Quimby's Theology
Besides the fact that Quimby had anti-Trinitarian viewpoints, and he denied the deity of Christ; both of these views are not necessarily held by all Word of Faith followers.
As you know, cults integrate traditional Christian teachings with clearly unbiblical ideas. This is what makes it so subtle and easy to accept. By providing what seems to be a Biblical meaning for certain verses, their theology will plant a big hook in your mouth and reel you in.
Quimby taught that God is supreme and everlasting; that divinity dwells within each person; that all people are spirit beings; that "the highest spiritual principle is loving one another unconditionally . . . and teaching and healing one another." He also taught that "our mental states are carried forward into manifestation and become our experience in daily living." [1] These are all teachings of the Word of Faith movement. The idea that divinity dwells within us is adhered to WF teachers, but not openly taught by others. Listen to these YouTube sermon excerpts:
(YouTube)
(YouTube)
(YouTube)
E.W. Kenyon: Father of the Word of Faith Movement
E.W. Kenyon blended cultic doctrines wrapped in Biblical Christianity. His life and ministry were enormously impacted by such cults as: Gnosticism, Science of Mind, the Unity School of Christianity, Christian Science, and New Thought metaphysics. Many of the phrases popularized by present-day prosperity preachers, such as, “What I confess, I possess,” were originally coined by Kenyon. Kenneth Hagin, to whom we next turn our attention, plagiarized much of Kenyon’s work, including the statement, “Every man who has been ‘born again’ is an Incarnation … The believer is as much an Incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.” [2]
One of the problems with speaking a positive confession is that it blurs the line between the distinctiveness of God the creator and man the created. They make God more human than He is, and they deify man to make us look more like God. They believe that when we are saved, we gain back our godhood. This is why we cannot be poor and we cannot be sick. (Justin Peters, "A Call for Discernment" YouTube)
Kenyon's teachings about the "power of words" and his warnings never to make a "negative confession" but only a "positive" one not only deeply influenced Hagin but changed the thinking and ministry of many others who recognized today to be the leaders of this movement. (Dave Hunt, Beyond Seduction)
Besides the fact that Quimby had anti-Trinitarian viewpoints, and he denied the deity of Christ; both of these views are not necessarily held by all Word of Faith followers.
As you know, cults integrate traditional Christian teachings with clearly unbiblical ideas. This is what makes it so subtle and easy to accept. By providing what seems to be a Biblical meaning for certain verses, their theology will plant a big hook in your mouth and reel you in.
Quimby taught that God is supreme and everlasting; that divinity dwells within each person; that all people are spirit beings; that "the highest spiritual principle is loving one another unconditionally . . . and teaching and healing one another." He also taught that "our mental states are carried forward into manifestation and become our experience in daily living." [1] These are all teachings of the Word of Faith movement. The idea that divinity dwells within us is adhered to WF teachers, but not openly taught by others. Listen to these YouTube sermon excerpts:
(YouTube)
(YouTube)
(YouTube)
E.W. Kenyon: Father of the Word of Faith Movement
E.W. Kenyon blended cultic doctrines wrapped in Biblical Christianity. His life and ministry were enormously impacted by such cults as: Gnosticism, Science of Mind, the Unity School of Christianity, Christian Science, and New Thought metaphysics. Many of the phrases popularized by present-day prosperity preachers, such as, “What I confess, I possess,” were originally coined by Kenyon. Kenneth Hagin, to whom we next turn our attention, plagiarized much of Kenyon’s work, including the statement, “Every man who has been ‘born again’ is an Incarnation … The believer is as much an Incarnation as was Jesus of Nazareth.” [2]
One of the problems with speaking a positive confession is that it blurs the line between the distinctiveness of God the creator and man the created. They make God more human than He is, and they deify man to make us look more like God. They believe that when we are saved, we gain back our godhood. This is why we cannot be poor and we cannot be sick. (Justin Peters, "A Call for Discernment" YouTube)
Kenyon's teachings about the "power of words" and his warnings never to make a "negative confession" but only a "positive" one not only deeply influenced Hagin but changed the thinking and ministry of many others who recognized today to be the leaders of this movement. (Dave Hunt, Beyond Seduction)
Most of those whom Kenyon influenced were not aware that they had embraced charismatic occultism (humanism). The relationship of Positive Confession to New Thought scientific shamanism is clear. Its similarities to the teachings of the Mind Science cults cannot be denied. (Dave Hunt, Beyond Seduction)
Read Part 1
Read Part 3
Is There Power in the Spoken Word?
Further Research
"A Different Gospel: A Historical and Biblical Analysis of the Modern Faith Movement" by D.R. McConnell
