Church of Christ, Scientist

The Church of Christ, Scientist often known as The Christian Science Church was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879. Church beliefs are based on the Bible and a book called Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Eddy.

Church doctrine teaches that that the Spiritual world is the true reality, in contrast to the falseness of the material world. Disease is seen as a consequence of the mistaken belief in the reality of the physical world. Church members, who are known as Christian Scientists, thus believe that disease can be overcome by faith, prayer, and by an ever-deepening understanding of God, and man's relation to Him. As a result, its members generally refuse standard medical care.

The Mother Church is located in Boston, Massachusetts. A newspaper, the Christian Science Monitor (http://www.csmonitor.com/), founded by Eddy in 1908 and winner of 7 Pulitzer Prizes, is published by the church.

Christian Science churches have at least one one-hour sermon meeting each Sunday, and a one-hour testimony meeting on Wednesday evenings. Christian Science Lecturers periodically give lectures at various times in various locations.

Christian Science churces and societies can be found worldwide, primarily in the US, and secondarily in Europe, and churches usually support a Christian Science Reading Room, which is a place for religious study which is open to all.

Christian Science should not be confused with Scientology, or with the international Churches of Christ[?] movement.