| A Return to Love | |
| Language: | English |
| Release Date: | 1992 |
| Pages: | 336 |
| Isbn: | 0-06-092748-8 |
| Dewey: | 299/.93 20 |
| Congress: | BP605.C68 W56 1996 |
| Oclc: | 317503896 |
A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of A Course in Miracles (1992) is the first book by Marianne Williamson, and concerns the 1976 book A Course in Miracles by Helen Schucman. A Return to Love was a New York Times Best seller.
The book contains Williamson's reflections on the book A Course in Miracles and her thoughts on finding inner peace through love. Amazon.com describes its theme as "how we each can become a miracle worker by accepting God and by the expression of love in our daily lives."[1]
The book is divided into two main parts, Principles and Practice. The Principles section has chapters entitled "Hell", "God", "You", "Surrender" and "Miracles". The Practice section has chapters "Relationships", "Body", "Work" and "Heaven".[1]
In each chapter, Williamson defines certain concepts. For example, she defines "darkness" as internalized fear. Williamson also provides personal experiences and anecdotes to further explain the concepts. Strong Christian references are woven throughout the book.[1]
The book is written with the understanding that the reader will have a working knowledge of religious concepts. Some of Williamson's explanations are not mainstream Christian theology views. For example, in chapter 3 ("You"), section 2 ("The divine mind"), when referring to Christ she writes "The word 'Christ' is a psychological term. No religion has a monopoly on the truth. Christ refers to the common thread of divine love that is the core and essence of every human mind."[1]
Reviews of the book were generally favorable.
A Return to Love spent 39 weeks on The New York Times Best Seller list in 1992[2] and was number one on the Publishers Weekly non-fiction best-sellers list for 11 weeks. It was credited as having been written by one of the two authors that helped bring New Age perspectives to the American mainstream, the other being Thomas Moore.[3]
Williamson promoted the book as well as A Course in Miracles when she appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show, an episode that received more pro-viewer mail than any other show for 1992. She also spoke of the book, and The Course, when she was interviewed by Barbara Walters on the ABC television show 20/20.[4] In July 2012, twenty years after the book was published, Williamson was interviewed by Oprah Winfrey on a Super Soul Sunday (OWN TV) episode titled, "20 Years After A Return to Love".[5]
The book has also been labeled by critics as having paranormal and anti-science philosophy in regard to health issues. However, Williamson has rebuffed such framing, saying: "This entire idea of me as anti-medicine and anti-science could not be further from the truth."[6]
Chapter 8 of the book, titled "Body", is the most criticized.[7] [8] In it, Williamson states:
Bob Carroll, of The Skeptic's Dictionary, wrote: "Williamson might be called Oprah's patron saint. She's all about love and healing, yin and yang, being wounded, and using love and prayer to heal all wounds."[9]
Writing in Commentary magazine, John Podhoretz described Return to Love as "almost unspeakably tasteless" in its blithe misappropriation of concepts central to the world's major religions...[it is] a work of surpassing vulgarity in a surpassingly vulgar field [that, nevertheless] offers both sound and surprisingly moving advice." Readers are advised to seek meaning in something larger than themselves, to get over the issues of their past, and, "to act on wisdom from your grandmother, expressed in sugarcoated cliches: Always look on the bright side. If God gives you lemons, make lemonade."[10]
Notable quotations from the book include:[11]
One particular passage from the book has become popular as an inspirational quotation:
The passage was paraphrased in the 2005 film, Coach Carter, and in the 2006 film Akeelah and the Bee. It has also been popularized because it has mistakenly been attributed to Nelson Mandela since 1996.[12] [13]
Williamson herself is quoted as saying, "As honored as I would be had President Mandela quoted my words, indeed he did not. I have no idea where that story came from, but I am gratified that the paragraph has come to mean so much to so many people."[14]
The passage has been compared to a statement of Jesus of Nazareth found in, "let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."[15] [16] [17]