| Christian Science | |
| Media Contacts: | |
| Kim Robert Walker Christian Science Committee on Publication for Southern California (714) 994-2169 compubsca@cssocalifornia.com |
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| Belief Overview: | |
| 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. Christian Science has no ministers. Rather, the King James Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, 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 the Tenets of Christian Science. | |
| Demographics: | |
Over 2000 branch churches and
Reading Rooms in 74 countries. |
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| Facts: | |
| Founder 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. | |
| Publications and Other Resources: | |
| The Christian Science Monitor
- International daily newspaper The Christian Science Sentinel - Weekly magazine of spiritual solutions to current issues, including individual testimonies of healing The Christian Science Journal - Monthly magazine of articles, commentary, and testimonies of Christian Science healing The Christian Science Heralds - Periodic magazines usually in languages other than English, with content similar to the Sentinel and Journal Weekly Bible Lessons (aka the Christian Science Quarterly) - A Quarterly publication containing a weekly Bible study guide on various topics consisting of references from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures |
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| Other Web sites of Interest: | |
| www.christianscience.com
- lists websites maintained by Church headquarters www.spirituality.com - active Web community inspired by the ideas in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy www.tfccs.com - Official site of The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston www.marybakereddy.org - site for the Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity located in Boston |
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