People, Ideas, and Movements That Shaped New Thought
New Thought primary sources—books, magazines, letters, and archives—form the documentary backbone of the metaphysical movement that emerged in the 19th century. These materials, including works by Mary Baker Eddy, Thomas Troward, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, and Phineas Quimby, reveal the movement’s teachings and its distinction from scientific and medical claims.
The New Thought movement, a 19th-century American metaphysical tradition, emphasized the power of the mind in healing and personal success. Its ideas evolved into the modern positive thinking industry and profoundly influenced contemporary self-help culture.
An examination of the foundational texts—from Mary Baker Eddy’s Science and Health to Ella Wheeler Wilcox’s The Heart of the New Thought—that defined the New Thought movement’s spiritual philosophy, distinguished it from scientific claims, and influenced modern self-help culture.
The International New Thought Alliance (INTA) is a 112-year-old umbrella organization uniting diverse New Thought churches, schools, and individuals. Founded in 1914, it promotes spiritual growth, conscious living, and the practical application of New Thought principles through its magazine, annual World Congress, and regional programs.
Religious Science, also known as Science of Mind, is a New Thought spiritual movement founded by Ernest Holmes in the 1920s. It emphasizes the power of the mind to shape reality and achieve healing, blending metaphysical principles with religious teachings. The movement has grown into a global network of centers and churches, influencing modern self-help culture.
Divine Science is a New Thought religious movement formalized in the 1880s by Malinda Cramer and Nona Brooks, emphasizing the omnipresence of God and the power of affirmative prayer. This article traces its origins, key figures, doctrinal evolution, and lasting influence on modern metaphysical spirituality.
Unity is a New Thought spiritual movement founded in 1889 by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore in Kansas City, Missouri, emphasizing prayer, mind-over-body healing, and practical Christianity. Rooted in the teachings of Emma Curtis Hopkins and Ralph Waldo Emerson, it grew from a prayer group into an international organization with Silent Unity, publications, and educational programs.
New Thought and Christian Science are two American metaphysical religious movements that emerged in the late 19th century from shared roots in idealistic philosophy and mental healing. Though both emphasize the power of Mind in healing and spirituality, they diverged in theology, organizational structure, and practice, leading to a complex relationship marked by mutual denial of common origins.
The New Thought movement, a late 19th-century spiritual and metaphysical movement, was largely led by and for women. This article explores how women shaped its teachings, institutions, and legacy, and how it intersected with feminism and ideas of sexual purity.
Emma Curtis Hopkins (1849–1925) was an American spiritual teacher and founder of the New Thought movement. Known as the ‘teacher of teachers,’ she ordained and mentored many leaders who established major metaphysical denominations, including Unity Church and the Church of Religious Science.
