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Toward the Prophetic: A NewDirection in the Practice of NewThoughtby Liza J. RankowLiza J. Rankow, Ph.D. is an independent scholar and the founding director of OneLifeInstitute, based in Oakland, CA. Copyright by Liza J. Rankow, used by permission of theauthor.

Called The Religion of Healthy-Mindedness by William James in hisclassic work, Varieties of Religious Experience, New Thought is a spiritualand philosophical movement associated with the founding of a number ofideologically-related churches in the late 19th and early 20th century UnitedStates. Among the best known of these are Divine Science, ReligiousScience (or the Science of Mind), and the Unity Society of PracticalChristianity (or more commonly, Unity).[1] Although drawing on spiritualprinciples evident in a variety of settings throughout history, the NewThought movement is generally considered to have its origins in the mentalhealing practice of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802-1866) and thetranscendentalism of Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882).[2] New Thoughtdeveloped out of a post-Revolutionary War ethos of individualism andpersonal entitlement. The ideals espoused in the Declaration ofIndependence are evident in the New Thought belief that each person isdivinely endowed with the right to happiness and the power of choice,enjoying equal access to the creative potential of spiritual and metaphysicallaws.[3] In traditional philosophical use the term metaphysics refers to a study of thefundamental nature of being and reality; in New Thought metaphysics, ormetaphysical, specifically indicates that fundamental nature as a spiritual ormental reality that transcends the physical. Spirit is regarded as pure energythat expresses along a continuum with higher and lower levels of vibration.Thus matter is spirit (or mind) in form. The power of mind to createexperience is stressed in the New Thought adage, Change your thinking,

change your life. This is often noted as consistent with Proverbs 23:7, Foras he thinketh in his heart, so is he, as well as Romans 12:2, Be notconformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of yourmind. The term mind, particularly when capitalized, is used in NewThought to indicate the Divine Mind or Mind of God. The concept ofMind goes beyond the intellect to encompass the conscious andsubconscious creative power of thought, in both its universal andindividualized expressions. Through practices such as meditation andaffirmative prayer (sometimes called spiritual mind treatment),transformation of the individualized mind, or consciousness, may beaccomplished, along with a corresponding transformation of life experience. New Thought teachings emphasize the omnipresence of God as the onelife, power, and intelligence that expresses throughout the seen and unseenworld. Human beings are made in the image and likeness of this DivineSource individualizations of It and inseparable from It inheritors of freewill, self-dominion and creative thought. Citing the example of Jesus, NewThought teaches the practical application of spiritual principles for thehealing of body and affairs, and the availability of the kingdom of heavenin every moment. All healing is essentially understood to be a healing ofthe sense of separation (actual separation would be an impossibility) fromthe unitary wholeness of God. Although the specific spiritual practices and doctrinal statements may varysomewhat from one denomination to another, or among individualpractitioners of New Thought (many adherents are unaffiliated with aparticular denomination), there are philosophical consistencies that can benoted. The overview presented in this article will focus primarily on thesebroader concepts that are more generally representative of New Thoughtand will often rely on the statements of belief from different denominationsto illustrate these principles, hence making extensive use of web-basedresources. I will offer a somewhat systematic review of New Thoughtphilosophy, considering textual sources and hermeneutics, beliefs about thenature of Divinity, humankind, christology, and universal creation, and howthese beliefs inform the way New Thought addresses suffering. I concludewith a discussion of the New Thought approach to individual and socialtransformation, and particularly the relatively recent development of what Ihave termed Prophetic New Thought, as an engaged spiritualityconcerned with peace and justice issues. Texts and Hermeneutics The primary scriptural text for most New Thought denominations is the

Judeo-Christian Bible.[4] The sacred writings of other spiritual traditionsare referenced in varying degrees by the different authors anddenominations. For example Ernest Holmes, the founder of ReligiousScience, while retaining a decidedly Christian emphasis, explicitlyacknowledged the wisdom teachings of many of the worlds faiths ascontributing to his development of the Science of Mind. Secondary textualsources are comprised of the writings of the fore-parents of New Thought,such as Emerson, Thomas Troward, Emma Curtis Hopkins, Warren FeltEvans, and others who did not establish any congregational body, but whoseteachings were instrumental to the articulations that followed.[5] Additionalsources include the more doctrinal writings of the founders of the variousdenominations, and the work of contemporary practitioners of NewThought. The central hermeneutic of New Thought is metaphysical (in the sensepreviously defined), interpreting scriptures and often life itself according to esoteric or allegorical meanings. Charles Fillmore, a co-founder of Unity, provided detailed instruction on this symbolism that waspublished in 1931 as The Metaphysical Bible Dictionary, a reference widelyused in New Thought. In metaphysical exegesis proper names, features ofthe landscape, numbers, gender, and other details, each have a deepersignificance corresponding to a state of consciousness. The Bible is viewednot only as an historical or canonical document, but as a description of theindividual souls journey of spiritual development and commentary on whathappens when different states of consciousness interact with one another inthe collective drama of human existence.[6] God Is All There Is The fundamental teaching of New Thought is the infinite eternalomnipresence of God (Spirit, Divine Mind, or however It is termed) as allthere is. The Divine Science Statement of Being is representative: God isall, both invisible and visible. One Presence, One Mind, One Power is all.This One that is all is Perfect Life, Perfect Love and Perfect Substance.Divine Science maintains [t]he transcendence and immanence of God ismanifest in all created things, yet above and beyond all created things: Godthe Create and the Uncreate [sic]; the Visible and the Invisible; the Absoluteand the Relative; the Universal and the Individual.[7] God is not personified in New Thought, but regarded as an EternalPrinciple that appears as Law, Being, Mind, Spirit, the Cause and Source ofAll.[8] According to Unity teachings, the nature of God is absolute Good,the unchangeable, impersonal, eternal Truth standing under all creation with

absolute integrity. The elements that make up this absolute Good are whatwe term ideas (attributes, qualities) of God, such as life, love, substance,power, wisdom joy, strength, plenty, and every other good thing.[9] This emphasis on God as absolute Good is common in New Thought, as itis in mainline Christianity. In mainline doctrine, however, Gods goodnessis often contrasted with some independently existent evil, in a dualisticcontext (whether or not that evil is personified as the devil or Satan). In theNew Thought setting of ultimate oneness, and the conviction that God isall there is, evil is regarded not as a fundamental part of the universalorder, but as the byproduct of a human consciousness of separation. Expressions of the One New Thought teaches that every person is an individualized expression of,and inseparably one with, the Life of God. Rather than human beings witha spirit, we are described as spiritual beings in human incarnation. Ouressential nature and identity is not physical, but spiritual and eternal amicrocosm of the Divine macrocosm with the ability to reveal all thequalities of God. The reason for incarnation is to provide opportunities forthe souls learning and development. New Thought emphasizes the direct access of every individual to thepower and presence of God, without intermediary or intercession. Thisunion does not have to be earned, nor can it ever be lost; it is inherent inspiritual existence. Through the Divine Mind, every individualized mind isjoined; all consciousness is one. New Thought teaches that [t]here is noseparation from the cosmic wholeness that many call God, other than anexperience of belief in such separation. All realms and dimensions ofhuman experience physical/material, mental, emotional, etc. are sointerwoven that no person or thing in the cosmos can be separated from thewhole. The only way to experience such separation is to believe inseparation.[10] Neither is there any separation or cessation of consciousness with the deathof the physical body. Divine Science represents the general consensus ofNew Thought belief when it affirms that death is only one of manyexperiences in the spiritual unfoldment of the soul. At this time, the soulsimply moves into another level of expression. Life never ceases for all islife eternally expressing through a multitude of forms. What is true at onepoint in life is true at all points in life; therefore, man, the spiritual being,can not and does not die.[11]

Jesus the Wayshower, Christ the Consciousness In most New Thought denominations a distinction is made between thehistorical person, Jesus of Nazareth, and the Christ consciousness he isbelieved to embody. Jesus is regarded as the divine example, a masterteacher who exemplified what all of humanity is called to demonstrate assons and daughters, expressions or emanations, of God. The Christ isunderstood as the consciousness of enlightenment, a universal principle ofSpirit rather than an exclusive person. Ernest Holmes notes that

Religious Science does not deny the divinity of Jesus; but it doesaffirm the divinity of all people. It does not deny that Jesus was theson of God; but affirms that all beings are children of God. It doesnot deny that the Kingdom of God was revealed through Jesus; butaffirms that the Kingdom of God is also revealed through you andme.[12]

In the hermeneutic of New Thought, Jesus admonition to pray in myname may be interpreted as in my nature with the authority andintegrity of the Christ consciousness. Holmes writes, If our thought is asunsullied as the Mind of God, if we are recognizing our Oneness with God,we cannot pray for other than the good of all [humanity]. The secret ofspiritual power lies in a consciousness of ones union with theWhole.[13] This is the foundation for the healing practice that has beenpart of New Thought since the mental cures of Quimby. Jesus is believedto have healed and performed miracles through his Christ nature hisconscious union with God. Philippians 2:5, Let this mind be in you that wasalso in Christ Jesus, is taken as an affirmation of the universal availabilityof the Christ Mind/Principle and the directive to seek its embodiment. Jesusis regarded as the Divine Wayshower who, having fully realized his owndivine nature, can guide each person to a realization of the Christ thepresence of God within her or himself. Universal Creation: The Body of God New Thought is generally panentheistic, regarding God as present within,but infinitely exceeding, the manifest universe. Just as the physical universecan be described by observed physical laws, the spiritual universe isbelieved to be organized by metaphysical laws that can be activated throughthe use of spiritual practices to consciously create life experience.[14] The

