Ernest Holmes
Encyclopedia
Ernest Shurtleff Holmes (1887–1960) was an American writer and spiritual teacher. He was the founder of a Spiritual movement known as Religious Science
, a part of the greater New Thought
movement, whose spiritual philosophy is known as "The Science of Mind." He was the author of The Science of Mind
and numerous other metaphysical books, and the founder of Science of Mind magazine
, in continuous publication since 1927. His books remain in print, and the principles he taught as "Science of Mind" have inspired and influenced many generations of metaphysical
students and teachers. Holmes had previously studied another New Thought teaching, Divine Science
, and was an ordained Divine Science Minister. His influence beyond New Thought can be seen in the self-help
movement.
at age 15. From 1908 to 1910 he worked in a store to pay his for tuition at the Leland Powers School of Expression in Boston. There he was introduced to Mary Baker Eddy
's Science and Health, as well as Christian Science
.
In 1912 Holmes joined his brother Fenwicke
in Venice, California. In addition to taking up a job with the city government, Holmes and his brother, a Congregationalist
minister, studied the writings of Thomas Troward
, Ralph Waldo Emerson
, William Walker Atkinson
, and Christian D. Larson
.
In 1927 he married Hazel Durkee Foster. She died in 1957. Holmes died on April 7, 1960.
That year Holmes started speaking each Sunday morning in a theatre in the Ambassador Hotel that seated 625. In November 1927, they moved to the 1,295-seat Ebell Theatre
. Subsequently, Holmes lectures continued moving to ever-larger spaces, including Biltmore Hotel
, and the Wiltern Theatre. which seats more than 2800. In February, 1927, Holmes incorporated the Institute of Religious Science and School of Philosophy, Inc., and later that year he began publishing Science of Mind magazine. In 1935 he reincorporated his organization as the Institute of Religious Science and Philosophy, and in 1954 it was reestablished again as a religious organization called the Church of Religious Science.
Today his Science of Mind/Religious Science teachings are continued by the Centers for Spiritual Living
, the Affiliated New Thought Network
, Independent Religious Science ministries, the Global Religious Science Ministries, and other organizations.
Through his research, Holmes created a "structure of concepts" based on the religions and philosophies of human history , sometimes correlating his findings with the then-emerging "new" physics. He named the teaching a science because he believed that its principles were scientifically provable in practice. He wrote, "I would rather see a student of this Science prove its Principle than to have him repeat all the words of wisdom that have ever been uttered."
Holmes ultimately came to believe in a "core concept" -- what he saw as a "Golden thread of truth" that ran through all of the world's religions as well as in science and philosophy.
in India. The California College of Medicine, University of California at Irvine awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters
, and the Foundation Academic University of Spiritual Understanding in Venice, Italy, awarded him a Doctor of Letters
. In 1942, he was bestowed with the Cross of the Commander of the Grand Humanitarian Prize of Belgium, and in 1944 he was named honorary member of the Eugene Field
Society.
Religious Science
Religious Science, also known as Science of Mind, was established in 1927 by Ernest Holmes and is a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical religious movement within the New Thought movement. In general, the term "Science of Mind" applies to the teachings, while the term "Religious Science"...
, a part of the greater New Thought
New Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
movement, whose spiritual philosophy is known as "The Science of Mind." He was the author of The Science of Mind
The Science of Mind
The Science of Mind is a book by Ernest Holmes. It proposes a science with a new relationship between humans and God. Holmes, the founder of Religious Science, originally published it in 1926. A revised version was completed by Holmes and Maude Latham and published in 1937.Holmes' writing details...
and numerous other metaphysical books, and the founder of Science of Mind magazine
Science of Mind (magazine)
Science of Mind is a religious magazine published bi-monthly by the United Centers for Spiritual Living. Themes include inner peace, hope, healing, guidance, and others...
, in continuous publication since 1927. His books remain in print, and the principles he taught as "Science of Mind" have inspired and influenced many generations of metaphysical
Metaphysics
Metaphysics is a branch of philosophy concerned with explaining the fundamental nature of being and the world, although the term is not easily defined. Traditionally, metaphysics attempts to answer two basic questions in the broadest possible terms:...
students and teachers. Holmes had previously studied another New Thought teaching, Divine Science
Divine Science
The Church of Divine Science is a religious movement within the wider New Thought movement. The group was founded originally in San Francisco in the 1880s under Malinda Cramer...
, and was an ordained Divine Science Minister. His influence beyond New Thought can be seen in the self-help
Self-help
Self-help, or self-improvement, is a self-guided improvement—economically, intellectually, or emotionally—often with a substantial psychological basis. There are many different self-help movements and each has its own focus, techniques, associated beliefs, proponents and in some cases, leaders...
movement.
Biography
Holmes was born January 21, 1887, in Lincoln, Maine to a poor family. He left school and his family in Maine for Boston, MassachusettsBoston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
at age 15. From 1908 to 1910 he worked in a store to pay his for tuition at the Leland Powers School of Expression in Boston. There he was introduced to Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of Christian Science , a Protestant American system of religious thought and practice religion adopted by the Church of Christ, Scientist, and others...
's Science and Health, as well as Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
.
In 1912 Holmes joined his brother Fenwicke
Fenwicke Holmes
Fenwicke Lindsay Holmes was a religious author and brother of Ernest Holmes, widely recognized for being an important factor in the establishment of Religious Science and the founding of the United Centers for Spiritual Living...
in Venice, California. In addition to taking up a job with the city government, Holmes and his brother, a Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
minister, studied the writings of Thomas Troward
Thomas Troward
-Background:Troward was a divisional Judge in British-administered India. His avocation was the study of comparative religion. Influences on his thinking, as well as his later writing, included the teachings of Christ, Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism....
, Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American essayist, lecturer, and poet, who led the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century...
, William Walker Atkinson
William Walker Atkinson
William Walker Atkinson was an attorney, merchant, publisher, and author, as well as an occultist and an American pioneer of the New Thought movement. He is also known to have been the author of the pseudonymous works attributed to Theron Q...
, and Christian D. Larson
Christian D. Larson
Christian D. Larson was a New Thought leader and teacher, as well as a prolific author of metaphysical and New Thought books. He is credited by Horatio Dresser as being a founder in the New Thought movement...
.
In 1927 he married Hazel Durkee Foster. She died in 1957. Holmes died on April 7, 1960.
Religious Science/Science of Mind
After leading small private meetings throughout the city, in 1916 Ernest Holmes was invited to speak at the Metaphysical Library in Los Angeles. This led him to repeat engagements, and on a nationwide tour. In 1919 he published his first book, The Creative Mind, and after almost a decade of touring Holmes committed to remaining in the L.A. area to complete his major work, The Science of Mind. It was published in 1926.That year Holmes started speaking each Sunday morning in a theatre in the Ambassador Hotel that seated 625. In November 1927, they moved to the 1,295-seat Ebell Theatre
Ebell of Los Angeles
The Ebell of Los Angeles is a women's club housed in a complex in the Mid-City section of Los Angeles that includes a clubhouse building and the renowned 1,270-seat Wilshire Ebell Theatre....
. Subsequently, Holmes lectures continued moving to ever-larger spaces, including Biltmore Hotel
Millennium Biltmore Hotel
The Millennium Biltmore Hotel, originally named the Los Angeles Biltmore Hotel of the Biltmore Hotels group, is a luxury hotel located on Pershing Square in Downtown Los Angeles, California. Upon its grand opening in 1923, the Los Angeles Biltmore was the largest hotel west of Chicago, Illinois in...
, and the Wiltern Theatre. which seats more than 2800. In February, 1927, Holmes incorporated the Institute of Religious Science and School of Philosophy, Inc., and later that year he began publishing Science of Mind magazine. In 1935 he reincorporated his organization as the Institute of Religious Science and Philosophy, and in 1954 it was reestablished again as a religious organization called the Church of Religious Science.
Today his Science of Mind/Religious Science teachings are continued by the Centers for Spiritual Living
Centers for Spiritual Living
The Centers for Spiritual Living, or CSL, is a religious denomination promoting Religious Science that was founded by Ernest Holmes in 1949...
, the Affiliated New Thought Network
Affiliated New Thought Network
The Affiliated New Thought Network, or ANTN, based in Pacific Grove, California, is a organization of New Thought centers across the United States that was founded in 1992. Recognized as a cooperative fellowship, it is an intrafaith organization...
, Independent Religious Science ministries, the Global Religious Science Ministries, and other organizations.
Teachings
In the 1920s, Holmes published the following statement of beliefs:Through his research, Holmes created a "structure of concepts" based on the religions and philosophies of human history , sometimes correlating his findings with the then-emerging "new" physics. He named the teaching a science because he believed that its principles were scientifically provable in practice. He wrote, "I would rather see a student of this Science prove its Principle than to have him repeat all the words of wisdom that have ever been uttered."
Holmes ultimately came to believe in a "core concept" -- what he saw as a "Golden thread of truth" that ran through all of the world's religions as well as in science and philosophy.
Recognition
Ernest Holmes received a variety of recognition for his work. In 1945 was awarded the honorary degree of Doctor of Philosophy by Andhra UniversityAndhra University
Andhra University or Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad , located in Visakhapatnam, north east coastal Andhra Pradesh, is one of the older premier universities in India with a broad focus...
in India. The California College of Medicine, University of California at Irvine awarded him a Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
The degree of Doctor of Humane Letters is always conferred as an honorary degree, usually to those who have distinguished themselves in areas other than science, government, literature or religion, which are awarded degrees of Doctor of Science, Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Letters, or Doctor of...
, and the Foundation Academic University of Spiritual Understanding in Venice, Italy, awarded him a Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Letters is a university academic degree, often a higher doctorate which is frequently awarded as an honorary degree in recognition of outstanding scholarship or other merits.-Commonwealth:...
. In 1942, he was bestowed with the Cross of the Commander of the Grand Humanitarian Prize of Belgium, and in 1944 he was named honorary member of the Eugene Field
Eugene Field
Eugene Field, Sr. was an American writer, best known for his children's poetry and humorous essays.-Biography:...
Society.
See also
- Emmet FoxEmmet FoxEmmet Fox was a New Thought spiritual leader of the early 20th century, famous for his large Divine Science church services held in New York City during the Great Depression.- Biography :...
- Stuart GraysonStuart GraysonStuart Grayson was an American New Thought author and Religious Science minister, pastoring to Manhattan's First Church of Religious Science until 1999 and was the director of the Center for Creative Living. He was the Pastor Emeritus there until his death. Grayson appeared on a weekly television...
- Louise HayLouise HayLouise Hay is an American motivational author, and the founder of Hay House, a publishing company. She has authored several New Thought self-help books, and is best known for her 1984 book, You Can Heal Your Life.-Biography:...
- A.K. Mozumdar
- List of New Thought denominations and independent centers
Biographies
- Armor, R.C., Llast, R., and Vergara, A. (2000) That was Ernest: The story of Ernest Holmes and the Religious Science movement. DeVorss Publications.
- Holmes, F.L. (1970) Ernest Holmes: His life and times. Dodd and Mead Publishers.