Unity Church
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The Unity Church (also known as the Unity School of Christianity) is the largest of the New Thought denominations of Christianity. It was founded by Charles Fillmore (1854-1948) and Myrtle Fillmore (1845-1931) in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri.
Unity is a non-denominational Christian church that was first established in 1889 by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. It is headquartered in Unity Village, Missouri. There are over 900 churches and study groups that are affiliated with Unity. Unity has over two million followers in over 15 different countries.
Along with its churches and groups, Unity publishes a monthly prayer magazine (‘Daily Word’) and operates a prayer ministry (‘Silent Unity’). The magazine and ministry are part of Unity’s service to people of all religions and faiths.
Unity espouses ‘practical Christianity’ in which its followers study ways to apply Christ’s teachings to their daily lives. Through these teachings, Unity followers believe that God is a universal presence and divinity exists in all people. The teachings are based on five basic principles:
- God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere.
- We are spiritual beings, created in God’s image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good.
- We create our life experiences through our way of thinking.
- There is power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our connection to God.
- Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them.
The Christian Bible is the central text of Unity, which interprets the Bible metaphysically. Unity students believe that the teachings of the Bible are allegorical lessons from which spirituality is attained. For example, the twelve disciples each symbolize one of twelve spiritual powers that man possesses.
Unity is unique as a Christian church because of its approach to prayer. Considered the domain of Eastern religions, meditation plays a significant role in Unity thought. Followers of Unity rely on both prayer and meditation as vehicles for communicating with God and becoming spiritually centered. Positive thinking is another important tenet in Unity.
Unity also distinguishes itself from other Christian churches in its basic approach to sacraments. Elaborate rites and symbols are absent from Unity churches. Communion, baptism and other rituals are relatively spare with more emphasis placed on the spiritual over the symbolic (i.e. water in baptism). Unity sometimes uses rose petals for baptism, instead of water.
Unity’s beginnings date to its founding by the Fillmores. Charles Fillmore, a real estate salesman, and his schoolteacher wife were living in Kansas City, Missouri when she faced a reoccurrence of tuberculosis.
Myrtle Fillmore studied spiritual healing in 1886. She attended lectures by Dr. E.B. Weeks, a student of Christian Science. By 1888, her health improved as she began to pray with positive affirmation for her health - “I am a child of God, and therefore I do not inherit sickness.”
Charles Fillmore was affected by Myrtle’s newfound philosophy when his leg, withered from a childhood ice skating accident, grew stronger. He joined his wife on a mission to spread a message of teaching practical Christianity. Charles, having studied world philosophies before, begins researching the connection between religion and science.
Their first endeavor was publishing ‘Modern Thought’ magazine (Currently published under the name ‘Unity) in 1889. The created the Society of Silent Help in the following year. This group prayed for those who requested it. This is widely considered the birth of the ‘Unity movement.’ Charles officially adopted the name Unity in 1891, renaming their society the Society of Silent Unity.
Dr. Harriett Emilie Cady, a former homeopathist wrote Unity’s first and seminal text ‘Lessons in Truth’ in 1894. Her writing became a cornerstone of Unity’s teachings.
Although the Fillmores never intended for their Unity to become a denomination, the Unity Society of Practical Unity was organized in Kansas City in 1903. This church is now known as Unity Church Universal. Eleven years later, the Fillmores started two separate components to organize their functions. Unity School of Christianity handled publishing and teaching. The Unity Society of Practical Christianity took over church responsibilities. The Unity headquarters in downtown Kansas City gradually expanded into a church, publishing company and popular vegetarian restaurant.
Sensing the need for more land, Charles Fillmore purchased 58 acres (235,000 m²) of land in Jackson County, Missouri. In 1919, Fillmore developed Unity Farm for Unity’s eventual new center.
Unity School of Christianity debuted ‘Daily Word’ magazine in 1924 under the name ‘Unity Daily Word’ with Frank Whitney as its first editor. This magazine printed daily inspirational messages in each monthly issue.
While their movement grew, the Fillmores saw their teachings being used in unauthorized ways. To prevent further compromise of their message, they created the Unity Annual Conference. This organization of Unity ministers and spiritual leaders were responsible for guiding the Unity message and supervising the churches.
Myrtle Fillmore died in 1931 and Charles Fillmore retired as minister in of the Unity Society of Practical Christianity in 1933. Charles continued his works as in travels and lectures.
In 1947, Unity School moved to its new headquarters at its Unity Farm site near Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Beginning as a locally renowned produce farm, the site expanded and incorporated as the City of Unity Village in 1953. Today, the campus is 1400 acres (5.7 km²) and is open to the public.
Although Charles Fillmore died in 1948, his son Lowell assumed leadership of Unity and continued his parents’ work. Over the years, Unity School of Christianity hosted spiritual retreats, organized continuing education programs and expanded Unity’s message to other countries. In 1966, the Association of Unity Churches was formed to support Unity ministers and churches.
Today, Unity School’s mission continues at the Unity Institute at Unity Village. The Association of Unity Churches oversees the denominational aspects of over 900 member churches in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.
External links
- Association of Unity Churches (http://www.unity.org/)
- Unity (http://www.unityonline.org/index.htm)