The renowned historian examines the evolution of the New Thought Movement from its eighteenth-century European roots to twentieth-century America.

In this enlightening study, Martin A. Larson presents New Thought as a rebellion against the conventional dogmas of Western religion. He begins with an in-depth look at the work of Emanuel Swedenborg, the philosopher and Christian mystic who was compelled to publish his theological writing anonymously outside his native Sweden.

In the United States, however, the Shakers and their predecessors were able to avoid persecution despite setting forth a complete repudiation of traditional Christian doctrine. They achieved this by accepting the Bible as divine revelation while denying its literal meaning. Through the process of Spiritual Interpretation, they supplanted orthodox religion with a totally new system of faith and belief.

This work is dedicated to all those seeking truth in a religion that meets the needs of modern life. The author pays special tribute to such forerunners as Michael Servetus, Emanuel Swedenborg, Phineas Quimby, Warren Felt Evans, Horatio W. Dresser, Ralph Waldo Trine, Emma Curtis Hopkins, Charles Fillmore, Ernest S. Holmes, Thomas Troward, Joseph Murphy, and a host of others who have contributed to the movement known as New Thought, a philosophy of health, happiness, and prosperity.