The Church of Christ, Scientist, is designed to make the healing and educational system known as Christian Science available and accessible to everyone. Christian Science enables us to understand our relationship to a loving God and our relationship to each other. This understanding improves our bodies, our lives, our communities and the world. The complete explanation of Christian Science is contained in the book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy.
At a glance
- After publication in 1875 of Science and Health, Eddy’s primary work on spirituality and healing, readers began meeting to discuss the ideas and share their healing results. Then, in 1879, Eddy established what became The First Church of Christ, Scientist (The Mother Church).
- The Church is designed “to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Church Manual, page 17). Eddy had a lifelong reverence for the life and teachings of Jesus Christ and a deep desire that his healing works be universally practiced.
- It consists of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts, and around 2,000 branch churches and societies of Christ, Scientist, worldwide.
- The Church has no ordained clergy. In 1895, Eddy named the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures as Pastor for worldwide Churches of Christ, Scientist.
Church services and Sunday School
- Sunday services offer congregants a healing environment, anchored by a weeklyBible Lesson-Sermon with excerpts from the Bible and Science and Health. Services also include prayer, hymn singing, and a solo. A collection will be taken.
- Sunday School is provided for children and young people up to the age of 20. It is a place for them to learn about their relationship to a loving God through explanation of the ideas in the Bible and Science and Health.
- Wednesday testimonial meetings include readings from the Bible and Science and Health. Attendees participate by sharing accounts of healing and spiritual insights. The meeting also includes prayer and hymn singing.
Church government
- The Church is governed by Mary Baker Eddy’s Church Manual, which provides for its overall structure. The Christian Science Board of Directors is a five-person Board that transacts the business of the Church. Current members of The Christian Science Board of Directors are J. Thomas Black, Walter D. Jones, Nathan Talbot, Mary M. Trammell and M. Victor Westberg.
- View a list of all the 2007-2008 Officers of The First Church of Christ, Scientist.
- Branch churches and societies are also guided by the Church Manual as they carry out their local ministry, but each is democratic and self-governed.
Members
- Members are a worldwide community of individuals who freely apply the spiritual ideas and system of healing in Science and Health to their own lives and activities. They are united in purpose, in prayer and study, and in activity.
- Learn more about becoming a member of The Mother Church.
Community involvement
- Individual members respond to local, national and international needs through a spiritual approach that includes prayer-based healing—which leads to active community involvement and solutions.
- The Church, as well as individual members, responds to international, national and local needs and contributes to such causes as relief funds for victims of war and natural disasters.
- The Mother Church and many of its branch churches and societies participate in local interfaith communities, neighborhood associations and youth programs, as well as responding to other needs in both the local and national community.
Credit: excerpts from “www.spirituality.com”
