The Unlimited Christian Lineage

I so appreciate the work that Rollie and IntegralLife are engaging in, to consciously evolve Christianity's interior world beyond mythic. 

At the same time, I get frustrated at the lack of inquiry into the interior depth of the New Thought world.  Unity and Religious Science, the 2 primary organizations of New Thought, were both created by leaders intentionally moving religion from mythic to rational.  In fact, Ernest Holmes - the founder of Religious Science - described Religious Science in the exact same way Wilber does in this interview, to know not through dogma, but direct experience, "that is the science of it."  Thus for decades now these organizations, and various independent New Thought organizations, have been teaching the interior life of Christ from the rational and pluralistic perspectives.

Those living their interior life in The Christ - and that includes me - didn't stop being in spiritual community at the rational or pluralistic levels.  We found New Thought communities that served our interior growth in magnificent ways.  It think it will serve Rollie's research well to interview the thousands of people who have continued to live The Inner Christ beyond mythic levels.  The Christian lineage is not limited to mainstream Christian churches as many of the founders of our nation are examples.

This does not mean that the New Thought philosophy doesn't have it's shadow side.  I have read and listened to Wilber's critiques of New Thought and have agreed with him on everything I have heard.  Still, he consistently leaves out the extraordinary power and gift of the philosophy, to the point I'm not sure if it's known or not.  It's most interesting as so many New Thought folks are at pluralistic stage spiritually, ready to jump into integral spirituality, thus are integrallife's perfect audience.     

I remember sitting in my first metaphysical Bible class in ministerial school, Dr. Paul Barrett was teaching.  He was giving the metaphysical definitions of Melchizadek (Abraham tithes to him in the Old Testament), The Christ and Jesus, The Prince of Peace.  Then after the definitions, he is giving the metaphysical interpretation of what this means, and as he's reads, the energy within me starts shooting through my body.  I'm on fire and feel like I'm going to explode.  The words are alive, no longer on the page, but dancing in front of me.  I look up and feel this energy surging between myself, Dr. Paul and the guy sitting across from me.  I feel such awe and gratitude for the "darshan" I am receiving from Dr. Paul. 

Years later I share my experience with the guy who had been sitting across from me that day and asked if he remembered it.  "Of course," he replied, "why do you think I started studying with Dr. Paul privately?"  This gentleman now leads a Jewish group in a New Thought center.  He is not afraid of The Christ, but rather, this experience took him deeper into his own tradition.

This is just one example of the amazing people one meets over and over in the New Thought world.  There is a treasure chest of interior depth here, I hope Integrallife doesn't overlook it.

In Infinite Love and Tenderness,

Rev. Harriet Hawkins