“Unity is a positive, practical approach to Christianity based on the teachings of Jesus and the power of prayer. Unity honors the universal truths in all religions and respects each individual’s right to choose a spiritual path.”
Listed below are Unity’s teachings about some of the terms with which most people from Christian backgrounds are familiar. While it is not necessary to agree with any of these viewpoints, they are held by most who attend our services. However, our most important consideration is that our services and classes help you, not that you agree with us on every point.
Unity of the Keys is what is often called a “New Thought” spiritual community. This “new thought” (now well over one hundred years old as a movement in North America) is that all people are inherently good and that God dwells within everyone. Other examples of New Thought groups are Divine Science and the Centers for Spiritual Living.
We strive to be one with seekers of all faiths. In fact, although we call what we teach “practical Christianity,” there are aspects of several Eastern religions in what we teach and practice. We believe that “there are many paths to the mountain,” and that whether God is called God, Spirit, Allah, Krishna, Divine Mind, or any other name, those who seek with an open mind and an open heart will find themselves advancing on their right spiritual path.
What we teach about:
God is Spirit, the loving source of all that is. God is the one power, all good, everywhere present, all wisdom. God is divine energy, continually creating, expressing and sustaining all creation. In God, we live and move and have our being. In Unity, some other ways we speak of God are Life, Light, Love, Substance, Principle, Law and Universal Mind.
We teach that it is God’s will, or desire, for everyone to have happiness, inner peace, health, love, and an abundance of every good thing. Likewise, we teach that it is not God’s will that people get sick, suffer, and live in poverty. As we learn more and more to claim our oneness with God and each other, we move ever closer to the good which is our Divine heritage.
We believe that Jesus expressed his divine potential and sought to show humankind how to express ours as well. We see Jesus as a master teacher of universal truths and as our Way Shower. In Unity, we use the term Christ to mean the divinity in humankind. Jesus is the great example of the Christ in expression.
Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore studied the Bible as history and allegory and interpreted it as a metaphysical representation of humankind’s evolutionary journey toward spiritual awakening. In addition, Unity recognizes that the Bible is a complex collection of writings compiled over many centuries. We honor the writings as reflecting the understanding and inspiration of the writers at the time they were written. The Bible continues to be a valuable spiritual resource for us.
The Nature of Humankind
We are each individual, eternal expressions of God. Our essential nature is divine and therefore inherently good. Our purpose is to express our divine potential as realized and demonstrated by Jesus and other master teachers. The more we awaken to our divine nature, the more fully God expresses in and through our lives.
Prayer and Meditation
Affirmative prayer is the highest form of creative thought. It includes the release of counterproductive, negative thoughts, as well as holding in mind statements of spiritual truth. Through meditation, we experience the presence of God. Prayer and meditation heighten our awareness and thereby transform our lives.
Other Unity Beliefs:
- Heaven is not a place, but a state of consciousness; we create our own heaven and hell here and now.
- We all have an innate capacity to know God through direct experience.
- The “Christ” is that part of God that is in every person. There is a spark of divinity within all people, just as there was in Jesus.
- Prayer works.
- We are here to set a positive example and be a role model for others.
- We are here to make the world a better place.
As you think of the preceding ideas, remember that it is not necessary to agree with all of them in order to join us for our services or classes, to receive counseling, or to participate in one of our events. As stated earlier, we are not here to convert you. We are here to support you in having the life you want. Our prayer is that our beliefs are constantly growing, expanding, and becoming more universal. Our goal is to constantly make them more practical as well. These viewpoints are presented so you can make an informed choice in deciding whether to make Unity your spiritual home. Many have said, “Finding a spiritual community like this is like coming home.” If this feels like your right place… Welcome Home!