People, Ideas, and Movements That Shaped New Thought
Ralph Waldo Trine (1866–1958) was a pioneering American New Thought writer whose best-selling book In Tune with the Infinite carried metaphysical idealism to a global audience, bridging Transcendentalism, Christian socialism, and practical spirituality.
Horatio W. Dresser, son of Phineas Quimby’s followers, became a leading New Thought philosopher and historian. He preserved Quimby’s manuscripts, founded key institutions, and shaped the movement’s intellectual foundations.
Myrtle Fillmore, born Mary Caroline Page, overcame tuberculosis through spiritual healing and co-founded Unity, a major New Thought movement. Her life exemplifies the power of mind-cure teachings and shaped the landscape of American religious liberalism.
Charles Sherlock Fillmore (1854–1948) cofounded Unity, a cornerstone of the New Thought movement, with his wife Myrtle. His teachings on mind-body connection, meditation, and metaphysical Christianity helped shape modern self-help culture and left a lasting mark on American spirituality.
Annie Rix Militz was a foundational figure in the New Thought movement, founding the Home of Truth, co-founding the West Coast Metaphysical Bureau, and editing Master Mind magazine. Her work bridged divine healing, mental science, and institutional New Thought, influencing generations of metaphysical teachers.
Nona Lovell Brooks (1861–1945) was a leader in the New Thought movement and co-founder of the Church of Divine Science. This article traces her journey from a Presbyterian childhood in Civil War-era West Virginia to her healing experience, her founding of a major metaphysical denomination, and her lasting influence on American religious thought.
Malinda Cramer (1844–1906) was a pioneering figure in the New Thought movement, founder of the Divine Science tradition, and author of influential metaphysical texts. This article traces her life, teachings, organizations, and enduring legacy.
Emma Curtis Hopkins, a mystic, feminist, and healer, shaped the New Thought movement as its founder and ‘teacher of teachers,’ mentoring the founders of Unity, Religious Science, and other metaphysical traditions.
Warren Felt Evans (1817–1889) was the first author of the New Thought movement, a former Methodist minister turned Swedenborgian who became a pioneer of mental healing. His spiritual journey and published works shaped the intellectual foundations of mind cure and influenced later New Thought leaders like Charles Fillmore.
Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866) was an American folk healer and mesmerist whose ideas about the mental origins of illness laid the groundwork for the New Thought movement. His influence reached Mary Baker Eddy, Emma Curtis Hopkins, and countless others, making him a pivotal figure in metaphysical spirituality.