Section VII: Fillmorian Theology Flashcards
What is theology?
Theology is the study of the nature of God and Its relationship to us and to the world.
Theology is God thought and God talk.
What is Fillmorian Theology?
Charles Fillmore wrote on metaphysics and theology for almost 60 years. He adopted a new religious perspective called New Thought and Christian Science, expressed in terms of Christian theology, which included for him:
Mysticism
Yogic practices (approach to meditation)
Esoteric spirituality
Idealist metaphysics (the Universe is a phenomena of mind)
Post-Einsteinian physics (consciousness plays a role in the observation and measurement of reality)
Principles of Prosperity
He worked out the practical implications and methods of the philosophical Idealism New Thought, particularly with healing, and expanded the application of the metaphysical arguments to areas of success, prosperity, relationships, and mysticism.
Fillmore did not reject mainline traditional Christian doctrines, but rather, his interpretation and explanation of doctrines drew resistance.
Fillmore’s interpretation of the Bible was based on the belief that the scriptures concealed a spiritual science.
He used ideas from seemingly incompatible thought worlds of science, Christian tradition, occult religion, and philosophical idealism, and challenged students to find their own authority within themselves and accept only what they could demonstrate in their lives (Pragmatism).
Why is embedded and deliberative theology essential to understand as a UFBL Teacher? How would you support a student that may be struggling with their embedded/deliberative theology and our teaching?
Embedded theology is first-order theology, and refers to the implicit beliefs and values that individuals absorb from their community, culture and upbringing. These are often unexamined and taken for granted, forming the foundation of one’s faith without critical reflection. It encompasses the unspoken assumptions and practices that are passed down through traiditions, rituals, and communal life, and is particularly influential during childhood and formative years. It shapes an individual’s intial understanding of their faith and provides a sense of belonging and identity within their community.
Deliberative theology, on the other hand, involves a more critical and reflective approach to one’s beliefs. It requires individuals to examine, question, and articulate their faith in a conscious and intentional manner. It is the process of critically analyzing and evaluating one’s faith, often leading to a more nuanced and personalized understanding. This type of theology can occur at any point in life, but is often prompted by significant life events, crises of faith, or advanced study. It helps individuals to develop a deeper and more coherent understanding of their faith, allowing them to articulate their beliefs more clearly and thoughtfully.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1gNSd4qhbEiPXiYL6o3a-fdCC1XKjG2e-75QlT6ByLqk/edit?usp=drive_link
Fillmore says, “God does not form things.” If this is so, how do things get formed? What is the process?
“God does not form things. God calls from the depths of Its own being the ideas that are already there, and they move forth and clothe themselves with the clothes of time and circumstance in humankind’s consciousness.” The visible arises through an orderly process of manifestation - mind > idea > expression (Divine Order) - first in consciousness and then in outward manifestation. First, we appropriate Divine Ideas from the awareness of Source, or Divine-Mind. Next, through our own thought processes and from our own level of consciousness, we form these Divine Ideas in mind and then into outward manifestation.
Source: Heart-Centered Metaphysics, Section 10D, pg. 142
Fillmore writes that Metaphysical Christianity “does not and in its exact meaning teach how to heal diseases by the power of thought.” Explain the crucial distinction between healing disease and eradicating false concepts.
Healing Disease refers to the physical act of curing ailemnts and restoring health through medical or alternative treatments. It involves addressing the symptoms and root causes of physical conditions.
Eradicating false concepts is correcting erroneous beliefs and thoughts that are believed to manifest as physical ailments. The idea is that by changing one’s mindset and aligning with divine truth, physical healing will naturally follow.
Fillmore stated: “I told myself in this Babel I will go to headquarters. If I am Spirit and this God they talk so much about is Spirit, we can somehow communicate, or the whole thing is a fraud.” Explain what this means and how it might be relevant to your spiritual journey and to you as a UFBL teacher.
Metaphysically, the term Babel signifies confusion, and the tower of Babel allegory signifies the confusion that takes place when trying to seek divine contact with God via outer means. Going to headquarters signifies acknowledging and turning toward the indwelling presence - going straight to Source. Amid all of this confusion and outer seeking, I will turn within. If we are Spirit, and God is Spirit, then we have a means of direct contact, needing no mediator. This statement reflects that the pragmatic curiousity of a student seeking Truth, regardless of the level of conviction at the outset, is a positive trait that creates momentum when explored.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rl9t__sY_zBB3wpL2OPf2XJJeMAGDX20/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106204773488808694893&rtpof=true&sd=true
A mass shooting just took place in your town, and a close relative of one of your students was fatally impacted. Understanding Fillmore’s approach to Eschatology, how would you support and comfort the student? What would you say/do? Which of the 5 Basic Principles would you ground your response in?
Death is on the lower end of the spectrum of life and vitality - it is not death as we know it, simply the spiritual essence departing from the physical body.
First, heal the pain. Then heal the thought that created the pain.
Have a principle based approach: Listen to the student. Start with prayer for the awareness of the divine idea of Life and Oneness for myself, my student, and all affected by the event to harness the awareness of the Omnipresence of God, the Divinity of Humankind and Practicing the Presence. If possible, pray and affirm Life before engaging with my student, so that I can ensure I am embodying the consciousness of Life when I interact with him or her, under the Law of Demonstration and the Value and Power of Thought.
Offer a listening ear and a safe place for my student to relate what they are thinking and feeling, seeking first to understand where they are in consciosuenss with the transition of their loved one and guage their receptivity to guidance from me.
Offer to pray with my student, affirming life, love, and peace with them. Ask if there’s anything specific my student needs from me, or if there is a way I can help them. If asked, share resources I found helpufl when dealing with a series of transitions in my family. These resources for me include the book Home with God by Neale Donald Walsch, Radical Forgiveness by Colin Tipping, and the Seven Aspects of God by Emmet Fox, both of which helped me to realize the Omnipresence of God and The Value and Power of Thought in the face of similar challenges.
Source: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rl9t__sY_zBB3wpL2OPf2XJJeMAGDX20/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=106204773488808694893&rtpof=true&sd=true
What is Christology?
“Being’s Perfect Idea,” The branch of Christian theology that involves thinking about the nature and mission of Jesus Christ
What is Soteriology?
The branch of Christian theology dealing with salvation. How are we saved?
What is Pneumatology?
The Nature of the Holy Spirit
What is Cosmology from Fillmorian Theology?
Laws of Mind, the nature of creation, space, time, laws, and causality.
What is Eschatology?
The final things, the state of the soul after death, the second advent of Jesus the Christ, The final judgment, and the resurrection.
What is embedded theololgy?
First-order theology; daily encounters with one’s Christianity
What is implicit theology?
Formal and informal; planned and unplanned, theology that is deeply in place and at work as we live as Christians
What is deliberative theology?
Second-order theology; the understanding of faith that emerges from the process of careful reflection, inspection, and examination.
An examination of one’s implicit theology.