Declaration of Principles of the International New Thought Alliance(INTA), an association of New Thought groups and denominations, states:We affirm that the universe is the body of God, spiritual in essence,governed by God through laws which are spiritual in reality even whenmaterial in appearance.[15] The Universal Foundation for Better Living, founded in 1974 by the Rev.Johnnie Colemon (who came out of the Unity church), believes thatEverything that exists, or ever will exist is pressed out of the body of God(God-Substance) in different forms of manifestation. Since the nature ofGod is absolute good, and everything is God-Substance, there can be no evilin reality.[16] Even that which appears to be material is spiritual in itsessence, the physicalized expression of Mind. According to its founders,Divine Science has always taught that so-called matter is pure divineenergy manifesting as form; it repeatedly points out that Substance isSpirit.[17] Suffering Generally speaking, New Thought takes an affirmative and empoweringapproach to human suffering. Several denominations offer specific practicesthat facilitate a deeper understanding of the mental cause of adverseconditions and shift the underlying pattern of thoughts and beliefs, therebytranscending or transforming the corresponding experience. As we haveseen, the philosophy of mental causation teaches that experience isdetermined by consciousness. Given any set of objective conditions orcircumstances, the subjective experience of an individual (and the meaningassigned to any condition) will depend on the climate of thoughts, feelings,and beliefs s/he maintains. The following excerpt provides illustration:

It is done unto me as I believe. All healing results from thehealing of belief in separation from cosmic wholeness. Allexperience of disconnection and brokenness, be it in my own body,the body of my affairs or any other body, is a consequence ofbelieving that I am separated from the cosmic whole that many callGod. All healing is a healing of the perception that wholenessdoes not prevail. Accordingly, New Thought supports thecleansing of perceptions, the neutralization of all perception ofdisconnectedness, brokenness and separation, which in turn resultsin the healing of conditions. Only the healing of one's perceptionproduces comprehensive and permanent results.[18]

New Thought affirms that a person is not defined or diminished by theconditions that he or she may experience; no outer circumstance can eclipsethe truth of spiritual wholeness. However, the New Thought emphasis onconsciousness as the determinant of lived conditions can lead to a simplisticblame the victim type attitude regarding lack, limitation, and even socialinjustice. A person experiencing illness or adversity may be perceived assomehow less evolved or enlightened, or less God-realized, and theirconsciousness as being in need of correction. Divine Science representsmany of the New Thought denominations in declaring, Sickness is theresult of a belief in two powers; a lack of the full realization that we are, inTruth, spiritual beings when an individual is expressing on a high level ofconsciousness and knows completely that he is Spirit, he cannot be ill, forhe is in complete harmony with the one creative power, God.[19] Althoughthe motive may be to relieve suffering, its a slippery theological slope thatsuggests the equation of material success or well-being with spiritualevolution.[20] Furthermore, with this emphasis, the formative or soul-deepening value of suffering is too often disregarded in the rush to findrelief. Individual and Social Transformation Historically, New Thought has focused almost exclusively on individualtransformation as the way to achieve transformation in the world. Believingthat everything begins in mind, New Thought teaches that events in theouter world reflect inner mentation. Conditions on the global or sociallevel, then, cannot be definitively addressed without a shift in theunderlying mental causation. The macrocosm of human collectiveconsciousness is regarded as inseparable from the microcosm of individualthoughts, attitudes, and beliefs. In this context affirmative prayer,meditation, and so forth, may be viewed as the most effective actions tobring about positive social change. Each individual is seen as a co-creatorof the collective consciousness, and is therefore personally accountable forcontributing to the world condition. An article by the president of ReligiousScience International describes the denominations approach to thecontemporary issue, Dealing Spiritually with Terrorism. She writes:

The Science of Mind teaches that the only way we can changeconditions, transcend our experiences, or impact others in anymeaningful way is to use the Power of Mind constructively. That'swhat it means to take responsibility when bad things happen. Takingresponsibility does not mean to blame ourselves for the things thathappen, but to take charge of our mental reaction when they do. Through [prayer] treatment we can align our consciousness with theDivine Consciousness so that our next action is motivated by loveand compassion rather than hatred and fear. Peace begins only

where it can within each and every one of us. Right here and rightnow.[21]

