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The Unity Way of Life
Here is a new and unique interpretation of the Unity movement in a style and with an image never before presented. Here is truly an adventure in faith, a rich and vital book written with sensitive understanding, remarkably original and constructive in its treatment of what Unity is and does. A highly communicate book, The Unity Way of Life is the kind that you will read and re-read, and recommend to friends. Some of the chapter headings THE UNITY VIEWPOINT* HOW UNITY WORSHIPS* UNITY'S PLACE IN THE WORLD OF FAITHS* THE UNITY APPROACH TO PROSPERITY* HOW UNITY HEALS THE SICK* SECRETS OF UNITY'S SUCCESSProfound in its depth of understanding, this book should open a new chapter in the story of Unity's place in the modern world.
Hardcover
Published January 1, 1963
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September 15, 2024
A FAMOUS AND POPULAR INTRODUCTION/ORIENTATION TO THE UNITY SCHOOL OF CHRISTIANITY
Marcus Bach (1906-1995) was a minister, then later a full-time writer and lecturer, becoming recognized as a leading authority on the world's religions and inter-cultural relations. He wrote many other books such as 'Major Religions Of The World,' 'The World of Serendipity,' 'The Chiropractic Story,' 'Had You Been Born in Another Faith: The Story of Religion As It Is Lived and Loved by Those Who Follow the Path of Their Parental Faith,' 'Strange Sects and Curious Cults,' etc.
He states in the first chapter of this 1962 book, "Unity... A spiritual movement without any preoccupation about getting converts... teaching the use of God-consciousness in everyday life, clarifying the working of divine law, explaining the action of the mind which it calls the connecting link between God and man. No one knew how many followers Unity had, and no one seemed to care... For many years it had no churches and stubbornly insisted that it wanted none." (Pg. 1) He adds, "Spiritual evolvement, Unity believed, is the extension of inner faculties to such a degree that they are recognized as the Mind of God. When this discovery takes place, the results so effect the totality of life and are so startling that they appear to be miracles." (Pg. 5)
He summarizes: PURPOSE: Unity believes that there is always purpose. MEANING: Unity believes that nothing happens without meaning. DIVINE ORDER: Unity affirms that every intricate detail of life is bounded by the omnipotence of God." (Pg. 30) He notes, "I remember that it was Charles Fillmore's hope that the work should never develop into another denomination. The movement, as far as he was concerned, was to be restricted to a training center, a school in which people of all communions might share their experiences, deepen their faith, and re-examine their convictions in the light of the full promise of the gospel of Christ." (Pg. 51-52)
He admits, "I have frequently criticized Unity for its lack of missionary activity, its failure to develop a deeper theological base, its apparent unconcern for some of the global issues of our time. I have questioned its depth and have wondered about its Christology as well as its syncretic approach. But whenever I share in Unity worship, I am persuaded that Unity is right in putting first things first as it sees them." (Pg. 53)
He observes, "It cannot be said too often: you must get rid of the fear that God is a wrathful God. You must get rid of the anxiety that God is a merciless God. You must deny the mistaken and deeply ingrained apprehension that you are the victim of a capricious and wanton Creator who delights in afflicting the children of men." (Pg. 124-125)
He points out, "Unlike Mrs. [Mary Baker] Eddy, the Fillmores would not accept suffering as an illusion or look upon pain as a figment of mortal mind. They knew the 'reality' of the world of the sick. They had experienced it. They knew that millions lay daily in hospital beds, that millions were confined to their homes, and that other millions throughout the world despaired of every again knowing the meaning of good health or a buoyant life." (Pg. 127-128) He adds, "There is nothing in Unity that forbids a person going to a doctor. Unity believes that God works through medicine and through medical and non-medical professions which are dedicated to healing. The question as to where one should draw the line between medical aid and full and complete reliance on divine healing is not clearly resolved in Unity." (Pg. 128)
He states, "Unity takes [biblical] texts literally only when they do not conflict with its concept of Truth, a process in which 'inspired reason' plays a major part. Charles Fillmore... [said] that a man should exercise his common sense in reading the Bible as in reading anything else." (Pg. 149)
This book [along with 'The Story of Unity] is one of the most popular, and most helpful, introductions to the Unity School that are available.
Marcus Bach (1906-1995) was a minister, then later a full-time writer and lecturer, becoming recognized as a leading authority on the world's religions and inter-cultural relations. He wrote many other books such as 'Major Religions Of The World,' 'The World of Serendipity,' 'The Chiropractic Story,' 'Had You Been Born in Another Faith: The Story of Religion As It Is Lived and Loved by Those Who Follow the Path of Their Parental Faith,' 'Strange Sects and Curious Cults,' etc.
