Religious Science International and United Church of Religious Science merge to live up to their foundational theme of UNITY

The following comes from Golden, Golden, CO, Headquarters for Centers for SpiritualLiving, March 10, 2011

In an era when religious denominations are splitting into smaller and smaller sects, one just reunited  after being split since 1954. Science of Mind®, also known as Religious Science,founded in the 1920s by philosopher Ernest Holmes, functioned as two competing organizationsfor more than 50 years. This week, delegates at their joint annual conference in San Diegoapproved reunification, called "integration," with 98% of the vote.

In preparation for their integration, the two organizations, originally called Religious ScienceInternational and United Church of Religious Science, changed their names to InternationalCenters for Spiritual Living and United Centers for Spiritual Living, respectively. Now that themerger is official, the new organization will be known simply as Centers for Spiritual Living."We are a philosophy that teaches unity, so it is time for us to walk our talk," says Rev. Dr.Kathy Hearn, Community Spiritual Leader for United Centers for Spiritual Living. "Our founder,Ernest Holmes, always believed the movement would come back together at some point, and thetime is now."

"The time has finally come for our organizations to come back together," echoes Rev. Dr.Kenn Gordon, President of International Centers for Spiritual Living. "We simply cannot go onteaching unity while remaining split.

The merger has been in process for eight years, intensifying over the last three years, and usinga shared leadership model that included almost 400 volunteers working to create "modules" thatreflect the functional departments of the new organization. These modules became the basis forthe new corporate documents that were overwhelmingly accepted this week. Science of Mind ispart of the New Thought Movement, started in the mid-1800s by Transcendentalists likeRalph Waldo Emerson and continued into the twentieth century with the teaching of EmmettFox, Napoleon Hill, Emma Curtis Hopkins, and Holmes. The cornerstone of New Thought is ateaching of unity, yet despite this, two factions of Science of Mind broke apart in the 1950s overorganizational differences. "We have the opportunity here to heal the wounds of the past," saysGordon.

During Ernest Holmes' life and ministry in Los Angeles, celebrities such as Cary Grant, PeggyLee, and Doris Day followed his teaching. More recently, Science of Mind has influenced suchluminaries in the field of self development as Wayne Dyer, Jack Canfield, Oprah Winfrey,Michael Beckwith, and Marianne Williamson.

The integrated movement has over 400 spiritual centers in 29 countries, and publishes twoinspirational monthly magazines with a combined readership of 100,000."We have a big vision for providing spiritual tools and transforming personal lives," saysHearn. "We realize that our influence is much more powerful now that we've integrated than ithas been on our own."

Gordon adds, "I know Ernest Holmes would be proud today."

There are two Centers for Spiritual Living. Learn about them at www.gtcrs.org andwww.oneintruth.org