New Thoughts cultural and historic roots in the 19th century New Englandethos of personal independence and spiritual entitlement support anindividualistic response to communal problems. The Universal Foundationfor Better Living, for example, suggests that, rather than devoting ourprimary efforts to providing for the needy of the world, the time has cometo make available to all people everywhere a teaching that will enable themto provide for themselves by learning to release the divine potential withinthem.[22] Another New Thought organization likewise affirms, We canestablish Global Transformation by intentionally choosing to improve ourpersonal lives. Each time you choose to entertain healthy thinking youimpact life on two levels, individually and collectively.The world willautomatically change as a result.[23] As with the approach to personal suffering, the intention is to engage thecreative power of mind, and through a shift in consciousness to generate acorresponding transformation of external conditions. In order to maintain apositive mental state and avoid the perpetuation of negativecircumstances, adherents of New Thought may be counseled to turn theirattention from the outer visible effects of this world to the inner world ofFirst Cause. The [outer] world is seen as the realm of constant changes inappearance, but the inner world is perceived as the Source of All Being.According to the teachings of Divine Science [t]he power of right thinkingreleases into expression in each individual life its divine inheritance ofhealth, abundance, peace, and power.[24] Prophetic New Thought Recent years have seen a development within the New Thought movementthat could be referred to as Prophetic New Thought.[25] Thismetaphysical approach to social transformation comprises a practicalapplication of spiritual principles to directly address the violence, injustice,and suffering that exist in the world. An example may be seen in the workof the Rev. Michael Bernard Beckwith, founder of the Agape InternationalSpiritual Center in Culver City (Los Angeles area), California.[26] Although ordained as a Religious Science minister, Beckwith practices anecumenical spirituality that he calls New Thought Ancient Wisdom,acknowledging the consistency of wisdom teachings found throughout theages in a diversity of faiths and cultures. Rooted in this theological context,his sermons and his activism demonstrate a commitment not only to peaceand justice, but to a wholistic paradigmatic shift affecting every dimension

of the inner and outer landscape. (See illustration.) In a 2006 interview, Beckwith addressed the urgency of contemporaryissues, inviting readers to move beyond two of the common tendencieswithin New Thought that hinder social engagement the avoidance ofsocial concerns in order to withdraw attention from negativity, and theuse of spiritual practices to manifest personal desires. He notes,

How sad that the sophistication of weapons is greater than theworlds collective systems for producing and sustaining thesacredness of life on the planet How tragic that the planetsresources are raped and plundered, and war is still a commonlyaccepted solution to human conflicts. Acknowledging these facts isnot negativity. We cannot bury our head in the proverbial sand aboutwhere the collective evolution of consciousness has brought us thusfar. Never before has the spiritual technology of prayer, meditation,taking an active stand for peace, compassion, and intelligentdialogue been more vital. Now is not the time to be egotisticallyconcerned with manifesting petty desires it is a time to beintelligently and actively involved in the welfare of all beings.[27]

According to Beckwith, When humanitys view transforms egocentricboundaries of me and mine into a worldcentric view of ours we have atrue chance not only to create integrative policies of peace but to live them.Events such as the world is currently experiencing [in the aftermath of 9-11]offer the prospect of moving into a creative response, one that may havenever before been considered.[28] Rev. Beckwith is a co-founder of the Association for Global New Thought(AGNT), an umbrella organization that oversees a growing roster ofinternational spiritual activist projects. Among these are: A Season forNonviolence;[29] the Synthesis Dialogues with His Holiness the DalaiLama and progressive multi-faith leaders from around the world; an annualAwakened World conference bringing together scientists, futurists, andspiritual activists; participation in the 1998 UNESCO Seminar on Religionand Peace, and the 1999 and 2004 Parliament of the Worlds Religions. The Association for Global New Thought maintains a vision of planetarytransformation based on the conviction that there are universal spiritualtruths which represent the emerging spiritual paradigm for the newmillennium.[30] Conforming to the New Thought belief thatconsciousness is elementally creative, reciprocates thoughts, and thereby

