About Unity...
Basic Teachings
We encourage people to explore and apply Unity
teachings based upon their own spiritual inderstanding.
We believe this spiritual understanding is enchanced
through reflective prayer and meditation. The five basic
ideas that make up the Unity belief system are:
 God
is good and everywhere present.
The spirit of God lives within
each person, therefore, all people are inherently good.
We create our life experiences
through our way of thinking.
There is power in affirmative
prayer, which we believe increases our connection to
God.
Knowing and understanding
Unity principles is the foundation. Taking action based
on the truth principles transforms our lives and the
world.
Unity in Depth
What is Unity?
What are the basic tenets of the Unity
teachings?
Does Unity believe in the divinity of
Jesus Christ?
What are Unity's distinctive characteristics?
What is the Association of Unity Churches?
What is Unity School of Christianity?
Who are Unity students?
What is the relationship of Unity to
other churches?
Is there any connection between Unity and
Unitarianism?
Is Unity an offshoot of Christian Science?
What is the place of the Bible in Unity?
Does Unity practice baptism and communion?
What is the significance of the blood
of Jesus Christ?
What about the Crucifixion?
Does Unity accept the virgin birth?
Does Unity look for the Second Coming
of Jesus Christ?
How does Unity regard the Trinity?
What does Unity teach about sin and salvation,
heaven and hell?
Does Unity believe in reincarnation?
What are the advantages of attending
Unity?
What is
Unity?
Unity is positive, practical Christianity. It teaches the practical
application in everyday life of the principles of Truth taught
and exemplified by Jesus Christ, as interpreted in the light of
modern-day experience by Unity School of Christianity and the
Association of Unity Churches. Unity is a way of life that leads
to health, prosperity, happiness, and peace of mind. The Association
of Unity Churches, in cooperation with Unity School of Christianity,
has established centers of study and worship throughout the world
where people study and practice the Unity way of life.
We believe that all people are created with sacred worth. Therefore,
we recognize the importance of serving all people within the Unity
family in spiritually and emotionally caring ways. We strive for
our ministries, publications, and programs to reach out to all
who seek Unity support and spiritual growth. It is imperative
that our ministries and outreaches be free of discrimination on
the basis of race, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin,
ethnicity, physical disability, or sexual orientation. Our sincere
desire is to create spiritually aware organizations that are nondiscriminatory
and that support diversity.
In our effort to reach out to all people as did our Way-Shower,
Jesus Christ, we support: the modification of our facilities to
make them accessible to all people, regardless of physical challenges;
the translation of our materials into Braille and other languages;
and respect for the wonderful variety of human commitments and
relationships.
We encourage ministers, teachers, and others within Unity to
honor the strength of diversity within their spiritual communities.
It is with love and in celebration of our unity, in the midst
of our wondrous diversity, that we affirm this position.
What are
the basic tenets of the Unity teachings?
First: God, Divine Mind, is the Source and Creator of all.
There is no other enduring power. The nature of God is absolute
good; therefore, all manifestations partake of good. What is called
"evil" is a limited or incomplete expression of God
or good. Evil's origin is ignorance.
Second: We are spiritual beings, ideas in the Mind of
God, created in God's image and likeness. The ideal expression
for every human being is the pattern every person is seeking to
bring forth. Each individual manifests the Christ in his or her
own unique fashion. The perfect expression of the Christ is, therefore,
different for each person.
Third: Jesus was a special person in history who expressed
perfection and thereby became the Christ, or Jesus Christ. He
was a Teacher who demonstrated the importance of thoughts, words,
and deeds in shaping the life and world of the individual.
Fourth: Jesus' teaching was based on prayer, which to
Him was conscious communion with God. Preparation for prayer involves
the use of the spoken word, the creative power of God, which is
made practical through denials and affirmations. Unity teaches
that repeated use of statements of Truth (denials and affirmations)
establishes right patterns of thinking, feeling, and acting. This
is one way individuals use the creative power of God to take dominion
over mind, body, and affairs.
Does Unity
believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ?
Yes, Unity teaches that the spirit of God dwelt in Jesus, just
as it indwells every person; and that every person has the potential
to express the perfection of Christ, as Jesus did, by being more
Christ-like in everyday life.
What are
Unity's distinctive characteristics?
