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Unity Church
The Unity Church also known as the Unity School of Christianity is a faith contained within the wider New Thought movement. It originated in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore as a result of their belief that she had been cured of tuberculosis as a result of spiritual healing.
This resulted in the studying of spiritual healing. This gradually developed into the Unity movement as the couple attempted to share their insights through magazines, books, and pamphlets and through 'Silent Unity', a telephone and mail service that offered people help through prayer and counseling. It describes itself as a "positive, practical Christianity" which "teach the effective daily application of the principles of Truth taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ" and promotes "a way of life that leads to health, prosperity, happiness, and peace of mind."
The Unity Church describes itself as a worldwide Christian organization which teaches a positive approach to life, seeking to accept the good in all people and events, and as beginning as a healing ministry and healing has been its main emphasis for over 100 years. It teaches that all people can improve the quality of their lives through thought. Unity describes itself as having no particular creed, no set dogma, and no required ritual. It maintains that there is good in every approach to God and in every religion that is filling someone's needs. Its position holds that one should not focus on past sins but on the potential good in all. Unity emphasizes spiritual healing, prosperity and practical Christianity in its teachings. Illness is considered to be curable by spiritual means, but Unity does not reject or resist medical treatments. It is an inclusive faith that welcomes diversity of belief. Unity is accepting of the beliefs of others. The five basic beliefs of the church are: God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere. We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. 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. Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.
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