Brief History
A mental healer by the name of Dr. Quimby appeared early in the nineteenth century in Portland, Maine. He made experiments in healing by hypnotism and mesmerism. Once of his students was a Mrs. Mary Baker Glover Patterson Eddy, who from 1862 to 1865 had attracted some notoriety as a mesmeric subject.
One year after Dr. Quimby died (1865), Mrs. Eddy claimed to have received a revelation in which she received a discovery of the doctrines of Christian Science. She wrote these philosophies down in a book entitled Science and Health, strikingly similar to a book authored by Dr. Quimby, Science of Man. Mrs. Eddy copyrighted her book and sold it in several editions at handsome revenues. The first edition appeared in 1875, followed by many editions containing many changes…Science and Health With Key To The Scriptures.
The first Science and Health Association was organized in 1876 with six pupils. The first Science Church was established by her in Boston in 1879 with 26 members. She was the pastor of this, the “Mother Church”. All other churches of this connection are branch churches of the mother church. Membership has always run about three women to every man. “Church of Christ, Scientist” is the official church name.
Mrs. Eddy’s career was a checkered one, having thrice married and once divorced. She reaped a financial fortune; despite her insistence that nothing material is real, she amassed a worth of over $3 million by the time of her death in 1910. She had said, “There is no death”.
Belief System
Science Belief 1 – Mary Baker Eddy is the head of the church, and was its first pastor in Boston.
Word of God 1 – Jesus is the “only potentate” (1 Tim. 6:14-15). Jesus is the only head of the church, His church (Eph. 1:20-23). Pastors (elders) in the scripture were required to be ‘the Husband of one wife’. (1 Tim. 3; Tit. 1). How could she be a husband at all?! Women are limited in their participation in public church assemblies to a place of subjection and silence (1 Cor. 14:34; 1 Tim. 2:12).
Science Belief 2 – The Bible is not pure, defiled by material and moral senses (Eddy, Science and Health, 139:20-22).
Word of God 2 – Prov. 30:5; Rom. 3:4; 2 Tim. 3:16; 2 Pet. 1:21; Mat. 24:35. The word of God is perfect (Jam. 1:25).
Science Belief 3 – The church originated in Boston in 1876.
Word of God 3 – Scriptures teach that Jerusalem is where the church was established (Isa. 2:3; Luk. 24:47; Act. 2:1-47). Scriptures teach that the time was when power came and when the Spirit came – the first day of Pentacost after the resurrection of Christ (Joel 2; Act. 2; Mar. 9:1; Act. 1:8). Every plant which the Father did not plant shall be rooted up (Mat. 15:13).
Science Belief 4 – “A Christian Scientist is one who accepts and practices Christian Science as a religion” (George Channing, “What Is A Christian Scientist?”, Leo Rosten, Religions of America, p.21).
Word of God 4 – Paul once referred to “science falsely so-called” (1 Tim. 6:20-21). These have erred from the faith of Christ. Mary Baker Eddy’s religion was neither Christian nor truly scientific.
Science Belief 5 – The name, “Church of Christ, Scientists” – on all buildings and literature.
Word of God 5 – Jesus referred to the church as “My church” (Mat. 16:18). It was purchased with His blood (Act. 20:28). Paul referring to various congregations, said: “The churches of Christ” (Rom. 16:16).
Science Belief 6 – Mrs. Eddy “reinstated primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing” (Religious Bodies, Statistics, History of Doctrines, Vol. II, p.397ff). “I must know the science of this healing, and I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelations, reason, and demonstration” (Science and Health, p.109).
Word of God 6 – Those who are physically sick have need of a physician (Mat. 9:12). Jesus healed miraculously and even raised from the dead, but told His disciples they would do “greater works” (Joh. 14:12). What is greater than healing the sick or restoring the sight to the blind? It is saving the souls of men through the preaching of the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1-4). This greater work could later be done because Jesus said, “I go to my Father”. Physical miraculous healing, drinking deadly poison, etc., was performed by Christ and His apostles for the specific purpose of confirming the word (Heb. 2:1-4; Mar. 16:20). All revelation of truth was complete in the first century (Jud. 3). “The faith was once for all delivered to the saints”. Once fully revealed, confirmed by signs, and recorded by competent witnesses, the truth was completely delivered and there was no longer a need for confirming that truth again and again.
Science Belief 7 – God is “harmonious mind-action”, divine, infinite mind, principle, truth (Science and Health, 109:16-17; 465:8-10).
