater knowledge than is found in human mind • No clearly defined set of doctrines • …but stressed similar themes • importance of personal spiritual experience • reverence for nature • willingness to challenge established authority for moral reasons

11. Transcendentalist beliefs • We are all One • God is the “over-soul” [Emerson] • all people possess a piece of the “over-soul" • therefore people & nature are inherently good & One • Society corrupts the purity of individuals • especially organized religion and political parties • People are at their best when self-reliant & independent • intuition is as valuable as scientific empiricism • Need more intense spiritual experience to find God

12. The Relationship Between God & Humanity

13. The Nature of God[Unity] • Omni4:Omnipresence, Omnipotence, Omniscience • - Omniaction [Butterworth] • Absolute Good • Principle [even as we have a personal relationship] • Source, Supply, underlying cause of all • Unchanging, alpha-omega

14. The Nature of Humanity[Unity] • Inherently divine [can never be lost or revoked] • Free choice • Self-knowledge & self-responsibility • 3-fold nature [body, mind/ego/soul, spirit/soul] • 3 phases of mind [subcon, con, Superconscious]

15. 3-fold Nature of Humanity Body: physical “vessel” Mind: ego, soul Spirit: soul, connection with God body mind Spirit

16. 3 Phases of Mind Conscious:thoughts, feelings we’re aware of Subconscious: thoughts, feelings, activities we don’t remember & the collective consciousness Superconscious:our connection with God

17. 3-fold Nature & 3 Phases of Mind body mind Spirit

18. The Relationship BetweenGod & Humanity[Unity] • Oneness always exists [even if we don’t recognize it] • The Christ is within us • Our connection with God is through the mind • We are co-creators • Jesus is the Way-Shower

19. Origen Oregenes Adamantius 185-254 • First biblical scholar of Christian theology • Ascetic lifestyle - devoted life to learning • Learned Hebrew to read scriptures & • confer with rabbis • Condemned & killed as a heretic • Yet beliefs still influential

20. Contributions ofOrigen • Universal salvation • - all can be restored to their original blessed state • - even “satan” • - punishments are remedial • Jesus is earthly manifestation of God • - to know Jesus is to know God • Christ consciousness is inherent, not earned • Used allegory to derive meaning from scripture • - scripture has 3 meanings: body, soul, spirit • - corresponds to our literal, moral & spiritual selves

22. Ralph Waldo Emerson1803–1882 • Consciousness is the only reality • We are all One • - God is the “over-soul” [Emerson] • - all people possess a piece of the “over-soul" • - therefore people & nature are inherently One • The essential nature of humanity is good • - all people possess a piece of the “over-soul" • - our birth right is universal good • Significance of intuition • - supremacy of mind over matter • information through direct revelations of Spirit • - not from senses or reason

24. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel1770-1831 • German philosopher • An idealist • - reality of things is spiritual, not material • Believed in one absolute power, Spirit • - the energy source of all • - everything else is part of this absolute • The dialectic • - reality can be understood only by contrast • - thesis -> antithesis -> synthesis -> new thesis …

25. The Dialectic Sensory Consciousness -> 27 levels -> Absolute Consciousness

26. Contributions ofHegel • Absolute Consciousness – Conscious Love • Love, Harmony, Wisdom all converge in one consciousness • All converge toward one vision, the vision of God, Universal Harmony • Responsibilities • Self-actualization • We must learn to love the entire world • Help each person along their next stage of consciousness

27. next week Prayer, Intuition & Mysticism

28. Reading for Session 7Prayer, Intuition & Mysticism •  Moncrieff: • 4 [Jesus, Christ & Jesus Christ] • 8 [prayer] • 9 [atonement]

29. Session 6 Assignment • What lesson, person and/or event • first helped you understand your divinity? • Your response is due ____________

30. Session 6 Assignment: Test Using the course material and readings, explain and trace the philosophical history of the second basic principle of Unity: We are spiritual beings. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good. 20 pts Due _______________

31. a time of prayer