New Thought, Ancient Wisdom

This book revolves around the lives and work of Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, the founders of the Unity Movement in the US. and the wider context is the development of the New Thought movement, which the author dates back to the 18th-century figures of Swedenborg and Mesmer. Emerson and William James are also listed as forerunners. Fillmore's own work is centred on metaphysical healing, arising directly out of his own experience. He was convinced that it was possible for people to achieve the same level of consciousness as Jesus, emphasising that the purpose of life was about living the Christ life, not about acquiring material goods. The book explains the importance of the pursuit of health, and charts the development of the New Thought Movement. It also discusses research on spiritual topics such as prayer, forgiveness and healing in the contemporary science and religion dialogue. The appendices provide valuable background, including an interview with Charles Fillmore, brief biographies of the main figures and a chart detailing the evolution of the movement. Much of this material will be unfamiliar to non-US readers, which makes the book both valuable and and informative.