Christian Science

Christian Science is a set of beliefs.

A woman named Mary Baker Eddy started it in 1879. She wrote a famous book.

It is called Science and Health. Many people use this book and the Bible.

Followers believe the spirit world is real. They think the physical world is like a dream. Because of this, they use prayer to heal. They believe prayer can fix mistakes in thinking.

Some people use doctors too. But many prefer to use prayer.

This is a special way to see the world.

Christian Science is a set of beliefs.

A woman named Mary Baker Eddy started it in 1879. She lived in New England. She wrote a book called Science and Health.

This book is a main text for the faith. It is used alongside the Bible. By the year 2001, many people had bought it.

Followers believe the spiritual world is the only true reality. They believe the material world is an illusion. This means it is not truly real. They think sickness is a mistake in thinking. Because of this, they use prayer to seek healing.

They believe prayer can fix these mental errors.

Many followers also use doctors. They might see a dentist or a doctor for broken bones. However, they believe prayer works best alone. This way of thinking has caused some trouble. Some people have faced legal issues regarding medical care. They were accused of neglect or manslaughter. This happened when people relied on prayer instead of medicine. The church also has a newspaper. It is called The Christian Science Monitor.

Christian Science is a unique set of beliefs and practices.

It is closely tied to the Church of Christ, Scientist. Followers are often called Christian Scientists or students of the faith. This group is sometimes called the Christian Science church. The religion is known for its focus on spiritual healing.

It also has a famous newspaper called The Christian Science Monitor. This paper has won seven Pulitzer Prizes since 1950. The church also maintains public Reading Rooms in many places around the world.

At the heart of this faith is a special way of seeing the world.

Many followers believe that reality is purely spiritual. They hold the idea that the material world is an illusion. This means the physical world is not the true reality. Because of this, they believe that disease is a mental error. They do not see sickness as a physical disorder. Instead, they use a form of prayer to correct these mental errors. This prayer seeks to restore the truth of spiritual health.

Mary Baker Eddy founded the religion in 1879.

She lived in the New England area of the United States. In 1875, she wrote a book called Science and Health. She later added the subtitle "with Key to the Scriptures" in 1883. This book is a central text for the church. It is used alongside the Bible to guide followers. By the year 2001, over nine million copies had been sold. Eddy and 26 followers received a charter for the church in 1879.

The history of the church shows many changes over time.

In 1892, the church was reorganized under its current name. The Mother Church was built in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1894.

The religion grew very quickly in the United States. By 1936, it had nearly 270,000 members. However, the number of members declined later. There were just over 100,000 members by 1990. By 2009, the number was reported to be under 50,000.

This belief system is different from many other Christian groups.

It has different views on the Trinity and the resurrection. Some people link its roots to a healer named Phineas Parkhurst Quimby. Eddy was once a patient of his between 1862 and 1865. The church also has a complex relationship with medical care. Many members do see doctors or dentists for certain needs. However, some have faced legal trouble for relying only on prayer. This has led to court cases regarding neglect or manslaughter.

Christian Science is a religious movement focused on spiritual healing.

It is centered around the Church of Christ, Scientist. Followers are often called Christian Scientists or students of the faith. The religion is based on a specific set of theological beliefs. These beliefs suggest that the spiritual world is the only true reality. This perspective shapes how members view health, life, and the universe.

The core mechanism of Christian Science is a form of philosophical idealism. This is the belief that reality is purely spiritual in nature. In this view, the material world is considered an illusion. Consequently, followers believe that disease is a mental error rather than a physical disorder. To address illness, they use a specific form of prayer. This prayer seeks to correct the mistaken beliefs that cause the illusion of ill health. By aligning the mind with spiritual truth, they aim to restore health.

Christian Science is distinct from many other Christian denominations. It holds different views on key concepts like the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus. It also interprets the ideas of atonement and the resurrection differently. The movement is part of the broader "metaphysical family" of religious groups. This family includes movements like Divine Science and the Unity School of Christianity. While some groups focus on the mind being subordinate to matter, Christian Science teaches that matter itself is an illusion.

The history of the movement began with Mary Baker Eddy.

She founded the church in New England in 1879. Eddy had been a patient of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby between 1862 and 1865. Quimby was a mental healer who believed that truth could cure disease. Eddy wrote a foundational book in 1875 called Science and Health. She later added the subtitle "with Key to the Scriptures" in 1883. This book, alongside the Bible, serves as the central text for the faith. By 2001, more than nine million copies of her book had been sold.

The church has experienced significant changes in its membership numbers. In 1879, Eddy and 26 followers received a charter from Massachusetts. The church was reorganized under its current name in 1892. The Mother Church was constructed in Boston in 1894.

The religion grew very rapidly in the early 20th century. By 1936, membership reached nearly 270,000 people in the United States. However, numbers declined to just over 100,000 by 1990. By 2009, reports suggested there were fewer than 50,000 members.

There are notable aspects of how the church interacts with the world. The church publishes The Christian Science Monitor, a newspaper. This publication won seven Pulitzer Prizes between 1950 and 2002. The church also maintains public Reading Rooms globally. Regarding medical care, the church does not require members to avoid all doctors. Many adherents use dentists, optometrists, or physicians for broken bones. However, the church maintains that prayer is most effective when not combined with medicine. This stance has led to legal controversies. Between the 1880s and 1990s, some parents were prosecuted for neglect or manslaughter.

Christian Science connects to wider philosophical and religious trends. It emerged during a period of Protestant Christian revival in the United States. It is closely linked to the "mind-cure" movement of the 19th century. This movement grew because medical practice was still in its early stages. Many groups in this era focused on the power of the mind to affect the body. Christian Science remains a unique expression of these metaphysical ideas. It continues to be recognized for its specific theological interpretations and its historical impact on American religion.