A Course in Miracles Review

 

A Course in Miracles is a self-study spiritual thought system consisting of three volumes -- the Text, the Workbook for Students, and the Manual for Teachers. Its central theme is the forgiveness of self and others. The work teaches that this is the path to universal love and peace, or remembering God.

The Course is widely credited to Helen Schucman, who said that it was "scribed" or written between 1965 and 1972 through a process of inner dictation from an entity which identified itself as Jesus Christ. While it uses Christian terminology, the Course is nonsectarian and ecumenical in its approach. It states that it is only one of many thousands of versions of a universal course in healing and redemption.

Despite this ecumenical perspective, the teachings of A Course in Miracles have had a powerful influence on the worldview of Christians. Some mainline churches include the Course as part of their educational programs, and its popularity has given rise to a number of allied religious movements such as Unity Churches and the Circle of Atonement. Its ecumenical orientation is also evident in its embrace of Eastern mysticism, perennial philosophy, and modern psychological insights.

This synthesis has given the Course an enduring appeal among people from a wide range of backgrounds and traditions. The Course has been embraced by many well-known writers, including Marianne Williamson and Iyanla Vanzant (who wrote the foreword to this book) as well as the influential psychiatrist Jerry Jampolsky, who has appeared on the Phil Donahue Show and on the Today and 60 Minutes television shows.

Although the Course is largely a book of metaphysical principles, it includes a number of specific practices to help readers learn to apply these principles in daily life. For example, the Course urges its students to practice forgiveness for 30 minutes every day and to reaffirm their determination to do so each time they experience a thought of guilt. It also advises that they recite a short prayer of dedication each time they begin their practice period, affirming that they are dedicated to salvation and willing to make the commitment necessary to achieve it.

A substantial portion of the A course in miracles review Course's introductory material is given over to teaching on forgiveness, but there are also sections which focus on relationships, death, and other spiritual topics. In addition, there is a large amount of information about the physical and psychiatric effects of practicing forgiveness.

In 1992, the Foundation for Inner Peace, current copyright holders of the Course on ACIM, began to restrict publication of the work. A CompuServe forum on the Course, in which two members of CIMS were involved, was shut down for trademark infringement, and many authors found themselves being asked to pay royalties when they quoted from the Course. However, in February 2000 a copy of the public domain Hugh Lynn Cayce version of the TEXT portion of the Course was obtained, carefully transcribed into a digital format, and placed on the Internet by anonymous parties. This version was widely distributed before being shut down by a temporary restraining order, which was overturned in 2003.