shapes all manifestation, AGNT affirms the community of all life issacred; our practices of meditation and prayer enhance a worldviewpromoting reverence for, and service to humanity and planet earth. NewThought is committed to Global healing through personal transformation,community-building, interfaith, intercultural, and interdisciplinaryunderstanding, and compassionate activism.[31] So here we find thetraditional New Thought emphasis on individual transformation extendedin its application to address the world situation. Another example of prophetic New Thought is found in the ministry of theRev. Deborah L. Johnson, based in Soquel, California. AcknowledgingBeckwith as her mentor, Johnson has combined New Thought spiritualitywith her lifelong commitment to social justice activism. A respecteddiversity trainer and consultant in conflict resolution, Johnson possesses akeen understanding of the mechanisms of societal oppression (based onrace, gender, sexual orientation, economics, etc.) and seeks to approachthese from the context of spiritual oneness. Her congregation, Inner LightMinistries, emphasizes oneness as a core principle and strives to embodythis ideal in every aspect of operations and community life.[32] (It isimportant to clarify that, for Johnson, oneness does not connote sameness oruniformity, but the integration of diverse expressions as parts of aninterdependent whole. Every person is viewed as a spiritual being, endowedwith equal value and equal worth.) Unlike many New Thought pastors, Rev. Johnson frequently addressessocial issues from the pulpit. In a sermon given on 18 December 2005, shespoke about the U.S.-led war in Iraq:

When we get to the point where we say we are one planet, where weare one people, the idea of sacrificing one persons life for anotherpersons life is not acceptable. Calling human beings collateral isnot acceptable. Weve got tohave the courage to move beyonddivisiveness. If there is only one people, that needs to show upeverywhere. We need to see that in our economics. We need to seethat in our childcare. We need to see that in education. We need tosee that in health reform. We need to see that in how we treat theelders And we have to stand on thatthat it is unacceptable tovalue some people more than other people. It is unacceptable torun over a sovereign nation because our countrys consumerism is sogreat that we want to take their resources. It is unacceptable. Theresjust one people here. Theres just one.[33]

Johnson affirms the New Thought belief that the microcosmic and

macrocosmic, the individual and the collective, are mirrors of one anotherand cannot be separated. She notes, each of us is integral to everycircumstance as both part of the reason it exists and how it will heal.Nothing happens at a global level that is not first happening at theindividual level, and nothing can heal globally without healing on theindividual level.[34] This implies both accountability for the worldcondition and agency for its transformation. As African Americans coming of age in Los Angeles during the socialunrest of the 1960s, both Johnson and Beckwith were heavily influenced bythe Civil Rights Movement and Martin Luther King Jr.s vision of theBeloved Community. During his childhood, Beckwith attended HolmanUnited Methodist Church, known for its tradition of social involvementand commitment to peace and justice issues. He attended MorehouseCollege in the early 1970s where he encountered the teachings of Dr.Howard Thurman, combining a deep mystic spirituality with the necessityof social engagement. Johnson grew up in the Church of God in Christ,where spirituality and programs of social uplift went hand-in-hand. Hergrandmother was a member of Second Baptist Church in Los Angels underthe pastorship of the Rev. Thomas Kilgore, a longtime activist and friend ofDr. King and his family. As an out lesbian Johnsons own activism hasincluded national leadership roles in the movement for lesbian, gay,bisexual, and transgender rights. Beckwith and Johnson represent a new generation of African AmericanNew Thought ministers.[35] Their grounding in the social conscience ofthe Black Church and their participation in liberation movements of thesixties and seventies informed their interpretation and practice of NewThought. In their ministries, New Thought teachings regarding individualhealing and transformation are not discarded, but rather extended to includesocial healing and transformation of the collective consciousness. Althoughsomewhat controversial within the larger New Thought movement, thisdirection is gaining both prominence and momentum. Largely influenced by Beckwith and the work of AGNT, a commitment tosocial engagement has begun to find its way into several New Thoughtdenominations. Reverend Beckwiths former association with the UnitedChurch of Religious Science (UCRS) led to their 2001 adoption of theGlobal Heart Vision, calling for a world free of homelessness, violence,war, hunger, separation and disenfranchisement.[36] More recently, in2005, UCRS formed a Social Issues Committee to identify local and globalissues that are relevant to a world that works for everyone, to apply spiritualprinciples and move forward into appropriate action. Their statedintentions are:

To respect and preserve the dignity of every being, to universallyensure human rights, to promote freedom of expression, andfreedom in all its forms. To be conscious stewards of the environment and preserve thesanctity of creation. To develop and engage in activities that cooperate with the laws ofnature allowing the earth to return to its natural state of being. To dedicate ourselves to support all efforts that uphold and spreadpeace through nonviolence and cooperation. To align, integrate and co-create with others of like mind.[37]

In early 2007 the committee unveiled a Spiritual Advocacy Handbookcovering such topics as working together for change, visiting an electedofficial, attending a public forum, and influencing the media. They havealso released greening guidelines for improving the environmentalresponsibility of congregations. Future plans call for an interactive websiteproviding information, resources, and networking for those seeking toaddress social issues from the context of New Thought spirituality. The Association of Unity Churches followed suit with the creation of aSpiritual Social Action Ministry Team in 2006. The initiative came out of astrategic directive adopted by the Association, which calls for positivelyimpacting the human condition, and evidences a growing support forspiritual social action among the broader membership of Unity. Goals forthe ministry include:

1. To work collaboratively with organizations around the world whoare engaged in effective social action that is in alignment with Unityprinciples.

