ORIGINS OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

The Bible from Genesis to Revelation, is the foundation for the theology and practice of Christian Science. In particular, Jesus’ ministry illustrates that healing and regeneration are experienced as we recognize our true nature as spiritual and made in the image of and likeness of God. Examples of this can be seen in the biblical accounts of Abraham, Jacob Moses, the prophets, Jesus, and his immediate disciples and followers.

Mary Baker Eddy’s lifelong spiritual search led to what she later characterized as a discovery. She saw that God’s laws are powerful spiritual mandates, always present and operating to heal, to redeem and to bless humanity. To her, it was the practical Christianity that Jesus taught.

Of her developing practice of Christian healing, Mary Baker Eddy wrote that she was called to a patient whom a well-known attending physician had pronounced dying of pneumonia. “On seeing her immediately restored by me without material aid, he asked earnestly if I had work describing my system of healing…he urged me immediately to write a book which should explain to the world my curative system of metaphysics” (The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany).

At that time, she was already writing notes that would develop into her primary work, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which contains the full explanation of Christian Science and its practice of spiritual regeneration and healing.