Transdenominationalism and the New Thought Movement

The recent success of “The Secret” is perhaps due in part to a conscious effort on the part of Prime Time Productions to include people of faith in the interviews. This has allowed a majority Christian audience in the United States to more readily accept theories that largely spring from a Western / Christian perspective on what was once called Oriental Occultism and Theosophism.

The New Thought Movement was begun in the mid 19th as a way, in part, to merge beliefs in monism (such as experiential Christianity demonstrated in the first to third centuries AD) with practices it had shunned during an era of empire. Today, some very successful transdenominational, New Thought churches are joining more traditional churches as a supplement to one’s spiritual life, even in relatively small towns.

One prominently featured interviewee in the film was the charismatic Rev. Michael Beckwith, a minister of “New Thought / Ancient Wisdom” divinity, ordained in Religious Science, who founded and runs the transdenominational Agape Center in southern California. Centers like it have been popping up all over North America since the mid 1990s with swelling congregations, often with more than several thousand individuals.

The program at a service there consists of personal empowerment, peace though communication and an international rainbow of beliefs that are heavily influenced by Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Like the wide search cast by Wallace Wattles and Rhonda Byrne to find their Secrets, Transdenominational New Thought includes a little bit of everything, presented in such a manner that you can recognize it and be comfortable, but just interesting enough to be fun.

However, that doesn’t mean people don’t want somewhere to go on Sunday. One of the fastest growing segments of faith in North America; the transdenominational focus is upon spirituality draws people from various faiths who feel no need to switch affiliation or beliefs. They simply go, enjoy the show, and take away what they feel is personally useful to them.

The buildings such congregations meet in are often enormous and called centres rather than churches. Little to no time is spent on ritual, and more effort is expended upon creating the right mood for a joyful, shared experience. Usually this means a amplified band and flashy choir to accompany many speakers. Services at such centres usually last far longer than the usual 45 minute Catholic Mass or Lutheran Service that many are used to. There is no kneeling required, unless the spirit moves you to do so.

These churches seem to borrow a great deal of their set-up and outward appearance to the tent revivals that traveled the United States in the early to mid 20th century. Though usually without faith healing, there will certainly be discussions about physical and spiritual heath as a consequence of positive thinking and an open attitude.

In recent years, many conservative preachers and rabbis have voiced concern that such a movement toward individual spirituality will prove the end of organized religion having an organized force on society at large. However, attendance at such churches suggests that many of the attendees go in addition to existing commitments to their regular church.

The theology that has sprung up in the late 20th century with regards to transdenominational congregations argues that the similarities shared between various Christian sects are greater than their differences. Furthermore, these differences are thought to be an asset when accepted into a larger Christian framework.

In addition to Religious Science, the New Thought Movement has given rise to many independent organizations with various types of organization. Some others in the United States include independent organizations that are actively spreading today, including Divine Science, Humanity’s Team, Unity and Universal Foundation for Better Living. Some of these groups are more closely identified with transdenominational Christianity than others, with Unity being perhaps the one with the closest ties.

The various groups and organizations of New Thought tend to welcome those from outside groups because a main tenet of the philosophy is that it should change over time — hearing what those in other faiths have to say is a way to go about doing that. While many in the New Thought Movement choose to pursue teaching in books or as self-help “gurus,” the use of a church-like service to discuss issues of spirituality has proven a natural and successful one.