The Emmanuel
Movement was a psychologically-based approach to religious healing introduced in
1906 as an outreach of the Emmanuel
Church in Boston,
Massachusetts. In practice, the religious element was de-emphasized and
the primary modalities were individual and group therapy. Episcopal priests Elwood Worcester [1] and Samuel
McComb [2] established a clinic at the church
which lasted 23 years and offered both medical and psychological services. The
primary long-term influence of the movement, however, was on the treatment of alcoholism.
[1] Elwood
Worcester (1862–1940) was the originator of the Emmanuel
movement philosophy. He was raised in an educated middle-class family which
fell into poverty as a result of business reversals and the death of
Worcester's father. After high school, Worcester went to work at a railway
claim-department office. One day, while alone in the office, he had an
experience of the room filling with light and heard the words, "Be
faithful to me and I will be faithful to you." After discussing the
experience with his priest, Algernon Crapsey, he became convinced that he was called to the
ministry. At the time he was supporting his family, but he later entered
Columbia University on scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree
with highest honors. Worcester,
Elwood (Emmanuel Movement)
