Unity vs. Spiritualism

[Pinkroses]

Hello,
I was hoping someone could clarify for me the differences between Unity Churches vs. Spiritualism.

Thanks so much,
Pinkroses

[Miss Hepburn]

Well, I could speak about Unity...and someone else about Spiritualism?
Unity was started by Charles and Myra Fillmore...(after her death he married Cora, if
there is any confusion)
I joke that way back, gosh, in the 20s (?) I think they did LSD because these people
were "in touch" with the Law of Attraction...the Divine...healing...reincarnation...wow...then there was
Emma Curtis Hopkins, d 1925...she was right at the beginning, too.
All those New Thought people are "on something", kidding, to be THIS informed about
the Divine and the way this creation works. They are in love with God.

Ok, now what is Spiritualism?


Sample quote of Hopkins..."If you can redden your face with a thought, you can
straighten your crooked bones with a thought."
:smile:

[Juanita]

Spiritualism is basicly the belief in Spirit, the world of spirit and communication with spirit...That life is eternal, that the bonds of love are never broken, and that we are all spiritual beings temporarily in a physical body....I know nothing about Unity...

[Jebbie]

I've been thinking about attending the local Unity Church in my area. During a reading I received years ago I was encouraged to check out a Unity Church. I've yet to go. The reason the Psychic recommended I go was due to my spiritual beliefs being outside the typical Christian/Baptist Church I've been associated with.

[mac]

This thread appears to be one for information about comparing the 'Unity' and the 'Spiritualist' churches. That's the way this topic was presented elsewhere and has presumably been asked here for the same reason(s).

If a comparison is attempted it should be remembered that Spiritualist church structures are likely to be different in the UK than in the USA.

I do know about the UK Spiritualist church structure but as I have no understanding of the Unity church I'm unable to compare the two.

[Pinkroses]

Thanks for your replies. I have been trying to get a better understanding because I have been invited to a Unity church for an event, and I had thought it was similar to a Spiritualist church for some reason. Apparently, it isn't. However, it seems that Unity churches do have more non-traditional beliefs and practices, such as energy healing, the law of attraction, etc. I was curious if they believe in spirit communication too. My guess is they probably do, but I haven't been able to confirm that.

[Juanita]

Thanks for your replies. I have been trying to get a better understanding because I have been invited to a Unity church for an event, and I had thought it was similar to a Spiritualist church for some reason. Apparently, it isn't. However, it seems that Unity churches do have more non-traditional beliefs and practices, such as energy healing, the law of attraction, etc. I was curious if they believe in spirit communication too. My guess is they probably do, but I haven't been able to confirm that.




I Googled Unity Churches and it sounds interesting, but nothing was mentioned about spirit communication....

[Miss Hepburn]

I went to a Unity service yesterday...and btw, its Myrtle Fillmore not Myra, sorry...
Their early service was SWEET! Chimes, some drumming, meditation, group affirmations...
Similar to,' I and the Divine Source are one...or All that I create is holy'....with a chime.
The female pastor spoke about Myrtle and all her realizations that we have the Divine in us so
therefore, health is the only thing we should have or expect or be open to...paraphrased.
Myrtle was sickly and given 6 mos to live in her early years, but lived a robust life til 87...bec of her beliefs which are the basis of Unity, of course....long before the term 'Law of Attraction', of course.:smile:

Their bookstore had many Buddha things, chimes, New Thought books, love them the most of all my books.
They had a BIG buffet of food to sit and chat.
It was mellow and loving and much talk of the Divine and that there are no
divisions of religion...all was from the same loving Source...doesn't matter what
way you prefer to connect and feel It.
June was Health month. This was my second visit in 25 years...very sweet community.

So I would say it is a mistake to think of Unity and Spiritualism as the same, but they would have
many common beliefs.

Of all groups I read more from New Thought authors...all inspired originally by
The Fillmore's in the 1880s

[mac]

"So I would say it is a mistake to think of Unity and Spiritualism as the same, but they would have many common beliefs."

I totally agree with the first statement but have considerable doubt that the second is accurate....Only someone well familiar with both could properly judge that, however, a situation that's not been indicated by any of the contributors here.

[Miss Hepburn]

Looked up Spiritualsm, yup, they have beliefs that overlap.
I really didn't have to look that up to know that, but thought it
might make some "happy".
Anyone can do the work themselves to see....so that their considerable doubt
can be less considerable.

[Mayflow]

Well, one would think that all churches are about Spirit.

