Over 2000 branch churches and Reading Rooms in 74 countries. Services conducted in 18 languages.
Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) pioneered new ideas about spirituality and health. Inspired by her own experience of healing in 1866, Eddy spent years in Bible study, prayer, and research into various healing methods. The result was a system of healing she dubbed Christian Science in 1879. Her
book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,
broke new ground in the understanding of the mind-body-spirit connection. She went on to found a
college, a church, a publishing enterprise, and the respected newspaper, The Christian Science Monitor.
The faith teaches that God,
Father-Mother of all, is completely
good and wholly spiritual, and that all God's creation, including the true nature of every
person, is the flawless, spiritual likeness of the
Divine. Since God’s creation is
good, evils such as disease, death, and sin cannot be a part of fundamental reality. Rather, these evils are the result of living apart from God. Prayer is a central way to come closer to God and heal
human ills.
Christian Science teaches that these and other spiritual facts undergirded Jesus' healing
work--and form the basis on which others can heal physical and spiritual problems today. Jesus’ ministry is their paradigm for healing and demonstrates the centrality of healing to salvation. Christian Scientists pray to realize more of the reality of God and God's love daily, and to experience and help others experience the harmonizing, healing effect of this understanding.
For most Christian Scientists, spiritual healing is an effective first choice and, as a result, they turn to the power of prayer in lieu of medical treatment.
Government authorities have occasionally challenged this approach, especially in certain circumstances where they have interpreted this as withholding medical treatment from minors. However, there is no church policy mandating members' health care decisions.
Christian Science has no ministers. Rather, the
Bible and Science and Health act as pastor and preacher.
Bible lessons are studied daily and read aloud on Sunday.
For more on the basic beliefs of Christian Science, see Tenets of Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy's response to the question, "Have Christian Scientists any religious creed?"
The
Bible (King James Version) and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.
Eddy made
Boston the headquarters of the church in 1881. In 1892, the church was named The First Church of Christ, Scientist, or The Mother Church; local churches are considered branches. The Christian Science Board of Directors runs The Mother Church and local branches function on a democratic basis. The Mother Church and its branches operate under the guidance of the Manual of the Mother Church by Mary Baker Eddy.
