Joseph Murphy (1898-1981) Dr. Joseph Denis Murphy was a New Thought Minister and an Irish author ordained in Divine Science and Religious Science. He was a very learned minister who was well versed in different religious philosophies, including Hinduism. Murphy learnt philosophy, theology, and law from his mentor Thomas Troward who also got him acquainted with mysticism - particularly the Masonic Order. He was introduced to Divine Science through the president of the Divine Science Association, Erwin Gregg. Hereafter, he was re-ordained into Divine Science and became the minister of the Los Angeles Divine Science Church in 1949. In his late teenage years, Murphy understood that the orthodox- and catholic-dominated Ireland would not allow him space to explore ideas and gain new experiences. Even as a priest, Murphy was rather unconventional in his ideas, which mostly ran counter to Christian denominations. This led him to establish his own church in Los Angeles, thereby enabling him to spread the message of hope and optimism. Murphy published more than 30 books during his lifetime, which are considered to be some of the greatest texts on improving personal growth and wealth.