“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do;”
– Christ Jesus, John 14:12
Following the example of Jesus, Christian Science offers a very special way of interacting with the world.
A brief history of Christian Science
The story of Christian Science begins with the Bible…
The Bible is the foundation for the theology and practice of Christian Science. The first chapter of Genesis states clearly that we are made in the image and likeness of God. The lives of Abraham, Jacob, Moses, and the prophets are rich examples of God’s power to reform and heal.
And continues with Jesus.
Jesus’ ministry shows how we can experience healing and regeneration as we learn that our true identity is completely spiritual. Jesus serves as the way-shower for Christian Science in demonstrating how to live life knowing, loving, honoring and turning to God for all human needs.
Early Christians followed in Jesus’ footsteps by teaching and healing.
After Jesus’ crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, disciples and early followers including Peter and Paul continued in his footsteps by healing diseases and raising the dead.
Fast forward to the year 1866.
Mary Baker Eddy, a woman from New England who was raised in a family that read from and discussed the Bible for hours a day, experienced a sudden, life-threatening injury and subsiquent complete healing through reading one of Jesus’ healings. This was the catalyst for her discovery of what she would later call, Christian Science.
After having witnessed first-hand the moral and physical battle that was fought and won to abolish slavery, culminating just the prior year, it was now her turn to discover and begin her battle to lead the way and help all mankind find their spiritual freedom as shown by Jesus’ example.
The first edition of Science and Health was published in 1875
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is Mary Baker Eddy’s primary work and contains the full explanation of Christian Science and its biblical foundation for spiritual regeneration and healing. It has since sold over 10 million copies and has been translated into 16 languages.
The First Church of Christ Scientist, Boston, was established in 1879.
The original declaration of this new church was “To organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Manual of The Mother Church, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 17:8)
Since the establishment of this first church, Christian Science branch churches and individual students of Christian Science around the world have continued to strive and demonstrate this calling.