First Church of Divine Science

American church

New Thought
Part of a series of articles on
Beliefs Affirmative prayer Creative visualization Divinity Higher consciousness Glossary of New Thought terms History of New Thought Huna Law of Attraction Life force ("energy") Metaphysics New Thought beliefs New Thought literature Omnipresence Positive thinking Prosperity theology
Movement Denominations Divine Science Jewish Science Religious Science Seicho-no-Ie Unity Churches Affiliated New Thought Network Agape International Spiritual Center Centers for Spiritual Living Church of the Truth International New Thought Alliance Universal Foundation for Better Living Schools Emerson Theological Institute Unity Village, Missouri Other groups Affiliated New Thought Network Association for Global New Thought Home of Truth International Divine Science Association International New Thought Alliance League for the Larger Life New Civilization Church The Infinite Way
People List of New Thought writers Historical William Walker Atkinson Nona L. Brooks H. Emilie Cady Dale Carnegie Robert Collier Malinda Cramer Horatio Dresser Julius Dresser Annetta Seabury Dresser Henry Drummond Mary Baker Eddy Warren Felt Evans Charles Fillmore Myrtle Fillmore Perry Joseph Green Charles F. Haanel Frank Channing Haddock Napoleon Hill Emmet Fox Ernest Holmes Fenwicke Holmes Emma Curtis Hopkins Christian D. Larson Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Samuel Smiles Elizabeth Towne Ralph Waldo Trine 'Three Initiates' (authors of the Kybalion) Thomas Troward Wallace Wattles Lilian Whiting Ella Wheeler Wilcox Modern Michael Beckwith Rhonda Byrne Terry Cole-Whittaker Wayne Dyer Matthew Fox James Dillet Freeman Thaddeus Golas Joel S. Goldsmith Stuart Grayson Louise Hay Esther and Jerry Hicks Jean Houston Byron Katie A. K. Mozumdar Caroline Myss Earl Nightingale Catherine Ponder Della Reese Florence Scovel Shinn Masaharu Taniguchi Eckhart Tolle Iyanla Vanzant Neale Donald Walsch Stuart Wilde Gary Zukav
Related ideas Christian Science Efficacy of prayer Freedom of religion in the United States Idealism Mind–body problem Placebo effect Subjective idealism
Categories New Thought Beliefs Churches Literature Other groups
Religion portal
v t e

The First Church of Divine Science, also called The Church of the Healing Christ, was founded in New York City, New York, in 1906. Affiliated with the Divine Science denomination of the New Thought movement, the church has been home to many notable ministers and attendees, including Emmet Fox.

History

Dr. W. John Murray founded his congregation as The Church of the Healing Christ in 1906. After Divine Science co-founder Nona Brooks was invited to serve as a guest preacher there in 1917, she allowed Murray to rename his group the First Church of Divine Science. However, it was Emmett Fox who popularized the church. During this time the church was a member of the League for the Larger Life.

In 1931, Fox began preaching at the First Church. Almost immediately the congregation grew, and as the numbers of attendees grew the church had to find larger venues. Originally held at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, the church moved to the Biltmore Hotel at the behest of its president, John M. Bowman. Growing further because of Fox's popularity, the church moved to Hotel Astor, then to the Hippodrome. With as many as 6,000 people regular attendees weekly, on special occasions such as Easter the number reached 8,000.

References

Braden, C.S. (1963) Spirits in rebellion: The rise and development of new thought. Southern Methodist University Press. p. 352.
Satter, B. (2001) Each Mind a Kingdom: American Women, Sexual Purity, and the New Thought Movement, 1875-1920. University of California Press. p 102.
(May 22, 1916) "Theatre review" The New York Times. Retrieved June 4, 2011.
Veneter, M. (2004) The Religious Thought of Emmet Fox in the Context of the New Thought Movement. University of South Africa. p 32.

v t e Church of Divine Science
Founders	Malinda Cramer Nona L. Brooks Fannie Brooks
Influences	New Thought Emma Curtis Hopkins Phineas Parkhurst Quimby
Ministers	Joseph Murphy Ernest Holmes Fenwicke Holmes Emmet Fox
Notable groups	International Divine Science Association

This article about a religious organization is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it.

Categories: