The Emma Curtis Hopkins College of Metaphysical Science: Training a Generation of New Thought Leaders

Introduction

Emma Curtis Hopkins (1849–1925) stands as a towering figure in American religious history, known as the “teacher of teachers” and the “mother of New Thought.” Through her College of Metaphysical Science in Chicago, she systematized and disseminated a spiritual philosophy that blended divine healing, mental science, and feminist theology. The college became a crucible for a generation of leaders who would go on to found major movements—Unity, Religious Science, and Divine Science—thereby shaping the landscape of modern metaphysical spirituality. This article traces the college’s origins, its curriculum, its influential students, and its enduring legacy within the broader New Thought movement.

Historical Context

The College of Metaphysical Science emerged from a rich tapestry of 19th-century intellectual and spiritual currents. Transcendentalism, with its emphasis on intuition and the immanence of the divine, laid a philosophical groundwork. The practical healing techniques of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a Maine clockmaker who developed a form of mental healing in the 1850s, directly inspired many New Thought pioneers, including Mary Baker Eddy, who founded Christian Science. Eddy’s system, in turn, trained Emma Curtis Hopkins, who later broke with Eddy to forge her own path. The era also saw the rise of mesmerism and the New Thought movement’s emphasis on the power of the mind to shape reality. Hopkins synthesized these influences into a cohesive, practical theology that affirmed the divine nature of humanity and the possibility of healing through right thinking. Her college provided a structured environment for teaching these principles, attracting students from across the country who sought both spiritual insight and professional training as healers and ministers.

Main Narrative

Origins and Founding

Emma Curtis Hopkins was born Josephine Emma Curtis on September 2, 1849, in Killingly, Connecticut, the eldest of nine children in a Congregationalist family. After a brief career as a teacher, she married George Hopkins in 1874 and had a son, John. In 1881, she experienced a healing through Christian Science, and by 1883 she had enrolled in Mary Baker Eddy’s course in Boston. Recognizing her talents, Eddy appointed Hopkins as the first full-time editor of the Christian Science Journal in September 1884. However, theological and financial tensions led to her dismissal in October 1885 and subsequent expulsion from the Christian Science Association. Hopkins moved to Chicago in early 1886, where she established a “Christian Science Rest (Reading) Rooms” with Mary H. Plunkett. It was here that she began teaching her own interpretation of metaphysical healing, which soon evolved into the formal College of Metaphysical Science.

Beliefs and Curriculum

The college’s teachings, later codified in Hopkins’ books such as High Mysticism and Scientific Christian Mental Practice, emphasized the absolute goodness of God, the unreality of evil and disease, and the power of affirmative prayer. Hopkins taught that every individual is a perfect expression of the Divine, and that healing occurs through aligning one’s thoughts with this truth. Her curriculum included courses on mental healing, spiritual interpretation of scripture, and the practical application of metaphysical principles. Unlike Eddy, Hopkins encouraged her students to explore a wide range of ideas and to develop their own unique expressions of truth—a pedagogical approach that fostered creativity and independence. She also ordained both men and women equally, a radical practice that empowered many female leaders in a era when women’s religious leadership was often constrained.

Notable Students and Their Impact

The college’s influence radiated through its alumni. Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, who attended Hopkins’ classes in the late 1880s, went on to found Unity, a major New Thought denomination with a global reach. Ernest Holmes, who studied Hopkins’ works and later corresponded with her, developed Religious Science (now Centers for Spiritual Living). H. Emilie Cady, a physician and a student of Hopkins, wrote Lessons in Truth, which became a cornerstone text for Unity. Other students included Nona Brooks and Malinda Cramer, who co-founded Divine Science. Hopkins’ teaching also influenced William Walker Atkinson and Ralph Waldo Trine, whose writings popularized New Thought ideas. Through these leaders, the college’s teachings spread far beyond Chicago, shaping the spiritual landscape of the 20th century.

Institutions and Publications

The College of Metaphysical Science was not only a school but also a center for publishing and community. Hopkins edited and published several periodicals, including The Christian Science Journal during her tenure with Eddy, and later her own publications. The college’s curriculum and lectures were often printed and distributed, reaching a wider audience. Students were encouraged to establish reading rooms and study groups, creating a network of independent New Thought centers. This decentralized model allowed the movement to adapt to local contexts while maintaining a common core of metaphysical principles.

Changes Over Time and Later Years

Hopkins continued to teach and write until her death in 1925, though the college itself gradually declined as her health failed. However, the seeds she planted had already germinated. The International New Thought Alliance, founded in 1914, formalized the movement’s unity, and many of its early leaders were Hopkins’ students. The college’s model of training and ordaining ministers was adopted by its successor movements. Unity, Religious Science, and Divine Science each established their own seminaries and training programs, but all trace their pedagogical lineage to Hopkins’ innovative approach.

Why It Matters in New Thought History

The Emma Curtis Hopkins College of Metaphysical Science is pivotal for understanding the institutionalization of New Thought. Hopkins not only articulated a coherent metaphysical theology but also created a practical training ground for its dissemination. Her emphasis on ordaining women and her encouragement of diverse interpretations laid the groundwork for the movement’s inclusive and pluralistic character. The college’s alumni founded major denominations that continue to thrive, making Hopkins arguably the most influential figure in New Thought after Phineas Quimby. For students of New Thought history, the college represents the vital link between Quimby’s mental healing and the organized movements of the 20th century—a bridge that transformed a scattered collection of healers into a recognized spiritual tradition.

Primary Sources

• High Mysticism by Emma Curtis Hopkins (1918) – A comprehensive exposition of her metaphysical teachings, including the nature of God, humanity, and healing.
• Scientific Christian Mental Practice by Emma Curtis Hopkins (1890s) – A practical manual for healers, outlining the methods taught at the college.
• Lessons in Truth by H. Emilie Cady (1895) – A foundational Unity text, written under Hopkins’ influence.
• The Christian Science Journal (1884–1885) – Edited by Hopkins during her time with Eddy; contains early articles reflecting her evolving thought.
• Emma Curtis Hopkins Papers – Archival collections at the New Thought Historical Society and other repositories, including letters, lecture notes, and student records.