Three church organization make up the bulk of the New Thought Churches and Center. Although their beliefs overlap, their various statement of beliefs is listed below.
Centers for Spiritual Living Global Vision
Our faith is not a revelation of some particular individual or of any one group. Rather, it is a correlation of the most empowering truths found in religious texts and the discoveries of science. We start with the simple proposition that God, known to many by many names and traditions, is an immediate Presence not only around but also within every person.
We believe in a power greater than ourselves. We believe that an invisible law, force, and intelligence governs everything in the universe. We, as individuals, endeavor to discover our immediate relationship to that Power and become partners in Its activities
Our Global Vision: A World That Works For Everyone
We envision all people, all beings, and all life as expressions of God.
We see a world in which every person lives in alignment with his/her highest spiritual principle, emphasizing unity with God and connection with each other; a world in which individually and collectively we are called to a higher state of consciousness and action.
We envision humanity awakening to its spiritual magnificence and discovering the creative power of thought; a world where every person discovers his/her own personal power and ability to create an individual life that works within a world that works for everyone.
We envision a world in which we live and grow as One Global Family that respects and honors the interconnectedness of all life; a world where this kinship with all life prospers and connects through the guidance of spiritual wisdom and experience.
We envision a world where personal responsibility joins with social conscience in every area of the political, corporate, academic, and social sectors, providing sustainable structures to further the emerging global consciousness.
We envision a world where each person has enough food, a home and a sense of belonging; a world of peace and harmony, enfranchisement and justice.
We envision a world in which resources are valued, cared for, and grown, and where there is generous and continuous sharing of these resources.
We envision a worldwide culture in which forgiveness (whether for errors, injustices, or debts) is the norm. We envision a world which has renewed its emphasis on beauty, nature, and love through the resurgence of creativity, art, and aesthetics.
We envision a world that works for everyone and for all of creation.
The beliefs and teaching of Center for Spiritual Living or Religious Science is complied in the Science of Mind Textbook by Ernest Holmes.
Unity’s Five Basic Principles
We encourage you to explore and apply Unity teachings based on your own spiritual understanding. We believe this spiritual understanding is enhanced through reflective prayer and meditation. The five basic ideas that make up the Unity belief system are:
1. There is only one Presence and one Power active as the Universe and in my life. God the Good.
2. Our essence is of God; therefore we are inherently good. This God essence was fully expressed in Jesus, the Christ.
3. We are co-creators with God, creating reality through thoughts held in Mind.
4. Through prayer and meditation, we align our heart-mind with God. Denials and affirmations are tools we use.
5. Through thoughts, words, and actions, we live the Truth we know.
The Principle and Practice of Divine Science
Divine Science is a spiritual teaching which centers on the principle of God as One. The principle of the omnipresence of God means He is the One Presence containing all Wisdom, Power, and Substance.
As we become fully aware of this One Truth, we begin to identify ourselves as spiritual beings. Then, we find ourselves gradually releasing our belief in the things of this world as being the center of our life.
Divine Science is practiced by turning attention from the outer visible effects of this world to the inner world of First Cause. This is described in the Bible as “judging not by appearance, but by righteous judgment.” The world is seen as the realm of constant changes in appearance but the inner world is perceived as the Source of All Being.
The practice is done on a daily basis by taking charge of our thoughts, our words, and our actions. As we grow in spiritual unfoldment, we recognize that our minds are truely “the Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in us.”
According to Nona Brooks, a founder of this teaching, “the practice of the presence of God is the whole of Divine Science.” We continue the practice of the Presence of God through the study of books, including the Bible, through receptive prayer, contemplation, and meditation.
Gradually, we realize our Oneness with God in a pure state of communion and we arrive at a state of understanding of the profound meaning of Life and God’s Will for us.
Divine Scientists follow both the example and the teachings of Christ Jesus in “seeking first the Kingdom of God” and “knowing the Truth that sets men free.”
What does Divine Science stand for?
Divine Science believes in the Fatherhood of God as Omnipresent Life, Substance, Intelligence, and Power. Further, we believe strongly in the brotherhood of man and the unity of all life. In this teaching, we believe in Truth whether found in science, philosophy, or religion.
The power of right thinking releases into expression in each individual life its divine inheritance of health, abundance, peace, and power. The transcendence and immanence of God is manifest in all created things, yet above and beyond all created things: God the Create and the Uncreate; the Visible and the Invisible; the Absolute and the Relative; the Universal and the Individual. The Divine Science Statement of Being found on the main page reflects completely our belief in the perfect nature of God and man.