Christian Science

Christian Science

Christian Science, a religion founded upon the applied principles of "primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing," and practised by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist. The church was founded in Boston in 1879 by Mary Baker Eddy, whose teachings are set forth in Science and Health, with Key to the Scriptures (1875). The primary emphasis of the practice is moral and spiritual regeneration, although its most distinctive assertion is that disease and injury can be healed by purely spiritual means. Membership in the church is not a requirement of those who study Christian Science. All Christian Science churches are self-governing branches of the Mother Church, headquartered in Boston, and accept the tenets of the Church Manual. There are no ordained clergy; services are conducted by 2 readers who are elected by the members. One of the church publications is the newspaper The Christian Science Monitor.

The first services in Canada were held in Toronto in 1888. There are currently 38 Christian Science churches in Canada.