Christian Science
The Metaphysic of Divine Health
Historical Foundations
Story of Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910)
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Early Life of Mary Ann Baker
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Congregationalist home
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Lovely but frail – inordinate attention
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Marriage #1 – George Clover
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Marriage #2 – Daniel Patterson
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Happy / Brief / Consequential
Unhappy / Adulterated / Terminated
Quimby connection
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Healing? / Infatuation / Inspiration
Historical Developments
Birth of Christian Science (1866-1875)
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“Founding Moment” of Christian Science
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Debated “Ice-slipping” resurrection account
Decade Long Interim Stage - Lynn, MA Era
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Multiple personal struggles
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Boarding House Period – Science Emerges
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Hiram Crafts / Richard Kennedy
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Malicious Animal Magnetism teaching
Founding the Organization
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Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
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Christian Science Association
Marriage #3 – Asa Eddy
Historical Developments
Birth of Christian Science (1866-1875)
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Era of Lawsuits & Conspiracies
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Salem Witchcraft Trial of 1878
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Eddy vs. Arens
To Boston Headquarters (1879)
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Organized “The Church of Christ (Scientists)”
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Opened Massachusetts Metaphysics College
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Death of Asa Eddy (1882)
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Companion - Calvin Frye
Historical Developments
Birth of Christian Science (1866-1875)
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Increasing popularity, increasing conflicts
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Mother Mary’s power grip / paranoia slip
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Competing Christian Science / Mind Cures
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Organizational growth in Boston
A personality cult?
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Mary as God’s authoritative mouthpiece
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Mystical aura emerged
Final days and death of founder (1910)
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Recluse, secluded from public life / deteriorating health
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Debated death
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Transitional administration secured
Organization
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Mother Church in Boston – The “First” Church
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The Manual for the Mother Church
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Considered as word of God
Established church governance / policies
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“Dual Impersonal Pastor” concept
Publications
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Christian Science Journal
Christian Healing and Other Writings
Christian Science Sentinel
Christian Science Monitor
Organization
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Current Expressions of Christian Science
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Christian Science Reading Rooms
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Christian Science Organizations (CSOs)
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Midweek Testimony meetings
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Board of Lecturers
Growth and Decline
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Rapid / Leveling / Decline / Stabilization
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Compromise – the Knapp case in 1991
THE REVELATION:
SCIENCE AND HEALTH WITH KEY TO THE SCRIPTURES
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Purpose / source of this incredible work
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Promote enlightened understanding
Contested as plagiarism of Quimby
The Science of Health
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Dualistic philosophical worldview
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Spirit is reality, material is illusory
Bodily conditions are outward expression of conscious /
unconscious thoughts
Relation to Bible
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Bible is subordinate to Science and Health
Xtian Science penetrated beneath literal interpretations
Doctrines
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Philosophical / Worldview Foundations
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Greek dualistic viewpoint
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There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is
infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in all.
Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real
and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal.
All matter is opposed to spirit and/or mind
 All
sickness, disease, mortality, considered
acquiescence to wrong beliefs
Doctrines
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Philosophical / Worldview Foundations
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Untenable logic of Xtian Science metaphysic
Argument #1
Argument #2
God is All
Mind is All
God is Mind
Matter is not Mind
Therefore, All is Mind
Therefore, Matter does not exist
Doctrines
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Philosophical / Worldview Foundations
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Untenable logic of Xtian Science metaphysic
 Faulty
first premise locks them into subjective world
of extreme idealism
 How
can “I” experience disease, if in reality, there is
no disease? What is experiencing it?
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In practice, such metaphysic crumbles!
 This
“illusion of the mortal mind” treated as
authentic being
Doctrines
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God
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Holy Spirit
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Defined as being Christian Science itself
Jesus Christ
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Denies the personality of God
Denies Trinity of Godhead
Pantheistic deity
Distinguish Jesus as man, and Christ as idea
Did not die nor resurrect
Virgin Birth
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Offspring of Mary’s self-conscious communion with God
Doctrines
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Humanity
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Sin
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Man is not material being
Man and God are identical spiritual nature
Part of the illusory material
Evil is but an illusion, no real basis
Atonement
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By Christ, but not through Cross
Includes redemption from sickness
Doctrines
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Salvation (New Birth)
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Process of surrendering to God, and joyful adoption of good
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Liberation from the illusion of believing in matter and sinfulness
Hell
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Sinner makes his own hell by doing evil
Prayer
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Spiritual awakening to Truth – that all is immaterial
Doctrines
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Healing
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Restored the power of healing lost in church
Church
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Structure wherein truth and love dwell
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Anti-sacerdotal
Eschatology – end times
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No significance or direction in human history – no
transformation in future
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Heaven is simply “harmony” the reign of Spirit
Reaching the Christian Scientist
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Two broad approaches to divergent belief systems
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Rational/logical
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Questioning the coherence of their metaphysical views
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Question their use of the Bible – what texts are inspired truth
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Point out weaknesses of Science & Health as authoritative
Personal/spiritual
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Seek to understand how they experience existence
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Grounds for Peace / Moral certainty
What is their “Religion” providing them?