A Course in Miracles (ACIM) is one of the most popular spiritual texts of our time. It has influenced a whole movement called “spiritual but not religious,” which is reshaping social and religious perspectives around the world. In the United States alone, its readership is estimated in the millions. Its popularity and acceptance have recently been given a boost by bestselling authors like Marianne Williamson and Iyanla Vanzant, and it has even made inroads into Unity churches and prisons.
ACIM is a self-study curriculum that presents a spiritual way of life based on the contact with an inner teacher or “Holy Spirit.” It blends Christian terminology with Eastern mysticism, perennial philosophy, and modern psychological insights. This combination has given it a broad appeal, reaching well beyond the New Age movement. It has become a major influence in a growing number of religious and social movements, including the New Thought movement.
It has influenced a wide variety of people, from traditional Christians and Catholics to Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, and atheists. Many of them have been helped by its message of forgiveness and love, but others have become disturbed by its teachings on reincarnation and the afterlife. In fact, some have gone so far as to denounce the book as a heretical cult.
Despite the controversy, most readers of ACIM accept it as a trustworthy source of spiritual guidance. The main text, A Course in Miracles, was originally published in three volumes: a preface, the main text of 365 lessons, and a manual for teachers that includes a glossary of terms and instructions on how to teach the Course. There are 26 alternate editions of the book available in multiple languages, but none of them have achieved the same level of long-term popularity as the standard edition, managed by the Foundation for Inner Peace.
Some critics of ACIM have focused on a few of its authors. Jon Mundy and Robert Perry, for example, have both written articles claiming that Gary Renard’s story of being visited by two ascended masters, Arten and Pursah, who gave him deeper insights into ACIM, is false. These individuals are making a valid point that some interpreters and authors of the Course lack integrity and do not accurately represent its teachings. However, they would be better served by choosing a different path than the one of attacking those with whom they disagree.
They should consider if their attacks Acim author are truly serving the interests of ACIM and its teachings. They might find that if they were to change their focus from arguing with each other about the true meaning of the Course, they could reach much more people with its powerful message of healing and forgiveness. And they might find that, in doing so, their own lives and the lives of those they touch will be greatly enhanced. They will have shown that there is another choice other than war. That choice is the choice of peace. That is the way to help heal the world.
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