Unity students are encouraged to align with the spirit of the
Christ within for personal guidance and direction that will best
enhance their spiritual growth. The Unity ministry provides a
safe and sacred space for study, participation, fellowship, support,
transformation and awakening to the joy of living in God's world.
Each Unity ministry is supported by the freewill offerings of
those who share its vision. Unity affirms the freedom of each
individual to advance spiritually according to his or her own
level of understanding. Respect for and faith in the spirit of
God in every person makes it unnecessary to set down fixed creeds
or impose limiting beliefs. Each individual is encouraged to follow
the Unity teachings in determining personal responses in his or
her life.
What is
the Association of Unity Churches?
The Association of Unity Churches is comprised of approximately
915 member ministries and satellite ministries on the North American
Continent; through the World Outreach Department of Unity School
there are approximately 65 international ministries informally
affiliated with the Association of Unity Churches. Each ministry
is under the leadership of a licensed or ordained Unity minister,
or authorized spiritual leader. The emphasis in Unity organizations
is on spiritual activities, such as worship services, healing
meetings, prayer groups, counseling, study classes, and youth
development, including Sunday school and programs for young people
of all ages. Since acknowledging God's presence in each person
is part of Unity's spiritual purpose, social functions are also
an important part of Unity organizations.
What is
Unity School of Christianity?
Unity School is the world headquarters for the Unity movement
founded by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. After Myrtle Fillmore's
remarkable healing utilizing prayer and affirmations, many who
were seeking help became interested in how she accomplished this
healing. From small prayer circles in living rooms, Unity grew.
The first issue of UNITY magazine was published in 1889. The teaching
of the practice of prayer, through classes and correspondence,
led to the establishment of Silent Unity, the Unity School for
Religious Studies Continuing Education Program and Ministerial
Education Program and the Retreat programs. Through its threefold
ministry of prayer, publishing, and education, Unity School serves
millions of people in more than 150 countries. Unity School publishes
inspirational magazines, books, audio and videocassettes, CDs,
and pamphlets for adults and children.
Who are
Unity students?
Unity students are those individuals who have found a deeper understanding
of God, of themselves, and of their world through the practical
methods presented in the Unity teachings. Often this has come
about as a result of some very trying and seemingly hopeless experience.
Unity students include many who are readers of the various publications;
others attend Unity services and classes, finding in such attendance
a spiritual "home" in which they are strengthened in
their spiritual unfoldment. They are from all walks of life, and
of all races, creeds, and nationalities.
What is
the relationship of Unity to other churches?
Unity puts into practice a true ecumenical approach. Unity sees
itself as a vehicle for instruction, inspiration and prayer support
for spiritual seekers, regardless of their religious affiliation.
Rather than a denomination, locked in tight parameters that restrict,
Unity views itself as an ever-expanding expression of love, light,
and peace. Therefore, it freely shares its teachings with all
churches. Unity believes in the oneness and freedom of all people.
Emphasis is always on the similarities rather than the differences
in the human spiritual expression.
Is there
any connection between Unity and Unitarianism?
No, there is no connection, although there is sometimes confusion
because of the similarity of the names. Many beliefs are held
in common, including the importance of individual freedom in the
quest for Truth. This very freedom, however, makes it difficult
to determine the basic differences. In a very general way, it
might be said that the two differ mainly in their beliefs regarding
Jesus Christ and the Trinity. Unity places great emphasis on spiritual
healing, while this is not practiced by Unitarians as a rule.
In turn, Unitarians place great emphasis on social and political
action.
Is Unity
an offshoot of Christian Science?
No. Unity and Christian Science, as well as many other New Thought
groups, had their beginnings in the latter part of the nineteenth
century. Many of the leaders in these groups studied under the
same teachers. There are similarities in the teachings of Unity
and Christian Science, including the importance of prayer, the
practice of spiritual healing, and some fundamental theological
points. Also, both have great publishing operations. However,
the application of principles, the methods of teaching, and the
organization of the two movements are quite different.
What is
the place of the Bible in Unity?
The Bible is Unity's basic textbook. It is accepted as a body
of history, as a moral and ethical teaching, and as a great literary
work. Beyond this, Unity finds deep significance in the Bible
through its metaphysical interpretation, wherein names of places
and people and their experiences symbolize the unfoldment of human
consciousness. Through the study of Unity, the Bible is made more
meaningful to individuals. Scripture comes alive when it is understood
as a clear and helpful guide for today's experiences. The Bible
reveals the spirit of Truth and the word of God. Holy Spirit,
working individually through those who study Scripture and listen
within, is the final authority in spiritual awakening.
