Discovering Eric Butterworth

Change is a constant in every life. Some changes are welcome; others are difficult to accept. Listen as host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's beliefs and strategies for moving through difficult life changes.

In today's broadcast, the final in our three-part series exploring the ongoing nature of Life, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's view of Life as a WHOLE experience, free from the artificial boundaries of death and birth. "I do not live my life in the thought of growing old," Butterworth says. "I let it all go, and I live each moment as if I were going to live forever, which I really am!"

The fact that humankind records history, Eric Butterworth observes, offers evidence of a belief in a continuity, that something goes on beyond our earthly existence. In today's broadcast, the second in a three-part series exploring the ongoing nature of Life, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's observations about reincarnation, and the place of reincarnation in the ongoing flow of Life.

This broadcast is the first of a three-part series exploring the ongoing nature of Life. Eric Butterworth quotes the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu: "Anyone who flows as life flows has solved the enigma of existence." Butterworth views life as a flow, a "conscious oneness with the rhythmic, unfolding pattern of the universe." Host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Butterworth's understanding that the flow of life continues beyond our physical existence.   

Is there such a thing as "waiting creatively"? Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's observations and insights about "waiting" as a time of new spiritual insight, preparation, and growth. If you're feeling frustration from too much waiting for an important event or breakthrough in your life, you won't want to miss this broadcast.

Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday are joined by graduating students from Unity Institute's Spiritual Education and Enrichment Leadership Program in an exploration of the principle of nonresistanceand how it has worked in their lives. Today's broadcast, the third in our follow-ups to Discover the Power Within You series, is based on Chapter 8 of Butterworth's text and will include excerpts from one of Eric's lectures.

In this second of three follow-ups to our Discover the Power Within You series, Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday explore insights about the apostle Judas from Chapter 15 of Butterworth's book. Butterworth's views were almost shocking when he expressed them but more widely accepted now.

In this first of three follow-ups to our Discover the Power Within You series, Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday share thoughts and ideas based on an Eric Butterworth lecture and also on Chapter 11, "The Law of Compensation," from Butterworth's book.

In this 12th installment of our Discover the Power Within You series, Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday present and discuss Eric Butterworth's truly fascinating insights concerning the resurrection experience of Easter. Eric Butterworth writes: "The great Truth that Jesus teaches is that you do not have to die to be immortal. You are immortal right now. Immortality has nothing to do with time. It is beyond time."

His teachings about "the kingdom" form the core of Jesus Christ's message as we find it in the Gospels. In today's broadcast, the 11th in our 12-part Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's understanding of what "the kingdom" is and how the kingdom comes into expression in our lives and in our world.  

Did Jesus teach reincarnation? Certainly, no "final answer" to this question is accepted by everyone. Eric Butterworth expressed clear and encouraging views on the subject of reincarnation. In today's broadcast, the 10th in our 12-part Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and cohost Michael Maday share and respond to Butterworth's ideas about this fascinating and controversial subject.

"By developing my awareness of Wholeness as Eric Butterworth teaches us to do," program host Tom Thorpe says, "my vitality increased remarkably. Eric's approach to wholeness is uncomplicated and it WORKS!" In today's broadcast, the ninth in our Discover the Power Within You series, Tom and cohost Michael Maday share Butterworth's essential teachings about wholeness.

Thousands have strengthened their awareness of abundance through applying the prosperity principles Eric Butterworth taught in Discover the Power Within You and Spiritual Economics. In this eighth of 12 broadcasts in our Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share the essence of Butterworth's prosperity teachings.

Eric Butterworth teaches that the most important element of prayer is the consciousness from which we pray. In this seventh broadcast in our Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's insights about the often misunderstood art and practice of prayer. 

Nonresistance definitely DOES NOT mean passive acceptance of whatever happens! In this sixth broadcast in our Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth's insights about the real meaning—and the power—of nonresistance.

How do our thoughts create our life experience? In this fifth of 12 broadcasts in our Discover the Power Within You series, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday respond to Eric Butterworth's insights about the creative power of thought.  

Host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday respond to Eric Butterworth's unique insights about the Beatitudes, the opening statements of the Sermon on the Mount in the Gospel of Matthew. This is the fourth of 12 broadcasts in our Discover the Power Within You series.

Eric Butterworth observed, "The central theme of Christianity has been sin and evil. We have heard more about Hell than Heaven, more about the Devil than about God." In today's broadcast, we'll hear Eric Butterworth's positive alternative to this negative emphasis in traditional Christian teaching. Unity ministers Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday will co-host.

Eric Butterworth writes "JESUS had a unique concept of God. To Him, God was not an object of worship but a Presence dwelling in us, a force surrounding us, and a Principle by which we live." In today's broadcast, the second in our 12-part Discover the Power Within You series, we'll hear Eric Butterworth's observations about the Divine Presence Jesus discovered within himself. Unity ministers Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday will co-host.

