What We Believe

Unity

What is Unity?
What are Unity's basic teachings?
Is Unity a denomination?
Does Unity believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ?
Any connection between Unity and Unitarianism?
What is the relationship of Unity to other churches?
Teachings about sin and salvations, heaven and hell?
Is Unity headquarters open to the public?
Is Unity an offshoot of Christian Science?
What is the role of the Bible in Unity?
Does Unity practice baptism and communion?

What is Unity?
Unity is positive, practical Christianity. We teach the effective daily application of the principles of Truth taught and exemplified by Jesus Christ. We promote a way of life that leads to health, prosperity, happiness and peace of mind. Unity has established centers of study and worship throughout the world where people discover and practice the Unity way of life. We address physical, mental and emotional needs through affirmative prayer and spiritual education. We serve those who seek inspiration and prayer support as well as those who use Unity teachings as their primary path of spiritual growth. We believe that all people are created with sacred worth, and we strive to reach out to all who seek support and spiritual growth. Therefore, we recognize the importance of serving all people in spiritually and emotionally caring ways. Our ministries and outreaches are free of discrimination on the basis of race, gender, age, creed, religion, national origin, ethnicity, physical disability and sexual orientation. Our sincere desire is to create spiritually aware organizations that are nondiscriminatory and support diversity. Back to top

What are Unity's basic teachings?
We encourage you to explore and apply Unity teachings based on your own spiritual understanding. We believe this spiritual understanding is enhanced through reflective prayer and meditation. The five basic ideas that make up the Unity belief system are: 1) God is the source and creator of all. There is no other enduring power. God is good and present everywhere. 2) We are spiritual beings, created in God's image. The spirit of God lives within each person; therefore, all people are inherently good. 3) We create our life experiences through our way of thinking. 4) There is power in affirmative prayer, which we believe increases our connection to God. 5) Knowledge of these spiritual principles is not enough. We must live them. Back to top

Is Unity a denomination?
Some aspects of the Unity movement are denominational, and some are not. For example, there are more than 900 Unity churches and study groups affiliated with Unity's sister organization, the Association of Unity Churches International. This is a denominational aspect of Unity. In addition, the Unity Institute at Unity Village trains approximately 60 students every two years to be Unity ministers. This is also denominational. However, the majority of the work done by Unity involves prayer, publishing and education services to people of all faiths. These nondenominational aspects include the prayer ministry, Silent Unity, Daily Word (Unity's nondenominational inspirational monthly magazine), retreats and continuing education classes that are open to everyone and teach Unity principles in nondenominational settings. Back to top

Does Unity believe in the divinity of Jesus Christ?
Yes, Unity teaches that the spirit of God lived in Jesus, just as it lives in every person. Every person has the potential to express the perfection of Christ as Jesus did, by being more Christlike in everyday life. Back to top

Is there any connection between Unity and Unitarianism?
No, there is no connection, although there is sometimes confusion because of the similarity of the names. Each is a distinct organization with its own set of beliefs and practices. Back to top

What is the relationship of Unity to other churches?
Unity is a vehicle for instruction, inspiration, and prayer support for spiritual seekers, regardless of their religious affiliation. Unity freely shares its teachings with all churches. Back to top

What does Unity teach about sin and salvation, heaven and hell?
Sin is our separation from God, the Good, in consciousness. Salvation is now—not something that occurs after death. It happens whenever we turn our thoughts from fear, anxiety, worry and doubt to thoughts of love, harmony, joy and peace. The "fall" takes place in consciousness whenever we fall into negative habits of thinking. Heaven and hell are states of consciousness, not geographical locations. We make our own heaven or hell here and now by our thoughts, words and deeds. Back to top

Is Unity headquarters open to the public?
Yes. All of our services in the Unity Village Chapel, along with the surrounding grounds, are open to the public. The grounds at Unity headquarters include a rose garden, a labyrinth for walking meditation, a metaphysical library and a bookstore. Back to top

Is Unity an offshoot of Christian Science?
No. Unity and Christian Science, as well as many other New Thought groups, had their beginnings in the latter part of the 19th century. The application of principles, the methods of teaching, and the organization of the two movements are quite different. Back to top

What is the role of the Bible in Unity?
The Bible is Unity's basic textbook. Scripture comes alive when it is understood as a clear and helpful guide for today's experiences. Back to top

Does Unity practice baptism and communion?
Yes, symbolically. Whereas baptism by water represents the cleansing of the consciousness, spiritual baptism signifies the inflow of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a mental and spiritual process that takes place within the individual as he or she aligns with the spirit of God. Spiritual communion takes place through prayer and meditation in the silence. The word of Truth is symbolized by the bread or body of Jesus Christ. The conscious realization of God-life is symbolized by the wine or blood of Jesus Christ. Unity practices communion by appropriating, or partaking, of the spiritual energy represented by these elements. Back to top

Association of Unity Churches International

Our Mission, Vision and Values

Our Identity—Unity a Path for Spiritual Living
A brochure form of the above material is available here.

5 Basic Unity Principles as adapted from Keys to the Kingdom edited by Connie Fillmore Bazzy
The basic principles can be purchased in poster form here.

Joint Statement for Peace

Honoring Diversity Within the Unity Movement

Tithing Policy

Unity churches worldwide welcome you. Visit one today!

