Unity is a worldwide Christian organization with an extremely positive approach to life, seeking to accept the good in people and in all life. God is seen as having many attributes, but the most important is LOVE. Unity stresses that God is not a physical being, living in some place, for that limits God and our own understanding. God is Spirit, everywhere present, the one and only Spirit behind, in, and through all things visible and invisible.
Unity rejects the belief that there is any power or presence opposed to God. It sees that there are evil appearances and suffering in the world, but attributes these to humankind’s ignorance, self-will, and erroneous use of God’s laws of life.
Unity proclaims the divinity of Jesus, but goes further and assures that you, too, are a child of God and divine in nature. Jesus fully expressed His inherent divinity and taught us how to express ours, as well. Salvation then, is the expansion of one’s spiritual understanding of one’s own divinity and perfectibility (wholeness) through living the life demonstrated by our brother, and Master Teacher.
Unity explains that the mind is our connecting link with God, or Divine Mind, and shows how the action of our mind affects our body and circumstances. Emphasis is placed on the effective power that thoughts, feelings, decisions, and actions have upon our lives.
Prayer is not seen as a technique for changing God, or changing outer conditions, but for expanding and transforming our minds and hearts, thus changing us. Daily prayer and meditation are encouraged to increase our conscious awareness of the Spirit of God already within us.
Unity seeks to relate spirituality to daily needs, affirming that for every need there is God’s whole and complete answer. Our main textbook is the Bible, and it relates its lessons to your life and everyday experiences. The Bible is the unfolding story of humankind’s spiritual evolution in its relationship with, and its understanding of, God. The entire message of the Bible can be summed up in two words—God first.
Unity chooses to believe that there is good in every religion. Different religions are like spokes on a wheel, with the hub being God. They may be set apart by variances of beliefs or approaches, but they are all seeking the one God as the hub of all life. Consequently, Unity does not deny anyone the right to have his/her own beliefs.
Unity sees worship as serving God by uplifting and glorifying God’s Spirit in humankind, in positive and joyous ways. It seeks not to emphasize one's sins of the past, but, instead, gives attention to the good that exists in every person, and what can be done in present time to transform one’s self and life.
Unity’s concern is not so much with a future life but with teaching people how to live fully in the present, in every moment, seeing the good in all things. Unity believes in eternal life and views the present moment as part of eternal life.
Unity does not impose any financial burdens or pressure on its adherents. It believes the desire for giving is initiated from within the giver to reap the joy of sharing. All support is by free will offerings.
Unity is inter-denominational and welcomes in dignity and love, people of all races, colors, religions, social backgrounds, and economic levels.
Millions of people have been introduced to Unity through the periodical called Daily Word, published at Unity World Headquarters in Lee’s Summit, MO. Millions of others are familiar with Unity through its prayer ministry known as Silent Unity. Silent Unity has maintained a round-the-clock prayer vigil for more than 100 years. Anyone may call via a toll-free number (1-800-669-2000) and receive prayer help.
Because of similarity in names, Unity has, on occasion, been confused with other organizations. However, there is no connection between Unity and Unitarianism or the Unification Church.
In summation, Unity emphasizes the inherent divinity within every child of God and teaches that through a practical understanding and application of what Jesus taught, every person can realize and express his/her own divinity for a happier, fuller, abundant, and more successful life.
