The New Thought Movement describes a set of religious developments that occurred in the United States during the late 19th century, originating with Phineas Parkhurst Quimby. From this movement emerged several religious denominations that are actively spreading today, including Divine Science, Religious Science, Universal Foundation for Better Living and the Unity Church. Although Emma Curtis Hopkins, formerly associated with Christian Science, was considered the "teacher of teachers" of several key New Thought groups, Christian Science developed in a different direction and is not considered a New Thought denomination.
New Thought religions generally share a belief in the universal presence of a creative energy, or God, within the world and within all people. Some take literally the Christian teaching that "the kingdom of heaven is within." In line with Philosophical Idealism, they profess the primacy of mind over the physical world, and place great emphasis in positive thinking, affirmations, meditation, and prayer. New Thought churches often avoid dogmatic pronouncements about the afterlife or other theological questions, and vary in the degree to which they associate themselves with Christianity or other major world religions. Although New Thought churches are often identified with the New Age movement, New Thought beliefs predate contemporary New Age thinking by nearly a century, and New Thought churches typically do not share major tenets of New Age thinking. New Thought is distinctive from traditional religious movements in that it is expected to evolve and not remain static. As humankind gains greater understanding of the world, it is considered logical that belief systems should assimilate new knowledge.
History
The following individuals figured prominently in the history of the New Thought Movement:
See also
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