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Start of The New Thought Movement
The New Thought movement is generally considered to have started around the mid-1800s, with the exact year often cited as 1834 when Phineas Quimby began developing his ideas that later influenced New Thought. -
The Spread
The publication of "Leaves of Healing" by Warren Felt Evans, a student of Quimby, introduces New Thought ideas to a wider audience. Evans emphasizes the role of thought in healing and personal transformation. -
New Thought Organizations
The establishment of various New Thought organizations, including the Unity School of Christianity (now known as Unity) and the Church of Divine Science. These organizations promote New Thought principles through churches, publications, and teaching centers. -
First National Convention
The first national convention of New Thought groups was held in 1894. Gatherings continued over the years under various names. -
Unification
In 1914, the International New Thought Alliance was formed in a major attempt at unifying these independent communities. -
"New Thought Day"
The 1915 International New Thought Alliance (INTA) conference – held in conjunction with the Panama–Pacific International Exposition, a world's fair that took place in San Francisco – featured New Thought speakers from far and wide. The PPIE organizers were so favorably impressed by the INTA convention that they declared a special "New Thought Day" at the fair and struck a commemorative bronze medal for the occasion -
The Declaration
By 1916, the International New Thought Alliance had encompassed many smaller groups around the world, adopting a creed known as the "Declaration of Principles". -
New Thought during Challenges
The New Thought movement experiences a resurgence of interest, partly due to the challenges of the Great Depression and World War II. Many turn to New Thought teachings for hope, inspiration, and practical guidance. -
Influence
The New Thought movement influences the development of the human potential movement, which emphasizes personal growth, self-actualization, and the exploration of human potential. New Thought ideas contribute to the rise of positive thinking and self-help movements. -
Declaration Revision
The Alliance is held together by one central teaching: that people, through the constructive use of their minds, can attain freedom, power, health, prosperity, and all good, molding their bodies as well as the circumstances of their lives. The declaration was revised in 1957, with all references to Christianity removed, and a new statement based on the "inseparable oneness of God and Man"