From the Christian Science Board of Directors: Response to New York Times article

When was the Church of Christ, Scientist, founded?

We’re a young church with deep roots in early Christianity. Mary Baker Eddy founded the Church of Christ, Scientist in 1879 “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 grew up in the Congregational church in New England and loved and revered the life and teachings of Christ Jesus. She founded a church so that his healing works would be more universally understood and practiced.

Where is your church?

The First Church of Christ, Scientist, also known as The Mother Church, is located in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. There are over 1,700 branch churches and societies throughout the world.

What are your church services like?

Many people attending a Christian Science church service for the first time will recognize many familiar elements—hymns, prayer, readings from the Bible, a warm sense of fellowship. One unique feature is that we don’t have personal preachers or pastors conducting the services. Instead, two lay readers conduct services that are based on Bible Lessons published in The Christian Science Quarterly. These lessons are made up of passages from the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and address topics such as God, Christ Jesus, and so forth. There is a simplicity to the services that is very much in keeping with the earliest Christian gatherings where love and healing were at the heart of worship.

There are also mid-week testimony meetings held every Wednesday when the congregation meets for an hour to pray, share readings based again on the Bible, and to give thanks for the blessings and healing experiences that have resulted from their prayers and from their study of Christian Science.

What are Christian Science Reading Rooms?

Reading Rooms function like community bookstores and drop-in centers for the exploration of spiritual healing, prayer, and spirituality. Every Church of Christ, Scientist, maintains a Reading Room where people are welcome to browse or purchase a wide variety of publications, Bible-related materials, and all of Mary Baker Eddy’s writings.

How is your church organized and governed?

Local branch churches are democratically run, while The Mother Church and its activities are stewarded by a five-person Board of Directors. The Board is responsible for overseeing a range of activities including an international Board of Lectureship, a Board of Education, Church membership, and the publishing of Mary Baker Eddy’s writings. Guiding the Church’s global ministry is a simple 100-page Church Manual which reflects Eddy’s vision of a Church living by the Golden Rule and unencumbered by too much human organization.

What is your Church doing for the world?

For a small denomination, we are quite active on many fronts. Christian Scientists pray each day for the world and many church members are involved in the public practice of Christian Science healing. We publish numerous magazines and support an international news organization, The Christian Science Monitor. We open our doors to children and teens at Christian Science Sunday Schools for classes and discussions about the Bible every Sunday. The Mother Church and its branches also sponsor public talks on Christian Science that address both personal and global issues. In addition to supporting these and other activities, our members participate actively in community service and contribute to many public charities and causes.