Does Unity
practice baptism and communion?
Yes, symbolically. Whereas baptism by water represents the cleansing
of the consciousness, spiritual baptism signifies the inflow of
the Holy Spirit. No person can truly baptize another. Baptism
is a mental and spiritual process that takes place within the
individual as he or she aligns with the spirit of God.
Spiritual communion takes place through prayer and meditation
in the silence. The word of Truth is symbolized by the bread,
or the body of Jesus Christ. The conscious realization of God-life
is symbolized by the wine, or the blood of Jesus Christ. Unity
practices communion by appropriating, or partaking of the spiritual
energy represented by these elements.
In Unity services, ritual is de-emphasized as a general rule,
so that full attention may be devoted to the teachings and their
practical application.
What is
the significance of the blood of Jesus Christ?
The blood of Jesus Christ represents the spiritual energy of God-life
that purifies or redeems the body through a cleansing and renewal
of the consciousness by the spoken word. Regarding the "spilled
blood," or the "ransom of many," the emphasis in
Unity is not so much on the death of Jesus as on His life. He
did not relieve us of the necessity of working out our own salvation,
but His example and teachings show us the way.
What about
the Crucifixion?
Unity teaches that the cross symbolizes the crossing out of all
false beliefs. Here again, emphasis is on life and living, through
the resurrection rather than on the Crucifixion.
Does Unity
accept the virgin birth?
Unity accepts the virgin birth as an experience in the spiritual
unfoldment of each individual. Thus the virgin birth is spiritually
interpreted as the birth of the Christ consciousness (the awakening
of the awareness of God's Spirit within) in the purified soul.
Does Unity
look for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ?
Unity understands the Second Coming as the individual expression
of the Christ consciousness. This is not an event to be anticipated
in the future. It is happening here and now, through prayer, meditation,
study, and application.
How does
Unity regard the Trinity?
Unity interprets the religious terms Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
metaphysically, as three aspects of mind action: mind, idea, and
expression. This is the process through which all manifestation
takes place.
What does
Unity teach about sin and salvation, heaven and hell?
Sin is our separation from God in consciousness, caused by our
belief in the "devil" or a power other than God, the
good. This belief leads to our unwise use of our God-given powers
and abilities. Salvation is now--not something that occurs after
death. It happens whenever we turn our thoughts (repent) from
fear, anxiety, worry, and doubt, to thoughts of love, harmony,
joy, and peace. The "fall" takes place in consciousness
whenever we fall into negative habits of thinking.
Heaven and hell are states of consciousness, not geographical
locations. We make our own heaven or hell here and now by our
thoughts, words, and deeds.
Does Unity
believe in reincarnation?
Many Unity students accept the concept of reincarnation (re-embodiment
after a period of soul rest). This allows us to attain new understandings
in a new life experience, so that we can eventually express perfection
and demonstrate eternal life. This is our ultimate goal. Unity's
real emphasis is on regeneration, not reincarnation. When we achieve
this goal, as Jesus did, it will no longer be necessary to reincarnate.
The belief that we could ever be reembodied into a lower form
of life is not accepted by Unity.
What
are the advantages of attending Unity?
To attend Unity is to be assured that one will be kept constantly
in the remembrance of his or her own inner Christ potential. This
awareness, plus the practical principles for living a happy and
successful life, is experienced at sunday services and weekday
classes. By joining with others, it is possible for the local
Unity ministry to provide expanding services, such as Sunday school,
a radio and/or TV ministry, community outreach, prayer and support
groups, and counseling. It is very helpful for individuals to
have a place where they can be involved in putting these teachings
into practice in serving others. Through the local ministry's
affiliation and participation in the Association of Unity Churches,
such individuals are part of a global movement which forms a base
on which to stand as we build a better world together.
The preceeding is from the pamphlet Twenty Questions and Answers
About Unity published by the Association of Unity Churches. Copies
may be ordered from the Association of Unity Churches. Many Unity
churches have these pamphlets on hand for visitors.
We hope you find inspiration and useful information at this site.
We welcome your ideas and comments.
Copyright © 1999 by the Association of Unity Churches
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