Spiritualism
The rise in interest in spirits and angels began when the spiritualist church first formed in 1848. This was started by the two Fox sisters in the US who communicated with spirits by knocking. The communication with spirits was completed by ‘mediums’ that began in their own homes using a variety of methods to communicate with the dead. The basis for Spiritualism is the belief that there is an existence after death and that with the right skills we can communicate with those that have passed over. This communication is thought to be beneficial to the dead and the living.
Spiritualists, supported causes such as the abolition of slavery and the suffragettes but by the late 1880s the credibility spiritualism had weakened due to accusations of fraud so formal Spiritualist organizations began to appear. So today you will find mediums in Spiritualist churches on public platforms.
Today they work to seven core beliefs in the UK–
The Fatherhood of God
The Brotherhood of Man
The Communion of Spirits and the Ministry of Angels
The continuous existence of the human soul
Personal responsibility
Compensation and retribution hereafter for all the good and evil deeds done on earth
Eternal progress open to every human soul
Spiritualists teach that the spirit world exists all around us, but in a different dimension, or on a different plane. They believe we all pass to the spirit world and once there we improve our spiritual well-being, working ourselves towards the highest levels of the spirit world. They state we will be reincarnated at times to learn lessons in the physical world until we no longer need to. Some of us will become sprit guides or messengers when we reach a high enough level of spirituality.
Spiritualist churches hold services every week, usually led by a medium, which the public are welcome to attend. There is normally a sermon (with the help of a spirit guide), prayers, hymns and a platform from the medium that will link with the spirit world and pass on messages to the congregation.
A lot of Spiritualism is linked closely to Christianity and their principles are very similar to those of many mainstream Christian religions.
Check out your local spiritualist church and see what you think.