Word of God 7 – God is a person (Gen. 1:1-31; Heb. 1:3).
Science Belief 8 – Jesus Christ is not God, except in same sense that “God and man, Father and Son, are one in being” (Science and Health, 36:12-18). He was not incarnated in the flesh: “The Virgin Mary conceived this idea of God, and gave to her ideal the name Jesus” (Science and Health, 29:14-18).
Word of God 8 – Jesus is God (Isa. 9:6; Joh. 20:28; Phi. 2:5-6; Heb. 1:8). Jesus became flesh (Luk. 1:30, 31, 34, 35; Joh. 1:14; Luk. 24:39).
Science Belief 9 – Christ and Jesus are two: “Christ is the ideal truth; Jesus is the name of the man who more than all other men has presented Christ, the true idea of God…Jesus is the human man and Christ is the divine idea; hence the duality of Jesus the Christ” (Science and Health, 475: 10-17).
Word of God 9 – Jesus IS the Christ (Mat. 16:16-18). The same person, in the flesh (Joh. 20:31; Rom. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:3; 1 Pet. 1:19; Eph. 2:13-16). A man is a liar (so is a woman!) who does not confess Jesus is the Christ, one and the same (2 Joh. 7).
Science Belief 10 – Jesus did not die (Science and Health, 46:2, 3; 44:28-29; 45:11-12).
Word of God 10 – He did die (Joh. 19:33; Rom. 5:8; 14:9; 15:3; 1 Cor. 15:1-4; and many others).
Science Belief 11 – Jesus did not rise from the dead physically (Science and Health, 313:26-30). The “material blood of Jesus” will not save from sin (Science and Health, 25:6-9). Note: This is an admission that Jesus is the Christ and that He came in the flesh and that physical blood ran through His veins.
Word of God 11 – He did arise physically (Luk. 24:39-43; Joh. 20:26-29). We are saved from sin by the blood of Christ (Rom. 5:9; Col. 1:20; Heb. 10:4-12; 1 Joh. 1:7).
Science Belief 12 – The Holy Spirit is “divine science” (Science and Health, 55:27-29). Cannot dwell in a body (Science and Health, 309:24-25).
Word of God 12 – Divine science?! The Spirit dwells in us (1 Cor. 3:16; 6:19; 2 Tim. 1:14).
Science Belief 13 – There are not three persons in the one God, or Godhead (Science and Health, 515:17-19).
Word of God 13 – “Let US make man” (Gen. 1:26). Three persons: Mat. 28:19.
Science Belief 14 – Sin, sickness and death are illusions (Science and Health, 283:8-11). “Man is incapable of sin, sickness and death” (Science and Health, 475:28). “Lazarus never died” (Science and Health, 575:413).
Word of God 14 – All men sin (1 Kgs. 8:46; Rom. 3:23; Luk. 7:47). If we say we have no sin, we lie (1 Joh. 1:8-9). See Mat. 4:24; Mar. 6:5; Joh. 4:46. Man has died since Adam (Gen. 5:1-5). “Lazarus is dead” (Joh. 11:14).
Science Belief 15 – “Man is never sick” (Science and Health, 393:29). “There is no disease” (Science and Health, 421:18). “Death is an illusion” (Science and Health, 584:9).
Word of God 15 – Men must die by God’s decree (Heb. 9:27).
Science Belief 16 – Divorce is acceptable by mutual consent or by legal dissolution (Miscellaneous Writings, 297:18-25).
Word of God 16 – Divorce allowable ONLY on one condition (Mat. 5:31-32; Mat. 19:8-9).
Science Belief 17 – Christian Science abolishes Baptism and the Lord’s Supper from their practice.
Word of God 17 – Christ commands baptism and promises salvation from sin to all who by faith obey it (Mat. 28:18-19; Mar. 16:15-16; Act. 2:38; Gal. 3:26-27). The Lord’s Supper was observed weekly by Christians from the apostolic times (Act. 2:42; 20:7; 1 Cor. 11:23-29; Joh. 6:53). No life except we eat Christ’s flesh and drink His blood in remembrance.
Science Belief 18 – “If prayer nourishes the belief that sin is cancelled, and that man is made better merely by praying, prayer is an evil (Science and Health, p.5).
Word of God 18 – Men should pray everywhere (1 Tim. 2:8). Men should pray in everything (Phi. 4:6). Men should pray always (1 Thes. 5:17).
Recommended reading: The Christian Science Myth – Martin & Klann