If you don't find a traditional church a match, if you're more spiritual than religious and you like Oprah, Dr. Wayne Dyer, Louise Hay etc., this may be the place for you.
Check out Rev. Shawn's talks on Harmony TV.
Our History
Religious Science was founded in 1927 by Dr. Ernest Holmes. Religious Science began as a philosophy based on the truth in many religions. We believe in One Life, which is God, and we abide by the teaching, “it is done unto you as you believe.” We believe that our thoughts co-create our lives and place great emphasis on choosing our thoughts wisely. We offer practical and definite methods with which each individual can create positive life changes.
In 1949 Ernest Holmes agreed to make Religious Science a denomination and so began the United Church of Religious Science which later became United Centers for Spiritual Living in... By the 1950s there was a split and Religious Science International was formed. This later became International Centers for Spiritual Living. As of 2011, after over 50 years apart, Centers for Spiritual Living and International Centers for Spiritual Living came together and is now one organization called Centers for Spiritual Living (CSL). You can learn more over at the CSL website. Harmony Center is a member of the Centers for Spiritual Living and was dedicated by Dr. Ernest Holmes himself in 1959. Back then it was called Christ Church of Religious Science. During that ceremony Dr. Holmes had an illumination experience. It was the only such experience he is known to have. The recording of the talk he gave that night is available in our archives. For more about what we envision check out the Global Vision Statement. |
Who Was Dr. Ernest Holmes
January 21, 1887 - April 7, 1960 Dr. Ernest Holmes’s work in the Science of Mind is recognized today as one of the leading viewpoints in modern metaphysics and New Thought.
Dr. Holmes developed a universal philosophy and tools for spiritual living that profoundly resonate to this day. His work provides us with a personal spiritual path, an understanding of our relationship with the Universe, and a connected and joyful approach to daily living. Dr. Holmes wrote his seminal book The Science of Mind in 1926 and revised the text in 1938 to create an edition that has since been published in several languages. Dr. Holmes is also the author of numerous other books on metaphysics and originated the international Science of Mind magazine, which has been in continuous publication since 1927. Born in Maine, Holmes was largely self-taught, seeking out the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Christian D. Larson, Thomas Troward and Phineas Quimby. Holmes moved to Southern California in 1914. He founded the Institute of Religious Science, which became United Church of Religious Science in 1953, and later United Centers for Spiritual Living. In 2012 it officially joined with International Centers for Spiritual Living and is now one organization called Centers for Spiritual Living. Holmes inspired the "positive thinking" of Norman Vincent Peale, Peggy Lee, Cary Grant, Cecil B. DeMille and countless others without ever intending to create a religion or a following of masses of people. Ernest Holmes made his transition to another reality in 1960. |
What We Believe
By Ernest Holmes, 1927 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 individualization of the Spirit in Us, and that all people are individualizations of the One Spirit. We believe in the eternality, the immortality, and the continuity of the individual soul, forever and ever expanding. We believe that heaven is within us, and that we experience it to the degree that we become conscious of it. We believe the ultimate goal of life to be a complete freedom 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 anyone 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 a Universal Mind, which is the Law of God; and that 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; for we understand that the life of all is God. |