Carlton Pearson's Beliefs

[notreligus]

Carlton used to be involved with the Word Of Faith Movement.   Some years back he announced that he now believes the doctrine of Universalism.   I checked his web site this morning and pulled his statement of belief which I am posting below.   I would say that he has taken himself far beyond traditional Universalism:

http://www.bishoppearson.com/#!beliefs/c1xir

What I (We) Believe

This Reality (God) manifests itself in and through all creation, but is not totally defined by or confined to it (to that creation).​

The manifest universe is the bodily expression of this Reality referred to by some as God, not so much a Person, as a Principle.

The universe and humankind's presence in it is the logical and necessary outcome of infinite and self-realization.

I believe in the incarnation (enfleshment) of Spirit in all, God expressing itself in, to, with and as all.

I believe in infinity, the immortality, and continuity of the individual soul, forever and ever expanding.

I believe that the Kingdom of Heaven represents the farthest, reaches, regions and rhythms of consciousness and that it is within all and that it can be experienced to the degree that we become conscious of it and choose to intentionally participate in its vibrations.

I believe the ultimate goal of life is to recall its complete emancipation from all discord of every nature, and its reconciliation to the cadence and coding of our pre-incarnate covenant to come to this planet and/or plane of consciousness. That we are not here against our will, but may have forgotten that we chose to come here and that spiritual amnesia is the root of all illusions of separation, alienation and lack and is the cause of all cosmic conflict. I believe that awakening to this goal and reality can and should be attained by all.

I believe in the unity of all life, and that the highest good and the innermost good is one common existence of Love with unique expression in and as all.

I believe that the idea of God is personal to all who recognize, experience and express its indwelling and refining Presence.

I believe in the direct experience of Self Actualization through one's intuitive and spiritual nature.

I believe that Universal Spirit is an expression of God and that it operates through a Universal Mind and Law; and that we are surrounded by this Creative Mind, which responds to the direct signals of our thought life and acts according to it both personally and powerfully.

I believe in ageless and timeless innocence, the reality of all wakened souls who experience Self Actualization and their own inner and divine Truth!

I believe thoughts are powerful, creative and both inventive and preventive.

I believe in the recovery of accurate life and being, (healing) and living through the enlightenment of soul and mind.

I believe in my own Self and Soul, my own Spirit, my own destiny; and my power to create, co-create and re-create it.

I believe that all of life and all living are expressions of divine abilities and realities and that ignorance of the creative powers inherent in us as human expressions of Divinity can be destructive and cause huge forfeiture of our best experiences of self.

I believe that Peace is our birthright as participants of the earth experience and expression and that Awareness (Consciousness) is the key to personal as well as planetary peace.

I believe that Peace, (ultimate resolve and resolution) is both present and possible.

We believe that experience is not only what happens to you, but what you do with what happens to you. Faith is an action, fear is a reaction. We endeavor to always act in faith and never react in fear. Questions are answers in seed form. It takes talent to answer them, but genius to ask them. We don't seek to be a place where every question is answered, but a community of faith where you can feel safe asking them. We endeavor to not only answer questions, but question answers and continue our personal and collective ongoing evolution. We take the Bible seriously, just not always literally. We think it is more important what Jesus said about God than what the church tends to say about Jesus. We seek to help teach and remind people of their personal and powerful and often forgotten Divinity...Jesus said, "Ye are gods."

[DaveW]

Oh yeah - that almost sounds like a weird mix of universalism and some of the more radical elements of the WOF crowd.

I have his "Live from Azuza" CD (the first one) which was recorded before he went off the deep end.  I believe at that time he was still pretty much mainstream COGIC.**  I will not be buying any more.



** Church of God in Christ

[Wycliffes_Shillelagh]

Kind of a weird cross between Deism and all the "self-realization" hooey that's out there.

Jarrod

[notreligus]

DaveW, I noticed this statement at the Wiki page on Universalism.

The Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute founded and led by American Jewish Universalist rabbi Steven Blane believes in a more inclusive version of Jewish Universalism, stating that "God equally chose all nations to be lights unto the world, and we have much to learn and share with each other. We can only accomplish Tikkun Olam by our unconditional acceptance of each other's peaceful doctrines."

Are you familiar with this concept of "Jewish Universalism"?

[DaveW]

The Jewish Spiritual Leaders Institute founded and led by American Jewish Universalist rabbi Steven Blane believes in a more inclusive version of Jewish Universalism, stating that "God equally chose all nations to be lights unto the world, and we have much to learn and share with each other. We can only accomplish Tikkun Olam by our unconditional acceptance of each other's peaceful doctrines."

Are you familiar with this concept of "Jewish Universalism"?

I am not. There are many Jewish offshoots based on other philosophical and religious concepts. I have neither the time or interest in trying to study them all out.