A Course in Miracles – A Rosetta Stone For Newcomers

The acclaimed spiritual classic A Course in Miracles (ACIM) has transformed the lives of millions of people. It offers a comprehensive self-study spiritual thought system that is based on forgiveness as the path to inner peace.

Helen Schucman, a clinical and research psychologist and tenured Associate Professor of Medical Psychology at Columbia University, transcribed the Course through an inner dictation she identified as coming from Jesus. This version includes material that was edited out in other editions, most significantly the first four chapters of the Text.
A Course in Miracles

Since its first publication in 1976, A Course in Miracles has captivated the hearts and minds of millions of readers and transformed the lives of countless people. Its message of love and forgiveness has touched people from all walks of life, bringing them inner peace where fear and pain once reigned. But many people find the principles of ACIM difficult to understand, or they struggle with resistance to the lessons.

This new edition brings the Course’s profound truths to light more clearly than ever before. In addition to restoring the original wording of the first four chapters of the Text, this version includes the “Supplements,” which extend the Course’s teachings on forgiveness and healing. It also contains a revised and expanded Manual for Teachers, incorporating responses to likely questions as well as definitions of terms used in the Course.

Written in the form of a three-volume curriculum consisting of the Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers, A Course in Miracles presents a revolutionary approach to spiritual psychology. It teaches that the way to universal love and peace—or “remembrance of God”—is through undoing guilt by forgiving others. This shift in perception paves the way to healing and sanctification of all relationships. The renowned spiritual guide is expressed in traditional Christianity, but its teachings are nonsectarian and universal.

In a time when more and more people are searching for spiritual truth, A Course in Miracles is reaching a wider audience than ever before. But with so many different versions of the book available, which one should you read?

The most important thing to remember is that there is no one right version of A Course in Miracles. But it is helpful to know the differences between the various editions so you can decide which one is best for you. The most important difference is that the ACIM Society’s “Original Edition” contains only the Text and a course in miracles Workbook for students, whereas the FIP (Foundation for Inner Peace) edition contains the Text, Workbook, and Manual for Teachers. The other differences are less significant.
Text

The spiritual classic A Course in Miracles has changed the lives of millions by teaching forgiveness and a shift in perception. But it can be difficult to understand and apply these teachings in daily life. This book offers readers a way to make the Course more accessible and practical. Alan Cohen, an ACIM student for 30 years, takes the big ideas of the Course and distills them into short passages that are clear and understandable. His approach makes this book a Rosetta stone that will help longtime students better understand the course, and it will serve as an excellent introduction for newcomers to the teachings.

This edition consists of the Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers. The Manual is written in question-and-answer format and provides responses to likely inquiries a teacher might receive from their students. It also contains definitions of terms used throughout the course, as well as explanations of its theory and practice.

The Complete and Annotated Edition (CE) restores, either in the main body or as appendices, approximately forty-five thousand words that were edited out of the original published version of A Course in Miracles. It was created by going back to the original notes of the course’s scribe, Helen Schucman, and editing them anew. It retains the original emphasis of words in the original text, clarifies unclear pronouns, defines psychological terms, points out allusions to things in the general culture, and lists biblical references. Thirty-three cameo essays provide commentary on personal guidance given to the scribes by the source of the Course that is too personal for inclusion in the text itself, but which explains how the principles can be applied to the scribes’ own lives and to the lives of their students.

The Course is a self-study spiritual thought system that combines profound spiritual teachings with far-reaching and practical psychological insights. It is a non-sectarian and nondenominational, though it uses Christian terminology. It is based on the belief that love, rather than fear, is the natural inheritance of all of us. The curriculum it proposes is taught through a process of inner dictation that Helen Schucman, its Scribe, identified as coming from Jesus.
Workbook

A Course in Miracles is an acclaimed spiritual guide that teaches forgiveness as the path to healing and love. It also addresses fear and guilt, which lead to a lack of peace and joy. The book consists of three parts: a text, a workbook, and a manual in question-and-answer format. It has been embraced by millions of readers worldwide and has helped them find inner peace. This self-study spiritual thought system is based on the principle that everything in the world around us can be undone through forgiveness. It is a teaching for everyone, regardless of religion or personal beliefs. Its philosophies are nonsectarian, and its curriculum is carefully conceived at both theoretical and practical levels. Its main goal is to teach forgiveness, and it does so by identifying what blocks our awareness of the presence of love within our lives.

Although the book’s theoretical framework is important, it is the practical application of its lessons in the Workbook that makes the course effective. The Workbook outlines 365 daily exercises designed to teach the reader to shift his or her perception of the world and others. Each day’s lesson includes a central idea, which is explained in the text, and a set of specific procedures to follow in order to train the mind in this new perception. Practicing these ideas will gradually lead to the complete change in perception at which the Course aims.

The Combined Volume of A Course in Miracles contains the Text, the Workbook for Students, and the Manual for Teachers. It is the only edition of the Course authorized by its Scribe, Helen Schucman, and published under her name. It was the first edition of ACIM to be published and is now available in over 25 languages. It is also the only edition to contain the Supplements, which were dictated by Schucman after she completed the Course. It is also the only one to include the original citations from The Gifts of God, two pamphlets, and the prose poem “The Gifts of God.” Other versions may contain unsanctioned material from a previous draft or other sources.
Manual for Teachers

The course teaches that the way to universal love and peace is through forgiveness. It is a self-study spiritual thought system, and its three-volume curriculum consists of the Text, Workbook for Students, and Manual for Teachers. Its purpose is to lead you back to your true Self, which is love. The Course is nonsectarian, and its underlying ontology expresses a unity of experience shared by many of the world’s most hallowed traditions.

The Course is a shift in perception that has consequences for the way you see the world and yourself. It provides a practical approach to finding inner peace and demonstrates how a universal theology is possible. Although the Course uses Christian terminology, it is not religious in its teachings. It also emphasizes that it is only one version of the universal curriculum, and that all versions, like the Course, lead to God in the end.

While the Course’s theoretical framework is important, it is the exercises in the workbook that make the course meaningful and transformative. In addition, the Manual for Teachers offers an explanation of the Course’s language and provides answers to questions that might arise. It is an essential resource for anyone who wants to study the Course.

A Course in Miracles is an unparalleled spiritual teaching and has captured the minds and hearts of millions. Its universal message of love and forgiveness has changed the lives of those who have read it. However, some people struggle with its principles and find resistance to its lessons. While this is a normal response to any learning, it is not necessary to avoid the Course entirely.

The Complete and Annotated Edition (CE) of the Course restores material that was removed from the original published edition. This is done by going back to the scribe’s shorthand notes and editing them anew, retaining as much of the original words as possible. It contains, in its main body and in appendices, the approximately forty-five thousand words that were edited out of the course.

The CE is the most accurate and unabridged edition of the Course available. It includes the original version of the first four chapters of the Text, which is twice as long as the FIP version. It also contains the original version of Book 3 of the Workbook for Students, which is titled “Manual for Teachers.” The question-and-answer format of this section provides responses to likely questions and definitions of terms used in the Course.