He states in the first chapter of this 1962 book, "Unity... A spiritual movement without any preoccupation about getting converts... teaching the use of God-consciousness in everyday life, clarifying the working of divine law, explaining the action of the mind which it calls the connecting link between God and man. No one knew how many followers Unity had, and no one seemed to care... For many years it had no churches and stubbornly insisted that it wanted none." (Pg. 1) He adds, "Spiritual evolvement, Unity believed, is the extension of inner faculties to such a degree that they are recognized as the Mind of God. When this discovery takes place, the results so effect the totality of life and are so startling that they appear to be miracles." (Pg. 5)
He summarizes: PURPOSE: Unity believes that there is always purpose. MEANING: Unity believes that nothing happens without meaning. DIVINE ORDER: Unity affirms that every intricate detail of life is bounded by the omnipotence of God." (Pg. 30) He notes, "I remember that it was Charles Fillmore's hope that the work should never develop into another denomination. The movement, as far as he was concerned, was to be restricted to a training center, a school in which people of all communions might share their experiences, deepen their faith, and re-examine their convictions in the light of the full promise of the gospel of Christ." (Pg. 51-52)
He admits, "I have frequently criticized Unity for its lack of missionary activity, its failure to develop a deeper theological base, its apparent unconcern for some of the global issues of our time. I have questioned its depth and have wondered about its Christology as well as its syncretic approach. But whenever I share in Unity worship, I am persuaded that Unity is right in putting first things first as it sees them." (Pg. 53)
He observes, "It cannot be said too often: you must get rid of the fear that God is a wrathful God. You must get rid of the anxiety that God is a merciless God. You must deny the mistaken and deeply ingrained apprehension that you are the victim of a capricious and wanton Creator who delights in afflicting the children of men." (Pg. 124-125)
He points out, "Unlike Mrs. [Mary Baker] Eddy, the Fillmores would not accept suffering as an illusion or look upon pain as a figment of mortal mind. They knew the 'reality' of the world of the sick. They had experienced it. They knew that millions lay daily in hospital beds, that millions were confined to their homes, and that other millions throughout the world despaired of every again knowing the meaning of good health or a buoyant life." (Pg. 127-128) He adds, "There is nothing in Unity that forbids a person going to a doctor. Unity believes that God works through medicine and through medical and non-medical professions which are dedicated to healing. The question as to where one should draw the line between medical aid and full and complete reliance on divine healing is not clearly resolved in Unity." (Pg. 128)
He states, "Unity takes [biblical] texts literally only when they do not conflict with its concept of Truth, a process in which 'inspired reason' plays a major part. Charles Fillmore... [said] that a man should exercise his common sense in reading the Bible as in reading anything else." (Pg. 149)
This book [along with 'The Story of Unity] is one of the most popular, and most helpful, introductions to the Unity School that are available.
May 2, 2020
An old enough book to have no prior entry on Goodreads and even no ISBN(!), this is the work of a scholar of religion who found he took to Unity. I attended a Unity service in Birmingham in 2010 or '11. Someone asked if I was a first-time visitor and upon my yes I was gifted a single dethorned rose with a note expressing my value. Many affirmative statements of one's own value are made in Unity and really all of New Thought (Christian Science, Divine Science); some of their more mystifying beliefs arise out of this affirmative posture. One can't help but picture a man covered in bedsores who suffers a stable trajectory of decay until his eventual death, uttering loudly that "Every Cell In My Body Is Filled With Christ Consciousness, I Do Not Inherit Sickness, I Am Health Embodied by the Spark of God Within Me, I Am Whole and Well," or perhaps succumbing to his disease mid-sentence... In Prosperity is found a similar, albeit less unbelievable doctrine.
And yet there was a simple joy of experiencing Affirmative Prayer in action. That same year, I called in to Silent Unity once; I was too far removed from belief in a deity to listen with any openness to the prayer they spoke for me over the phone.
Gnosticism, Kabbalah and Tarot (and Jung's archetypes) continue to appeal to me more, as exercises in esotericism go, as they are practices of the mind and conscious efforts to attain a higher spirituality for oneself by using one own mind. To rely on one's religious viewpoint to provide wealth or health, or to do as Unity does in insisting they exist where all evidence states they are lacking, is to exceed my willingness to play along.
And yet there was a simple joy of experiencing Affirmative Prayer in action. That same year, I called in to Silent Unity once; I was too far removed from belief in a deity to listen with any openness to the prayer they spoke for me over the phone.
Gnosticism, Kabbalah and Tarot (and Jung's archetypes) continue to appeal to me more, as exercises in esotericism go, as they are practices of the mind and conscious efforts to attain a higher spirituality for oneself by using one own mind. To rely on one's religious viewpoint to provide wealth or health, or to do as Unity does in insisting they exist where all evidence states they are lacking, is to exceed my willingness to play along.
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