2. To encourage the Association [of Unity Churches] to speak theTruth that promotes justice and peaceful resolution, and be a strongvoice in the world for positive change. 3. To make an annual prestigious award for, and to shine a light on,spiritual social action and service that is being done by Unityministries. 4. To provide resources, information, education and training forindividuals and ministries that want to become involved in spiritualsocial action. 5. To support regions, ministers and ministries in engaging inongoing diversity-consciousness education so that we welcome andhonor all people. 6. To establish a movement wide system for responding to humanneed through conscious compassionate service and action. 7. To take actions that promote, inspire, support and createsustainable worldwide peace. 8. To encourage and empower the work of social and environmentaljustice by the Association and Unity ministries.[38]

The work of both UCRS and Unity is in its early stages; however, just thefact that such commissions exist within these major denominations is anoteworthy shift from their historic position. It is too soon to know ifincreasing support for social action within the denominations will have areflexive effect on New Thought doctrine, or on the content of what ispreached from the pulpits of New Thought congregations, moving themfurther toward the prophetic. It will also be interesting to see if increasedparticipation of New Thought adherents in movements for social changealters the discourse and the strategies of those movements. To some degreethis is already happening due to the popularization of New Thoughtteachings through self-help books, movies, and other commercial outlets.[39] As New Thought principles become part of the vocabulary of thegeneral population this cross-pollination will likely increase. Whether the

influence is superficial and short-lived or more significant and enduringremains to be seen. Conclusion The fundamental tenets of New Thought philosophy include mentalcausation, the omneity of God, and the oneness of all life. Earlypractitioners of New Thought focused on the use of mental and spiritualpractices for the healing of body and affairs, and the betterment of personalconditions. In this belief system, everything is made up of energy vibratingat different frequencies. The conditions of the physical dimension areregarded as the transient effects of consciousness, without enduringsubstance or ultimate reality. Through a shift in consciousness, conditionscan be altered for the individual, and thus for the collective. From this traditional New Thought perspective, the most effective way towork for social change is through personal inner transformation. Forinstance, poverty is addressed through dissolving the blocks to prosperitywithin the consciousness of each individual, without analysis of the socialstructures that perpetuate economic inequity. In the face of war (or anyconflict), adherents might seek peace among the warring factions within theborders of their own heart and mind. To end oppression they may strive fora deeper understanding of the oppressor and the oppressed within, tore-establish a consciousness of wholeness. Generally, attention is placed onthe desired outcome rather than the adverse condition. Some New Thoughtadherents choose to avoid news media in order to maintain this positivefocus. Certainly, there is great value in personal transformation. Diligence in innerpeace-making, for example, can help develop the capacity to stand inintegrity and with compassion in the face of troubling world events.However, the primary focus on causation in the inner realm risks obscuringthe gravity of trespasses in the outer world, the systematic andinstitutional nature of oppression, and the culpability of the perpetratingagents. Furthermore, the practice of withdrawing ones witness of sufferingand injustice as a way to avoid negativity can create a false sense ofcomplacency, short-circuiting the motivation for social action. Although maintaining an emphasis on individual transformation as the key,recent years have witnessed a movement beyond this exclusive focus toadvocate the need for transformation on all levels individual,interpersonal, institutional, and political and the explicit valuation of

social engagement as part of committed spiritual practice. This emergingProphetic New Thought is evidenced in a growing number ofcongregations and denominations. The dominant society is built on a paradigm of dualism and polarity usand them, good-guys and bad-guys, right and wrong, friend and foe, havesand have-nots. This polarization risks dehumanizing the other and canthereby disinhibit and even normalize acts of violence, discrimination, anddegradation. Many movements for social change, while seeking to haltviolence or injustice, too often simply recast who is right and who is wrong,who is us and who is them, without challenging the paradigmaticassumption of duality. Applying the New Thought principle of universaloneness to conditions of social concern can have profound implicationsboth for how we interact with other members of the human family and howwe care for the earth. If, as this worldview asserts, the essence of all life issingular one with God and one with every element of creation then thereis no other, no them, only an infinitely inclusive us. Acts of harm(whether against people or the natural world) would then constitute atrespass against the whole, against self, and ultimately, against God. In New Thought, as in the mystic traditions of many faiths, oneness isregarded as literal and absolute, and therefore must include not only thevictims of violence and domination, but also the perpetrators. Thus theoppressed and the oppressor are seen as one at the deepest level of God-life,and it is that very recognition that creates the possibility of redemptivetransformation and reconciliation. In the prophetic application of NewThought principles, a just and compassionate world becomes possible notby simply shifting who holds power in society, but in shifting theparadigmatic framework that guides beliefs, policy, and action. When the transformation of individual consciousness that is the cornerstoneof New Thought is translated into a corresponding commitment to work forthe common welfare of all beings, it has the potential to provide freshresources and perspectives for the social and political struggles central tothe prophetic tradition.