Comments

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@ aprildh

We appreciate your sharing your views, and we respect your right to believe according to your understanding and interpretation of Scripture. In Unity, we have noted that although Jesus appears to speak of heaven and hell in "absolutes" or as actual places in some passages, in others he uses language that is much more open to interpretation--for example, Luke 17:20-21 (KJV), in which he states that the kingdom of God is "within you." Unity's belief is that the kingdom of God, or heaven, is everywhere, because there is no place where God is not. However, our minds and hearts must be open and receptive to this kingdom in order to know and experience it (being "caught up" into heaven can easily refer to an inner experience, a revelation). If we close our minds and hearts to the kingdom, in a sense separating ourselves from God, we may experience hell.

Unity Customer Care

10/25/2011 1:18:47 PM

Also

Scripture does not tell us the geological (or cosmological) location of hell. Hell is a literal place of real torment, but we do not know where it is. Hell may have a physical location in this universe, or it may be in an entirely different dimension.Whatever the case, the location of hell is far less important than the need to avoid going there. Heaven is most certainly a real place. The Bible very definitely speaks of heaven?s existence?and access to heaven through faith in Jesus Christ?but there are no verses that give us a Mapquest-style location. The short answer to this question is, heaven is where God is. The place referred to in this question is called the ?third heaven and paradise in 2 Corinthians 12:1-4, where the apostle Paul tells of a living man who was caught up? to heaven and was unable to describe it. The Greek word translated caught up is also used in 1 Thessalonians 4:17 in describing the rapture, wherein believers will be caught up to be with the Lord. These passages have led to the conclusion that heaven is beyond the earths airspace and beyond the stars.

aprildh

10/19/2011 11:28:12 AM

Disagree

Regarding the Question above: What does Unity teach about sin and salvation, heaven and hell? The bible teached Completely different than this. And the FALL is real, NOT a state of consciousness. All over the bible it states That Heaven and Hell ARE REAL PLACES. The punishment of the wicked in hell is as never ending as the bliss of the righteous in heaven. Jesus Himself indicates that punishment in hell is just as everlasting as life in heaven (Matthew 25:46). The wicked are forever subject to the fury and the wrath of God. Those in hell will acknowledge the perfect justice of God (Psalm 76:10). Those who are in hell will know that their punishment is just and that they alone are to blame (Deuteronomy 32:3-5). Yes, hell is real. Yes, hell is a place of torment and punishment that lasts forever and ever, with no end. Praise God that, through Jesus, we can escape this eternal fate (John 3:16, 18, 36). The bible does have some scripture that can have different Interpretations. But most are Absolute. I do NOT agree with this AT ALL....

aprildh

10/19/2011 11:21:58 AM

Daily Word

Hello. I receive the Daily Word and Unity magazines. They are inspiring and enjoy reading them using their daily affirmation(s)in my spiritual practice. I attend regularly a Religious Science center for the past year and happy with it. In the future, I'm planning to come and visit a local Unity church and looking forward to the visit.

Rolls-Royce

9/8/2010 5:07:47 PM

Unity and other denominations

Dear Friend, You are certainly entitled to your opinion about Unity. However, we do not set out to "convert" anyone or convince them to leave their church or denomination and join Unity. Over the decades, people from many faiths have used Unity teachings and principles (which are based on the teachings and example of Jesus Christ) to deepen and enrich their spiritual experience. Our primary purpose is to help people fully realize their oneness with God and to apply the teachings of Jesus in practical ways in every aspect of their lives. Should your family members elect to attend a Unity church, it is by their own free will; we would encourage them to pray about their decision to be certain this is what God is guiding them to do. Whatever their choice may be, we bless them.

Unity Customer Care

8/3/2010 9:31:00 AM

This is to the person below me:

Good trees bears good fruit and cannot bear bad fruit. Corrupt trees can only bear evil fruit and cannot bear good fruit. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Unity holds all these fruits as principles of their church. Satan, if you believe in such a thing, cannot bear love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. You have your interpretation of the Bible and others have theirs. Yours is no more valid than anyone else. You do not have a personal phone line to God to verify that what you believe is right and what everyone else believes is wrong. And, if we want to get into near death experiences, they support the notions that unity holds far more than the conservative fundamentalist views that some people may hold.

Michelle

8/1/2010 4:19:04 AM

Concerned

My family has read the Unity literature all of my life. Now, some of them want to forsake our denomination and attend a Unity Church. From what I read on this site, Unity sounds like the devil at his best.

hlissak

7/24/2010 8:55:25 PM

Unity and The Bible

I feel so disillisioned. I have belonged to Unity for many years. I have support Untiy and it has supported me. I never knew what Charles Filmore believed about the Bible. I still do not understand it when all of the literature and books of Unity quote the Bible so often. What Charles Filmore said about the Bible makes me want to cry. The Bible is simply another book of Scripture. Charles Fillmore wrote, "It is not necessary that you despise the scriptures of the Jews, of the Hindus, or of any people, but you are to take them for what they are: the records of men as to what their experiences have been in communing with the omnipresent God" (The Twelve Powers of Man, p. 115 But I will not throw the baby out with the bath so to speak. I can take what I want of the teachings and leave the rest. I can say to myself that Charles Filmore was too just a man he did not overcome death. Judi

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3/16/2009 6:34:33 PM