In the first chapter of Discover the Power Within You, Eric Butterworth writes "Somehow man has always known with Walt Whitman that not all of him is included between his had and his boots." In today's broadcast, the first of a 12-part series focusing on Discover the Power Within You, host Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday share and explore Eric Butterworth's thoughts about both the nature of and the essential human need for the spiritual quest.

In the final live broadcast of 2012, host Tom Thorpe and guest cohost Michael Maday share one of Eric Butterworth’s memorable Christmas Eve radio broadcasts. Eric tells his listeners, “Christmas has little magic in it when we are just looking backward to worship the child in the manger. Magic is found by looking forward to that day when our own Christ Child may unfold in our lives—a time to look inward to Its presence, right now.”

As 2012 draws to a close, host Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday share Eric Butterworth’s thoughtful lecture on the importance of maintaining a “forward focus.” Speaking of challenging life experiences, Butterworth tells us “Something caused it, but the effect fulfills the causation. It has come to pass, and you should give thanks for the lesson, and then, let it go. Let it go. Let it go … and walk on.” Tom and Michael share thoughts about the wisdom of “walking on” as well as how to do it!

In this final series based on ideas expressed by Eric Butterworth in his preordination essay exam in 1948, host Tom Thorpe, guest co-host Michael Maday, and special guest licensed Unity teacher Mark Hicks look at Eric’s views on the nature of the quest for Truth, as well as Eric’s perspectives on healing and Wholeness, prayer and how prayer works, and the death experience as a part of life.

Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday continue exploring and discussing Eric Butterworth’s insightful responses on his ordination examination. We’ll discuss the nature and the ministry of Jesus Christ and whether/how we can really follow him on the spiritual path. We’ll also discuss healing and wholeness … and who knows what else!

Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday, along with special guest, licensed Unity teacher Mark Hicks, share and explore some of Eric Butterworth’s very insightful responses to a detailed ordination examination he completed in the late 1940s, long before the publication of his first book. The nature of God and the nature of humankind will be among the subjects we explore today.  

In this final installment of our series based on the life and work of Unity’s co-founder, Charles Fillmore, Eric Butterworth shares his thoughts about Charles Fillmore’s understanding of the meaning of life. Tom Thorpe and Michael Maday co-host.

Charles Fillmore’s favorite verse of Scripture was Colossians 1:27: “Christ in you, the hope of glory.” In today’s broadcast, Eric Butterworth responds to Charles Fillmore’s understanding of the Christ, the Divine Idea of the perfect human, the true nature not only of Jesus of Nazareth, but of every human being. Tom Thorpe is joined by guest co-host Michael Maday.

“All power,” Charles Fillmore declared, “is born in the Silence." In today’s broadcast, Eric Butterworth explores Fillmore’s understanding of the Silence, a place in consciousness beyond words and thoughts. Tom Thorpe is joined by guest co-host Michael Maday.

Charles Fillmore saw a very close relationship between spirituality and science, and, like many New Thought leaders, took a scientific approach to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In today’s broadcast, Eric Butterworth discusses Fillmore’s understanding of the relationship between science and religion. Tom Thorpe is joined by guest co-host Michael Maday.

In this second installment of our seven-week series exploring the life and work of Unity co-founder Charles Fillmore, Eric Butterworth discusses Charles Fillmore’s view of the power of thought. The power of thought, or “mind power,” is the foundational concept of Fillmore’s teaching. Tom Thorpe is joined by special guest host Michael Maday for this series.

Today’s broadcast begins a seven-week series exploring the life and work of Unity’s co-founder Charles Fillmore. In this first installment, Tom Thorpe and guest co-host Michael Maday share and discuss excerpts from Eric Butterworth’s introduction. Butterworth was a student and disciple of Charles Fillmore, and valued both the man and his ideas.

In today’s broadcast, we reflect on some of the major insights that Eric Butterworth has shared in this Ten Commandments series. “God didn’t hand down the Commandments to Moses,” Eric Butterworth tells us. “The full meaning of Mount Sinai can be understood only when we see it as a symbol of a high state of consciousness. We won’t find a physical place called Mt. Sinai. It’s important to get the idea that Infinite Mind is everywhere, in all, through all, and you don’t have to go anywhere to get into Mind … you need only become aware of the Allness of which you are a part ... Unless we are looking for the inner meaning, we miss the whole idea.” 

Eric Butterworth writes that “the great tragedy of human life is the delusion that life is lived from outside-in.” Listen as Eric Butterworth teaches listeners the value of this Commandment’s reminder that, because what we really need is already ours, there is no need to be envious of anyone’s material possessions. Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe as guest co-host for this program.

It’s been said that “truth will out.” Listen as Eric Butterworth explains why and how it really isn’t possible for us to truly “bear false witness.” Guest host Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe for this program.