NOTES

[1] Consistent teachings can be seen internationally in the Self RealizationFellowship of Paramahansa Yogananda, established in 1920; Seicho-No-Iefounded in Japan in 1930 by Dr. Masaharu Taniguchi; and the contemporarySpiritual Mind Science of Bro. Ishmael Tetteh of Ghana. It should be notedthat although Christian Science does not consider itself part of the NewThought movement, it comes out of the same theological and historicalroots. New Thought should not be confused with New Age which is anumbrella term referring to a somewhat amorphous spiritualist philosophythat overlaps with many New Thought beliefs, but also includes the occultand a variety of alternative healing modalities that are not consistent withNew Thought doctrine. [2] Despite its name, New Thought is not new. Some of its antecedentinfluences include the Hindu Vedas and Bhagavad Gita, Platonic andNeoplatonic thought, Swedenborgianism, and German idealism. It is alimitation of New Thought that, like most traditions that trace theirevolutionary roots in terms of the ancient Greek philosophers, it does notacknowledge the African (Kemetic) contributions to the Greek wisdomteachings. [3] For a summary of New Thought history see: Charles S. Braden, Spiritsin Rebellion: The Rise and Development of New Thought (Dallas: SouthernMethodist University Press, 1963); Sherry Evans, The Roads to Truth: InSearch of New Thoughts Roots (West Jordan, UT: Northern LightsPublications, 2005); the work of C. Alan Anderson and Deborah G.Whitehouse, for example, New Thought: A Practical American Spirituality(New York: Crossroad Publishing, Co., 1995), as well as their extensiveweb-based archive resource [4] Religious historian James Noel points out the problematics inherent inthe contradictory worldviews upon which New Thought is based:philosophical non-dualism on the one hand, and the dualism of the Judeo-Christian biblical tradition on the other. Personal communication, 18October 2008. [5] For example see: Emma Curtis Hopkins, Scientific Christian MentalPractice (Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss & Co., n.d.); Ralph WaldoEmerson, Essays of Ralph Waldo Emerson (New York: Harper & Row,1926/1951); Warren Felt Evans, The Mental Cure (Boston: H. H. & T. W.Carter, 1869); and Thomas Troward, The Edinburgh & Dor Lectures onMental Science (Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss, 1909/1989).

[6] More recent authors, among them Joel Goldsmith, Jack Addington, andErvin Seale, have published further discussions of the metaphysicalinterpretation of Biblical texts. See for example: Goldsmith, SpiritualInterpretation of Scripture (Marina del Rey: DeVorss & Co., 1947);Addington, The Hidden Mystery of the Bible (Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorssPublications, 1969); Seale, Learn to Live the Meaning of the Parables(Marina del Rey, CA: DeVorss Publications, 1955). [7] Statement of Being, Divine Science website,, accessed 30 March 2006. [8] Thomas Charles Sannar, Summary of the Spiritual Ideas from Sourcesof Science of Mind, website of Emerson Institute the educational arm ofthe Affiliated New Thought Network (ANTN) at, accessed 30 March 2006. [9] Foundations of Unity (Unity Village, MO: Unity, n.d.) 38, as cited in C.Alan Anderson, Contrasting Strains of Metaphysical Idealism Contributingto New Thought, monograph for Society for the Study of MetaphysicalReligion, 1991. Accessed 30 March 2006,. Italics and parens in the original. [10] Noel F. McInnis, Principles of Connectedness in Consciousness, NewThought Network website, , accessed30 March 2006 (web site now discontinued). [11] From Interpretations of the Christian Doctrine, Divine Sciencewebsite, , accessed 23 August2007. [12] From Frequently Asked Questions: Do You Believe in Jesus Christ?on United Church of Religious Science website,, accessed 30March 2006. [13] Ernest Holmes, The Science of Mind (New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher /

Putnam, 1938/1997), 151. [14] These practices commonly include meditation, prayer treatment,statements of affirmation and denial, and other similar methods. [15] Quoted in Anderson and Woodhouse, New Thought, 1995, 5. [16] What We Teach: The Omnipresence of God, Christ Universal Temple(church of the Rev. Johnnie Colemon),, accessed 23 August 2007. [17] Divine Science: Its Principle and Practice. Compiled from Truth andHealth by Fannie B. James and Divine Science and Healing by Malinda E.Cramer (Denver: Divine Science Church and College, 1957), 39-40, ascited in Anderson, Contrasting Strains of Metaphysical Idealism, op cit. [18] McInnis, , accessed 30 March2006. [19] Interpretations of the Christian Doctrine, Divine Science website,, accessed 27 August 2007. [20] The prosperity gospel movement, a discussion of which is beyond thescope of this paper, shares common ground with certain elements of NewThought in this regard. See, for example, Darnise C. Martin, BeyondChristianity: African Americans in a New Thought Church (New York:NYU Press, 2005), especially 53-59. [21] Candace Becket, Dealing Spiritually with Terrorism. ReligiousScience International web site accessed 27 April 2008. [22] What We Believe, Universal Foundation for Better Living website,, accessed 25 February 2008.

[23] Global Transformation through Individual Consciousness, NewThought Chicago website,, accessed 27April 2008. [24] What is Divine Science? from Divine Science website,, accessed 23 August 2007. [25] To my knowledge this represents an original coinage, and not a termthat is otherwise in use. See, Rankow, Nearer than Breathing: Toward aTheology of Unification (Union Institute and University, 2004). [26] The official web site of the Agape International Spiritual Center is. Since its inception in 1986, Agape has grown toinclude over 9,000 local members and hundreds of thousands of friendsworldwide. Their CommonUnity social ministries include a peace ministry,hand-to-hand feeding project, prison ministry, and environmental issuesministry. International concerns are addressed through their GlobalWorksministry. Accessed 25 February 2008. [27] Sandra Sarr, A Modern Mystic: Dr. Michael Beckwith Speaks withScience of Mind. Science of Mind 79, no.1 (January 2006): 84. [28] Michael B. Beckwith, A Manifesto of Peace: Light on the Path of anEmissary of Peace (Los Angeles: Agape Publishing, 2002), 31. This bookparticularly addresses the events of 11 September 2001 and the subsequentU.S. declaration of a war on terror. [29] A Season for Nonviolence was co-founded in 1998 by Beckwith andArun Gandhi (the grandson of the Mahatma), and others, in honor of the50th and 30th memorial anniversaries of Mohandas Gandhi and MartinLuther King Jr., respectively. It is a grassroots campaign of education,action, and community building observed each year between 30 Januaryand 4 April in a growing number of cities worldwide. [30] Universal Spirituality & the Association for Global New Thought,

AGNT website, , accessed 30 March2006. [31] Association for Global New Thought, Awakened World Conference,La Qunita, CA, 3-7 October 2005, conference program book, 38. [32] Inner Light Ministries was founded by Johnson in 1997. Although nota membership organization, their local community participationapproximates 1500 people. The official website is, accessed 25 February 2008. [33] Deborah L. Johnson, One Planet, One People. Sermon given 18December 2005 at Inner Light Ministries, Soquel, CA. [34] Deborah L. Johnson, Your Deepest Intent (Boulder, CO: Sounds True,2007), xiii. [35] African American pioneers in New Thought, such as the Rev. JohnnieColemon, tended to approach social issues by advocating the transformationof individual consciousness through the practice of New Thoughtprinciples as the best way to improve individual conditions, and this wouldultimately lead to a better life for all. This is illustrated by quotes previouslyreferenced in this article. Some of the history of African Americans in NewThought is included in Darnise Martins Beyond Christianity (2005) butmore research and documentation is needed in this area. [36] The Global Heart Vision, United Church of Religious Sciencewebsite,,accessed 17 August 2007. [37] Social Issues Committee, United Church of Religious Sciencewebsite, , accessed17 August 2007. [38] Spiritual Social Action Ministry Team, Association of Unity

Churches website, , accessed17 August 2007. [39] An example of this phenomenon is the 2006 release of The Secret, apopular DVD and book touting the power of mind (creative thought) toattain ones desires through the Law of Attraction. The emphasis is onpersonal ends such as wealth, success, physical healing, romanticrelationships and the like, however some have subsequently encouraged theapplication of the same practices (such as affirmations and creativevisualization) for the purpose of social transformation and the attainment ofworld peace. Michael Beckwiths appearance in the film, and his ensuingtelevision interviews on Oprah (ABC), Larry King Live (CNN), and theCBS Evening News, catapulted him to national celebrity. Although he, too,preaches the benefits of these practices for individual healing andfulfillment, he encourages people not stop there, but take the next step ofparticipating in the larger purpose of global transformation.

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