Unity is a worldwide organization and was founded in 1889 in Kansas City, Missouri, by Charles and Myrtle Fillmore. It is an inclusive faith that welcomes diversity of belief. Following is a brief account of its history. To learn more about the history of the movement, click here for a more detailed article.

Myrtle had been ill with tuberculosis since childhood and was not expected to live very long. Her life changed when she and her husband Charles attended a lecture by E. B. Weeks, where she heard the words, “I am a child of God, and therefore I do not inherit sickness.” She accepted this as the truth of her being and committed herself to affirmative prayer. After experiencing a full recovery, many who were seeking help became interested in how she accomplished this healing. She began teaching affirmative prayer to friends and family. Charles was a successful Kansas City businessman and he avidly studied world religions and philosophies, as well as the links between religion and science. He also committed himself to a regular prayer practice. Together they synthesized their experiences, started writing about their beliefs, created a prayer ministry and established Modern Thought meetings on Sunday afternoons. This evolved into the Unity movement we know today, which comprises over 1000 churches in 65 countries, a worldwide 24-hour prayer ministry known as Silent Unity, a residential seminary and spiritual educational center known as Unity Institute, and a spiritual retreat center.

• Unity is also known for being the publisher of the Daily Word since 1939 and Unity magazine since 1894.
• For a more detailed timeline of Unity’s history, go to http://www.unity.org/aboutunity/whoWeAre/unityHistory.html

Note: While Unity emphasizes spiritual healing, prosperity and practical Christianity in its teachings, it does not reject or resist medical treatments.