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Spiritual Teaching - Centre For Spiritual Living Saskatoon

Teachings

The Religious Science Teaching

As a Divine being, you are the master of your destiny.

This is the great message Religious Science brings to people of all faiths. It is a fresh concept of religion as a life philosophy and a science. As a philosophy, Religious Science presents a practical, down-to-earth way of thinking about the nature of the Universe and our relationship to it. As a religion, it presents a philosophy that is both mentally stimulating and emotionally satisfying. As a science, it presents specific and definite ideas which you can demonstrate for yourself and directly experience the benefits in your life.

There is a power for good in the Universe greater than you are—and you can use it!

Science of Mind® is a system of mental and spiritual principles, combined with a technique for the application of these principles. It is designed to live and expand consciousness in ways that lead to an even higher order of livingness. It emphasizes the spiritual connection of all, thus promoting peace and greater harmony at all levels of experience. The consistent application of Religious Science results in health, satisfying relationships, enhanced creativity, and prosperity.

Change your thinking and change your life!

Religious Science is not a closed system of thought. It grows continually as humankind evolves, drawing on the frontiers of knowledge as well as the wisdom of the ages.

What We Believe

It is done unto you as you believe.

Religious Scientists believe, very simply, that the Universe is fundamentally spiritual—it has intelligence, purpose, beauty and order. Whether we call it God, spirit, energy, or Universal Intelligence, every person, place and thing emanates from this spiritual universe. We believe this Universal Intelligence is within us, as well as around us, and that we are conscious of it. Our beliefs are in harmony with the basic tenets of all the world’s great religions.

Religious Scientists believe that God is a loving Infinite Intelligence, operating through and in all of life, never separate from anyone or anything. Through classes and study we come to understand our oneness with this indwelling Divine Presence. The way of life we teach and practice is learning how to live in accordance with spiritual principles. These principles, or metaphysical laws, are as reliable as the laws of physical science.

In the scientific aspect of Science of Mind®, we believe there is a body of knowledge about spiritual laws which operates in the Universe as Cause and Effect. We teach that "It is done unto you as you believe." Our thinking and our expectations create our reality. It is in studying and applying spiritual laws that we can change our unconscious beliefs and create improved conditions in our lives.

Declaration of Principles

When someone asks you, "What do you believe?", it sometimes seems easier to answer this question by listing all the things one does not believe. A reporter once asked our founder Dr. Ernest Holmes to put in his own words, briefly, what Religious Science teaches. His answer has become known as the Declaration of Principles. Religious Science or the Science of Mind® is all about awakening to our own inherent magnificence. The principles that follow have nothing to do with what we're against, for in truth, we're not against anything, but for something wonderful.

  • We believe in God, the Living Spirit Almighty; one, indestructible, absolute and self-existent Cause.
  • This One manifests Itself in and through all creation, but is not absorbed by Its creation.
  • The manifest universe is the body of God; it is the logical and necessary outcome of the infinite self-knowingness of God.
  • We believe in the incarnation of the Spirit in us and that all of us are incarnations of the One Spirit.
  • We believe in the eternality, the immortality and the continuity of the individual soul, forever expanding.
  • We believe the kingdom of heaven is within us and that we experience this kingdom to the degree that we become conscious of it.
  • We believe the ultimate goal of life to be a complete emancipation from all discord of every nature, and that this goal is sure to be attained by all.
  • We believe in the unity of all life, and that the highest God and the innermost God is One God.
  • We believe that God is personal to all who feel this Indwelling Presence.
  • We believe in the direct revelation of Truth through our intuitive and spiritual nature, and that any person may become a revealer of Truth who lives in close contact with the Indwelling God.
  • We believe that the Universal Spirit, which is God, operates through Universal Mind, the Law of God.
  • We are surrounded by this Creative Mind which receives the direct impress of our thought and acts upon it.
  • We believe in the healing of the sick through the Power of this Mind. We believe in the control of conditions through the Power of this Mind.
  • We believe in the eternal goodness, the eternal loving kindness and the eternal givingness of life to all.
  • We believe in our own soul, our own spirit, and our own destiny.
  • We understand that the life of humankind is God.

The
Founder 
of 
Religious Science:
Dr. Ernest Holmes

From time to time, we are blessed to know people of apparent genius, people whose insight, understanding, and love are influential in changing the thinking of whole generations, and whose impact will be felt for years to come. Dr. Ernest Holmes was such a person. He began teaching in 1916 and founded the movement we know today as Religious Science in 1927. The philosophy of Religious Science is found in a textbook written by Dr. Holmes called, The Science of Mind®. It was first published in 1926 and revised in 1938.

Raised in New England in the 1800s, Holmes did not finish high school, although religion played an important role in his childhood, he held no affinity for organized religion. His enthusiasm for knowledge and truth came from books. Over time he was able to piece together the profound knowledge of many of the world’s greatest spiritual leaders and thinkers throughout history.  He studied science, philosophy, and religion, seeking out the greatest minds in each of these various fields. Throughout this investigation, his desire was to synthesize what he learned, to "put it all together" into one practical, usable philosophy that would lead to greater happiness, success, and prosperity in daily life. He achieved this goal.

Dr. Holmes made no claim that he personally discovered any great truth, but through his dedicated approach to metaphysical studies (going beyond the physical), he added his insights about God to the opinions of the great wisdom of the ages. In particular, he contributed the powerful technique he called "spiritual mind treatment," a major cornerstone of Religious Science teachings today.

Those who know Dr. Holmes said he had the ability to look through any appearance to the truth behind it. He knew an imperfect person was in truth, God-spirit. "This," he said, "is judging righteously, and not according to appearance." He could see God in all things, while soaring to metaphysical heights in his captivating speeches or in silent meditation, and the next moment be in everyday life—laughing and telling a good story. These qualities of humanness and balance made him a highly admired and respected man.

Dr. Holmes realized that neither he nor anyone else would ever have the final answers to timeless questions. "Man will never encompass the Infinite," he said, "for to do so would make him God, which is an impossibility."

Dr. Holmes’ public lecture career started around 1915. He spoke regularly at the Metaphysical Library in Los Angeles where his audiences quickly outgrew the facility. He and his brother, Fenwicke, engaged classrooms and offices in the well-known Brack Shops and conducted Sunday Services at the nearby Strand Theatre. Their work continued to grow, and Ernest wrote his first books, "Creative Mind" and "Creative Mind and Success."

In 1926 his book "Science of Mind®" was published and the Institute of Religious Science was established. By 1930, Dr. Holmes was speaking to overflow audiences on Sunday mornings at the Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. He had a live radio program on CBS. Soon thereafter the first branch of Religious Science opened in Hollywood under the leadership of Dr. Robert Bitzer. This was the start of a worldwide movement which has made the teaching and practice of Science of Mind® universally known.