One Course, Two Visions

Book excerpt: A Course in Miracles has emerged within our lifetime as an authoritative spiritual text. Yet what does it really say? In the Course's brief history, two comprehensive visions have been offered, each by respected teachers and organizations, each based on many years of personal dedication and scholarly investigation. One vision comes from Ken Wapnick and the Foundation for A Course in Miracles. The other comes from Robert Perry and his colleagues at the Circle of Atonement. One might assume that these visions would differ only in the details; yet in fact they diverge dramatically, leading to different ways of approaching, understanding, and living the Course. These differences have naturally led to confusion for Course students. The purpose of this book is to clear up that confusion. It addresses how the two visions relate to each other, delineating both their similarities and their differences. It then goes on to explore the key differences, and how they impact the Course student's life.