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The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140

The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140. A time of prayer. Agenda Session 5. Review : The History of Mind-Cure Discussion : The Nature of God. Review: The History of Mind-Cure. What is mind-cure? A belief system. Wholeness is our natural state of being

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The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140

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  1. The History of New Thought & Unity HST 140

  2. A time of prayer

  3. AgendaSession 5 • Review: The History of Mind-Cure • Discussion: The Nature of God

  4. Review:The History of Mind-Cure

  5. What is mind-cure?A belief system • Wholeness is our natural state of being • Wholeness is a result of conscious awareness of Oneness • Dis-ease is a result of belief in separation from God • Feelings/thoughts are the most important factors in human health

  6. the science of mind-cure Sir Isaac Newton  1642-1727 Marquis de Puységur 1751–1825 James Braid 1795-1860 Anton Mesmer 1734-1815

  7. ContributionsPhineas Parkhurst Quimby1802-1866 • The cause of all illness is error belief • Healing happens in the mind • Hypnosis opens the door so people can release error thought • Truth is the cure • Patient & “healer” don’t need to be in the same location

  8. ContributionsWarren Felt Evans1817-1889 • Mental Medicine:“every person of ordinary intelligence • [can become] his own family physician” • Power of suggestion • Every practitioner of the healing art is another Jesus Christ • Fallacy of Catholic & Protestant dogma • 2 things are required for person to claim Wholeness • - desire to get well • - faith in the effectiveness of the treatment

  9. Principles of New Thought: the nature of God

  10. The theology of mind-cure Plato 428-348 bce Emanuel Swedenborg 1688-1772 Meister Eckhart 1260-1328 Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803–1882 Philo 25 bce-50 ce

  11. Transcendentalism1820s-1830s • First notable American intellectual movement • Response to Unitarianism • its focus on intellect and rationality, not spirituality • use reason to understand relationship between God, humanity & nature • Eclectic belief based in Asian, Greek & European thought • There is a higher reality and greater knowledge than is found in human mind

  12. 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

  13. Transcendentalists • Never attempted to develop a 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

  14. Plato [~427–347 bce] • 1] Form = perfect example • - all objects in world are copies of forms • - forms are then causes of all that exists in this world • - our essential nature is perfect • - but is expressed as something less • 2] Two realms: • - transcendent realm of forms • - knowing transcends logic & cannot be proven • - humans have access to forms through the mind • - unchanging • - invulnerable to pains of the material world • - material realm • - perceived through the senses • - changes

  15. Philo[c 20 bce – 50 ce] • 1] God is absolutely transcendent • - only God’s existence is certain • - God created/governed the world through mediators • 2] Logos is the primary mediator • - God’s way of speaking to humanity • - union between God & humanity is possible • 3] Based his doctrines on Hebrew Scripture • - everything in Torah is of divine origin • - source of religious truth and all truth • - Moses is real medium of revelation, not Jesus Christ • 4] Used allegory to interpret the Bible

  16. Meister Johannes Eckhart[1260-1328 ce] • 1] God is Omnipotence - Panentheism • - all of creation exists in God • - but this does not exhaust what God is • 2] Spark of the soul • - this is our divine essence • - we must let go of ego • - we can have direct experience of God through consciousness • 3] Oneness • - unity of all things • - but there is also unique expression

  17. Universe This is the main slide for content – assertion statement at the top and photo on the left and one or two word bullet points on the right.

  18. Meister Johannes Eckhart[1260-1328 ce] • 4] Encouraged people to experience God • - mysticism & prayer • - he’s not asking us to believe anything but to try something • 5] Father of Practical Christianity • - created practices from his intellectual ideas • - mysticism & contemplative practice • 6] His purpose was to discover God, no matter where that led

  19. Emanuel Swedenborg [1688-1772 ce] • 1] God is the life-giving force & substance of the cosmos • - transcendent, immanent, impersonal • - a universal, vitalizing influx flows in all • - health is the result of absorbing divine influx • 2] Bible is the word of God • - but requires inspired interpretation • 3] Obtaining material possessions is not our principle objective • 4] Believed intuition & reason are only ways to discover Truth • - rejected religious doctrine

  20. God condemns no one to hell but instead lifts us all toward heaven to the degree that we will follow along. Emmanuel Swedenborg

  21. Ralph Waldo Emerson [1803-1882]“the father of New Thought” • 1] God is an all powerful presence, not dictator • - God is found in nature • - humanity communes with God through prayer & meditation • 2] Man is a free thinker • - need to learn to trust intuition • - willing to reject old concepts & explore truth of all claims • - free from religion & doctrinal theology • - each has free choice • 3] Divinity of man in potential • - requires spiritual work & self-knowledge to manifest potential • - challenges the supernatural character of Jesus as God

  22. Next SessionThe relationship between God & humanity

  23. Session 5 Assignment • While traditional and Unity Christianity • differ in their approaches and methods, • what are some of the similarities? • Your initial response is due ______

  24. Session 5 Assignment: test In Chapter 1, Moncrief identifies several distinctions between Traditional and Unity Christianity. Explain one of those distinctions and, using this week’s readings, trace its philosophical history. 20 pts Due _________

  25. Reading for Session 6Relationship between God & Humanity • Moncrieff: 5 [born again/anew] • 6 [salvation]

  26. A time of prayer

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