Christian Science Essay

Submitted By blong961
Words: 1124
Pages: 5

Christian Science

Beliefs * Traditional view on God * God does not want people to die * Jesus was the son of God * Clergy * Board of directors * President * Clerk * Treasurer * Two Readers * Practitioners * Heal People through Prayer and scripture reading * Do not use modern medicine * Reported over 80,000 healings in the last 140 years * Teachers * Teach people how to heal others through prayer * Twelve sessions in a course * Teach out of Mary Baker Eddy’s book “Science and Health with Key to the * Scriptures”
Christian Scientists claim that since organic disease does not exist, “the cause of all so-called disease is mental”. They say that since our physical bodies do not exist, disease and death are only illusions (science and health.pp.348, 386)
After Quimby’s death in 1866, Mrs. Eddy determined to carry on his work. She had developed a “psychic dependence” on Quimby, drawing on his spiritual presence, claiming even visitations by his spirit. Eddy took Quimby’s teachings one step further, claiming that sickness, death, and even our physical bodies do not exist, but are only imagined.

The Trinity
In Christian Science, Christ is the "divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy evil.
Christ is completely divine and spiritual, but not human. Christian Scientists argue that Jesus never claimed to be God and that he implicitly denied it in Matthew 19:16–17.

Mary Baker Eddy claims that her teaching reconciles Judaism and Christianity: "…today, Jew and Christian can unite in doctrine and denomination on the very basis of Jesus' words and works. The Jew believes that the Messiah or Christ has not yet come the Christian believes that Christ is God.
Here Christian Science intervenes, explains these doctrinal points, cancels the disagreement, and settles the question.

The Trinity in Christian Science is found in the unity of God, Christ, and divine Science, or: "God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of son ship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter."

After-Life
In Christian Science, Christ is the "divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy evil.
Christ is completely divine and spiritual, but not human. Christian Scientists argue that Jesus never claimed to be God and that he implicitly denied it in Matthew 19:16–17.

Mary Baker Eddy claims that her teaching reconciles Judaism and Christianity: "…today, Jew and Christian can unite in doctrine and denomination on the very basis of Jesus' words and works. The Jew believes that the Messiah or Christ has not yet come the Christian believes that Christ is God.
Here Christian Science intervenes, explains these doctrinal points, cancels the disagreement, and settles the question.

The Trinity in Christian Science is found in the unity of God, Christ, and divine Science, or: "God the Father-Mother; Christ the spiritual idea of son ship; divine Science or the Holy Comforter."

Christian Science practices
• Spiritual Healing – Christian Science sets itself apart from other denominations by its emphasis on spiritual healing. Physical illness and sin are states of mind, correctable through properly applied prayer. While believers routinely refused medical care in the past, recently relaxed guidelines allow them to choose between prayer and conventional medical treatment. Christian Scientists turn first to the church’s practitioners, trained people who pray for members, often from a great distance. Believers hold that, as with the healings of Jesus, distance makes no difference. In Christian Science, the object of prayer is spiritual understanding.
• Priesthood of Believers – The church has no ordained ministers. Only church practitioners.
• Services – Readers lead Sunday services, reading aloud from the Bible and from