Can we actually take what is not ours? Listen as Tom Thorpe and guest host Michael Maday explore Eric Butterworth’s powerful observations about the eighth commandment.  

Listen as Tom Thorpe and guest host Michael Maday share and discuss Eric Butterworth’s thoughts about the spiritual meaning of adultery. The commandment addresses much more than faithfulness in marriage!

Eric Butterworth writes: "The higher meaning of the sixth command­ment is 'You cannot kill.' Your violent acts or thoughts relative to that which seems to threaten you is your attempt to destroy it. Actually, there is no way that you can destroy it, because the real problem is your mistaken belief." Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday examine Eric Butterworth's thoughts about the sixth commandment.

The fifth commandment tells us to "honor" our fathers and mothers. Today Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday will explore Eric Butterworth's ideas about what it means to honor one's parents, as well as Jesus' perspective on family relationships.

What is the Sabbath day? Why should we keep it holy? HOW can we keep the Sabbath holy? These are some of the questions Tom Thorpe and guest host Rev. Michael Maday will be discussing on today's broadcast.

Listeners to today's broadcast will hear a fascinating discussion of what it REALLY means to "take the name of the Lord in vain." Rev. Michael Maday joins Tom Thorpe as guest host.

Eric Butterworth writes: "Like the Israelites of old, we have created our golden calves. The Preacher of Eccle­siastes puts it in an interesting way: 'God, when he made man, made him straightforward, but man invents endless subtleties of his own' (Eccles. 7:29 NEB). And it is among these 'endless subtleties' that we find the various forms of graven images." Today's broadcast will help you discover and "break" the graven images in YOUR life!  

In the introduction to his newly published book, Breaking the Ten Commandments: Discover the Deeper Meaning, Eric Butterworth declared: “The goal of this book is not to herald the Ten Commandments in their literal or crystallized form, but rather to break them down, one by one, to their underlying esoteric meaning. I am confident that you will discover some under­standable spiritual fundamentals that will open new vistas of growth and unfoldment for you.” Discovering Eric Butterworth joins Hooked on Classics as both programs begin an in-depth study of Butterworth's thought-inspiring insights into a Judaeo-Christian teaching that some say is often discussed without being understood.

Today’s program marks the 100th original broadcast of Discovering Eric Butterworth. Unity Institute librarian Linda Bray and archivists Eric Page and Carol Martin join host Tom Thorpe in a discussion of the fascinating material being catalogued in the library’s Butterworth Collection. The program will also look at one or two high points of Discovering Eric Butterworth’s first 100 episodes.

Our exploration of the new biography, Eric Butterworth: His Life and Teaching, continues. Biographer and historian Neal Vahle and Unity minister Michael Maday join us for a lively discussion.

Eric Butterworth writes: “Jesus was definitely the Son of God! But you, too, are the Son of God. I am the Son of God. All persons are Sons of God in various stages of expression. This is a very dramatic, very exciting, certainly very controversial subject, but a very important realization.” This broadcast will explore Eric Butterworth’s belief that the Divine nature of all people is the heart of Jesus’ teaching.

Eric Butterworth declared that “the Spiritual Truth is that life is good and that all things—even the loss, the failure, the pain, the darkness, all things—are but the means of leading you to greater awareness that life is good. You simply have to open your eyes and perceive.” Listen as Butterworth shares his deep faith in this Spiritual Truth.

Eric Butterworth observed “If you’re fearful in a storm, or any crisis, the fear is caused not by the condition, but by your acceptance of the possibility that the condition can do harm to you.” Listen as Butterworth explains how to release limiting fear.

Special guest, historian and biographer, Neal Vahle, joins Tom Thorpe to discuss his newly published biography of Eric Butterworth. Listen as Tom and Neal discuss significant events and influences in Eric Butterworth’s life and work. 

Eric Butterworth tells us: “There is a sense in which each of us is a living magnet, constantly drawing to himself or herself the things, the persons, and the circumstances that are in accord with the thoughts that predominate in mind.” Listen as Butterworth explains how a change in consciousness really can lead to a change in circumstances.

Eric Butterworth explains: “The Great Law has been called 'The Law of Karma' by the ancient enlightened ones. Modern scientists would call it 'The Law of Cause and Effect,' 'The Law of Action and Reaction,' or 'The Law of Sequence and Consequence.'" Ralph Waldo Emerson called it “The Law of Compensation.” Listen as Butterworth shares his insights into this universal law.

Eric Butterworth writes: “To many people, the 'Good Book' is the Bible, and the Bible is a vital and inspirational part of the lives of so many. But it is important to create your own 'Good Book,' to write your own list of positive realizations that come out of the inspiration of your heart.” Listen as Eric shares his thoughts about HOW each of us can create our own book of positive thoughts and experiences.