Customer Reviews

Emma Curtis Hopkins: Forgotten Founder of New Thought (Women and Gender in North American Religions)

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Emma Curtis Hopkins: Forgotten Founder of New Thought, by Dr. Gail M. Harley, is a major contribution to scholarship on New Religious Movements in America and especially the American New Thought movement. It is a must read for anyone interested in the New Thought Movement (Unity, Religious Science, Divine Science, Universal Foundation for Better Living, INTA, and other related groups). Harley's style is clear and straight-forward yet scholarly in its depth and precision of analysis and explication. Uncluttered with meaningless details and free of jargon, Harley's work on Hopkins is certainly accessible to average readers. Dr. Harley also tells the story of Hopkins' remarkable life in such a way that it comes alive for the reader. At times, Harley's biographical narrative reads like a good novel -- a real page turner. The new findings about Hopkins' work that Harley presents are destined to lead to reevaluations of the history of the New Thought movement -- infact, the book itself represents a major reevaluation of that history. To Dr. Harley's subtitle, this reader would add only: "forgotten no more" -- thanks to Dr. Harley.

Emma Curtis Hopkins continues to be a force in the New Thought Movement whether she is known or unknown to most New Thoughters. While there is some useful information, this book is mainly a consolidation of existing scholarship in one source. There is nothing new here save some letters sparsely quoted. It does not seem that she had full access to the Fillmore or the Eddy correspondances. The authors interesting conclusions often indicate her lack of a strong grasp on Ms Hopkins teachings. We look forward to the day when a gifted writer comes along who can due justice to this great teacher.