A channeled, three-volume
book that claims the world, sin and sickness are just illusions. This New Age belief system uses
Christian terminology, but among the stated purposes of its publisher, the Foundation for A Course In Miracles ®, is
"correcting the errors of Christianity..."
The Course is
said to have been "dictated" to atheistic psychologist
Helen Shucman by "an inaudible voice," who, she claimed, later
identified himself as "Jesus". The Bible, however, emphatically
forbids the practice of spiritism (see Deuteronomy 18:9-12
) - which is exactly what
Ms. Shucman was engaged in.
Recently, an unedited,
earlier version has been discovered - with a number of key differences
between it and Mr. Shucman's final version. The earlier version is available at
several Internet sites,
further frustrating the copyright claims made by the Foundation
for A Course In Miracles.
Not surprisingly, the Course
promotes anti-biblical teachings and practices. (See these quotes from the Course,
compiled by Eric
Pement).
For instance, John Weldon points
out:
In Course philosophy, biblical
words undergo drastic changes of purpose. Often, the new meanings are the
opposite of their biblical meaning. For example, "atonement" no
longer refers to Jesus Christ's substitutionary death on the cross for sin. In
biblical teaching, the atonement is based on the fact that man's sinfulness
separates him from God. Before man can be reconciled to God, there must be a divine
judgment of sin. Christ sacrificed His own life on the cross -- He was judged
in our place -- to accomplish this.
(...)
But in the Course, the word
"atonement" means that exact opposite: that one is not, and never has
been, separated from God. ... For the Course, the term
"atonement" refers to correcting the belief that men are
separate from God, which is presumed to be a false belief.
John Weldon, A Course in
Miracles/Attitudinal Therapy, in Encyclopedia
of New Age Beliefs
, Harvest House, Eugene,
Oregon, 1996. pp 9,10
Watchman
Fellowship described the Course's new age
teachings as follows:
ACIM defines sin as a
lack of love and since love is all there is, sin in the sight of the Holy
Spirit is a mistake to be corrected rather than an evil to be punished. ACIM
attempts to deal with sin by saying that the world is not real and that there
is no reality behind separation and guilt. Death is an illusion and Jesus'
death on the cross was not to pay for sin but to show that sin and death had no
effect on him. Salvation is the result of overcoming the illusion of sin,
death, sickness fear and pain and is accomplished through forgiveness and
undoing the belief in the reality of separation and guilt. ACIM promotes
acknowledging Christ in all "brothers" and recognizing His Presence
in man.
Watchman Expositor
Vol. 7 No. 2 p. 8
Nevertheless, some Christians - not skilled at
discerning the difference
between heresy and orthodoxy - have enthousiastically endorsed the Course. SCP researcher Robert
Burroughs notes:
It has also found a
ready and expanding audience within the Christian Church, which is not
surprising either. Biblical illiteracy is rampant and commitment to orthodoxy less
than vigorous and sometimes conciously absent. Those conditions are aggravated
by the very nature of the Course writings. Couched in
biblical terminology and allegedly dictated by Jesus Christ, they easily
confuse and seem designed specifically for that purpose
quoted by John Weldon, A Course in
Miracles/Attitudinal Therapy, in Encyclopedia
of New Age Beliefs
Harvest House, Eugene,
Oregon, 1996. p 5
-
Articles -
"A Course in
Brainwashing"
An article from the June
2, 1996 issue of Our Sunday Visitor. "Catholics across the country are
alarmed at the increasing popularity of a New Age phenomenon known as "A
Course in Miracles," a system of spirituality proponents claim is the
"Third Testament" of God to His people. "
A Course In Miracles
by Edward R. Hryczyk,
writing for the Catholic Resource Network
A Course in Miracles
An entry in the Skeptic's Dictionary
A Course In Miracles - A
Biblical Evaluation
by Probe Ministries
A Course In Miracles: Biblical Response
To The Course
by Watchman
Fellowship
"A Course In
Miracles:"Pertinent Facts and Figures
by Watchman
Fellowship
Another New Age Fraud: A Course in
Miracles Denies All
y Watchman
Fellowship
Foundation for A Course In Miracles
Watchman
Fellowship article on the publishers of the Course
|
- Books - |
A
Course In Miracles
A
Crash Course On The New Age Movement
by Elliot Miller. Only
mentions the Course, but provides good insights on the New Age Movement.
Confronting
The New Age
by Douglas Groothuis
The New Age Jesus
Chapter 9 deals with the
Course
- Books
- Online -
Tabitha K's
ACIM page
Includes links to sites
that host, or have available for downloading, the unedited version of "A
Course in Miracles".
It has been discovered
that a pre-copyright edition of ''A Course in Miracles'' exists, and that this
month (January, 2000), this public domain work has been widely circulated on
the internet through web pages, newsgroups, and email. This is being referred
to as the “Hugh Lynn Cayce version” (HLC) because it was presented to Mr.
Cayce, both when it was being scribed and also upon completion, as well as
approximately 300 other people.
- FAQ -
Frequently Asked
Question About "A Course In Miracles"
(PRO)
-
Glossary -
Definitions
from "A Course In Miracles"
(PRO) Glossary
- News
Database -
» Database
of archived news items
(Includes items added between Oct. 25, 1999 and Jan. 31, 2002. See about this
database)
-
Newsgroups -
Talk.Religion.course-miracle
This link will open your
newsreader.
-
Profile -
A Course In Miracles: Profile
by Watchman
Fellowship
-
Quotes -
Quatable Quotes From "A
Course In Miracles" Compiled by Christian apologist Eric Pement to
demonstrate the Course's Un-Biblical teaching.
- Sites
-
Foundation for A Course In Miracles
Teaching Organization
for the Foundation of Inner Peace, Publishers of "A Course In
Miracles."
Miracle Distribution Center
Serves a worldwide
contact point for "A Course in Miracles." Includes articles,
information on 200+ Course-related books, details on study groups, etc.