At heart. Not all practitioners as many can be really cruel. I don't think Unity is one of the ones to suffer so much as some Christian and Islam terrorists have, but those terrorists and killing machines have little to no understanding of Spirit, in my opinion. A twist in Buddhism and some Christianity is to have compassion of Spirit for the cruel.

[mac]

Looked up Spiritualsm, yup, they have beliefs that overlap.
I really didn't have to look that up to know that, but thought it
might make some "happy".
Anyone can do the work themselves to see....so that their considerable doubt
can be less considerable.
So you needed to "look up" what Spiritualism is about?

Your argument is far from convincing, especially so because you haven't even quoted the source of the information you had to look up.

That point is especially pertinent because the US version is often very different than the UK version, something that experienced Spiritualists will know and something that non-Spiritualists will likely not understand....

[mac]

Well, one would think that all churches are about Spirit.

Why would one think that?

[Mayflow]

Why would one think that?

Well, because I am one who thinks that. If you don't think so, eh; fine.

[katyking]

Unity Church sounds like a nice place to be.
My eminent and respected American Spiritualist chum on here Left Behind knows a lot about modern Spiritualism in the USA and also publishes from time to time in our UK Spiritualist magazines the Psychic News and the Two Worlds.
Here in the UK Spiritualism is vibrant and one of the few denominations actually growing in church attendances.
More people seem to be expressing more interest. Maybe that's a sign of these 'hard times' but at our church membership has grown every year this six years past.
The biggest Spiritualist denomination here is the Spiritualist National Union.
There is also the Greater World Christian Spiritualist denomination.
Alongside those two there are many smaller groupings and also some independent Spiritualist churches.
There are more Spiritualist churches per head of population in the UK than anywhere else in the world.
Hope that Helps.

[MMM]

spiritualist churches associated with the spiritualist national union is based on 7 principles
spiritualist churches associated with the nationalist spiritual assocaition of churches in the usa are based on 9 principles
independednt spiritualist churches can basically do whatever

unity churches are more unified

[katyking]

SNU Spiritualism is based on these Seven Principles:-
1. The Fatherhood of God.
2. The Brotherhood of Man.
3. The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels.
4. The Continuous Existence of the Human Soul.
5. Personal Responsibility.
6. Compensation and Retribution Hereafter for all the Good & Evil Deeds done on Earth.
7. Eternal Progress Open to every Human Soul.

More info on the SNU website.

[dsaly1969]

I'm currently involved with both Spiritism (a specific branch of Spiritualism popular in Latin America and continental Europe) and the New Thought thought teachings of Unity. I also recently joined the Theosophical Society in America. While I am sure there are folks in each of these groups that might share some of the more exclusivist views of the group's founders, I have found that most folks nowadays tend to be more inclusive and eclectic. I do not find much conflict with the essential teachings of each of these paths (it is usually the minutiae where folks get all hung up).

[Left Behind]

Resurrecting an old Thread here: and a much-belated hello and thank-you to my friend KatyKing. :smile:

The essence of Spiritualism is contact, generally through gifted individuals called mediums, between the world of discarnate spirits (the so-called dead) and the world of incarnate spirits (we, the 'living'). Spiritualism has its own philosophy and practices but this spirit contact is what distinguishes Spiritualism from other religions.

Unity Church is one aspect of the New Thought movement of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It is NOT a spirit-contact church, therefore is not Spiritualist in the sense that the term was used in the preceding paragraph.

I have attended a Unity Church here in New Orleans 6 months. I greatly enjoy it and highly recommend it. If you are a Spiritualist, or a Spiritist, you will find that your views will be respected there.

However, Unity and New Thought are based more on the idea of spiritual empowerment in the here and now, and less so on what happens after the death of the body.

[Left Behind]

I'm currently involved with both Spiritism (a specific branch of Spiritualism popular in Latin America and continental Europe) and the New Thought thought teachings of Unity. I also recently joined the Theosophical Society in America. While I am sure there are folks in each of these groups that might share some of the more exclusivist views of the group's founders, I have found that most folks nowadays tend to be more inclusive and eclectic. I do not find much conflict with the essential teachings of each of these paths (it is usually the minutiae where folks get all hung up).

I'm a Spiritualist, attend a Unity Church, and find myself becoming more and more interested in the teachings of Kardecian Spiritism.

I'm not much interested in Theosophy. They tend to be opposed to the idea of contact with the spirit world.

[Left Behind]

Well, one would think that all churches are about Spirit.




In theory, at least: they all are. But few of them are about on-going contact with the world of discarnate spirit. Most of them claim to have received revelations from the spirit world, which they then proclaim as dogma, and they discourage members from seeking their own contact with the spirit world.