Unity is a not-for-profit organization based on the teachings of Jesus
and the healing power of prayer. Our world headquarters at Unity Village, Missouri, provides a tranquil atmosphere for quiet meditation and a place for all
people, regardless of faith or nationality, to worship.
Unity was founded in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri, by Charles and
Myrtle Fillmore. After Mrs. Fillmore's remarkable healing using prayer
and affirmations, many friends became interested in how she
accomplished this healing. Unity grew from small prayer circles in
living rooms to the worldwide movement it is today.
Our prayer, publishing, education, and retreat ministries allow us to
provide people around the world with positive, spiritual messages of
hope, healing, prosperity, and peace.
Click here for a timeline of Unity history, or for an extensive list of questions many people new to unity ask, follow this link.
Unity: A Path for Spiritual Living
Unity is a positive, practical, progressive 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.
God
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.
Jesus
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.
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.
The Bible
Unity co-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.
Our Teachings
Unity teaches that each person is a
unique expression of God created with sacred worth. Living from that
awareness transforms our lives and the world.
Unity emphasizes the creative power of
thought in our life experience. We refer to this as the Law of Mind
Action. When we take personal responsibility to choose life affirming
thoughts, words and actions, we experience a more fulfilling and
abundant life.
Unity emphasizes the importance of applying spiritual principles in our daily lives.
Unity teachings continue to evolve as we identify, embrace and apply
spiritual insights and the spiritual implications of new discoveries.
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.
Youth and Family Ministry
Unity recognizes that there are many
expressions of family life. All are welcome. Unity creates an affirming
environment that fosters positive self image, personal responsibility
and unconditional love and acceptance.
Unity:
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Beholds all children as whole and perfect expressions of God
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Empowers children to fulfill their divine potential
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Teaches children to meditate and pray
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Invites children to experience a loving God
Unity provides a strong spiritual foundation for children's lives.
Spiritual Action
In Unity, we feel a sacred
responsibility, individually and collectively, to make a positive
difference through personal example and active service in our churches,
our communities and our world.
This is the Identity Statement taken from the Association of Unity Churches website.