Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures
Encyclopedia
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures is the central text of the Christian Science
religion. It was written by Mary Baker Eddy
, inspired by studies of the Bible
she undertook in 1867 following a healing experience.
In a book entitled Christian Science, Mark Twain challenged Eddy's authorship of Science and Health. He noted that works Eddy was known to have written (such as the prefaces to various versions of Science and Health) revealed her peculiar, opaque, and generally poor writing style, as distinguished from the clear, grammatical style of Science and Health. Twain ultimately concluded that Eddy simply did not have the command of the English language necessary to have authored Science and Health. Although Eddy claimed to have first privately published biblical studies as early as 1862 (Eddy, 1934 : pp. viii:24–32), she wrote that her discovery of Christian Science
, which inspired the book, took place in 1866.
for Science and Health went through several renewals including a posthumous renewal in 1934 by the Christian Science Board of Directors (Eddy, 1934 : p. ii).
administration, John Ehrlichman
and H.R. Haldeman, Congress extended the copyright on Science and Health by 75 years. with Private Law 92-60. Following a legal suit brought by David James Nolan and Lucile J. Place of United Christian Scientists, the copyright extension was found unconstitutional in 1987 by Federal District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson whose decision was then upheld in The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and private distributions have subsequently appeared.
and the publication of The Destiny of The Mother Church
, a trade edition was released which included an index and an unprecedented introduction by a church director. This unusual edition was marketed outside of the historical channels of individual distribution and Christian Science Reading Room
s.
and provides a Glossary of Eddy's metaphysical interpretations of commonly-used terms from the Bible. The final section, the last 100 pages, are testimonies of people who claim to have "been reformed and healed through the perusal or study of (the) book" (Eddy, 1934 : p. 600:4-5).
and Christian Scientists often call it their "textbook." At Sunday services, passages from the book are read along with passages from the Bible
. Eddy called the two books Christian Science's "dual and impersonal pastor."
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
religion. It was written by Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy
Mary Baker Eddy was the founder of Christian Science , a Protestant American system of religious thought and practice religion adopted by the Church of Christ, Scientist, and others...
, inspired by studies of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
she undertook in 1867 following a healing experience.
In a book entitled Christian Science, Mark Twain challenged Eddy's authorship of Science and Health. He noted that works Eddy was known to have written (such as the prefaces to various versions of Science and Health) revealed her peculiar, opaque, and generally poor writing style, as distinguished from the clear, grammatical style of Science and Health. Twain ultimately concluded that Eddy simply did not have the command of the English language necessary to have authored Science and Health. Although Eddy claimed to have first privately published biblical studies as early as 1862 (Eddy, 1934 : pp. viii:24–32), she wrote that her discovery of Christian Science
Christian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
, which inspired the book, took place in 1866.
1875–1934
The first edition was copyrighted in 1875 (Eddy, 1934 : p. ii) and went through more than four hundred revisions (Brosang, 1990 : p. 6) before Eddy's death in 1910. The copyrightCopyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
for Science and Health went through several renewals including a posthumous renewal in 1934 by the Christian Science Board of Directors (Eddy, 1934 : p. ii).
1971 to date
In December 1971, allegedly at the urging of two Christian Scientists in the Richard NixonRichard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
administration, John Ehrlichman
John Ehrlichman
John Daniel Ehrlichman was counsel and Assistant to the President for Domestic Affairs under President Richard Nixon. He was a key figure in events leading to the Watergate first break-in and the ensuing Watergate scandal, for which he was convicted of conspiracy, obstruction of justice and perjury...
and H.R. Haldeman, Congress extended the copyright on Science and Health by 75 years. with Private Law 92-60. Following a legal suit brought by David James Nolan and Lucile J. Place of United Christian Scientists, the copyright extension was found unconstitutional in 1987 by Federal District Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson whose decision was then upheld in The United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and private distributions have subsequently appeared.
Trade edition
During the 1990s, which saw other controversies including the attempted media ventures of the Christian Science Publishing SocietyChristian Science Publishing Society
The Christian Science Publishing Society was established in 1898 by Mary Baker Eddy and is the publishing arm of The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts. It is located, along with the Mary Baker Eddy Library, in the Publishing Society building at the Christian Science...
and the publication of The Destiny of The Mother Church
The Destiny of The Mother Church
The Destiny of The Mother Church is the primary and theologically disputed work of Bliss Knapp, the son of Ira O. and Flavia S. Knapp, trusted students of Mary Baker Eddy...
, a trade edition was released which included an index and an unprecedented introduction by a church director. This unusual edition was marketed outside of the historical channels of individual distribution and Christian Science Reading Room
Christian Science Reading Room
400px|left|thumb|A typical storefront Christian Science Reading Room on the main street of a suburb of Boston. The window displays a lamp, a large Bible open to the current reading, and copies of Science and Health....
s.
Thesis
Science and Health posits a wholly metaphysical view of Christianity in which sin, disease, and death are not of God, and are therefore not real. Further, it suggests that by striving toward a spiritual understanding of the world as God's perfect creation, these "false beliefs" are shed from one's experience.Sections
The book has three sections. The main section, which makes up the bulk of the book, comprises the first 500 pages. The second section, "Key to the Scriptures", examines parts of Genesis and RevelationBook of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
and provides a Glossary of Eddy's metaphysical interpretations of commonly-used terms from the Bible. The final section, the last 100 pages, are testimonies of people who claim to have "been reformed and healed through the perusal or study of (the) book" (Eddy, 1934 : p. 600:4-5).
Summary
Science and Health encapsulates the teachings of Christian ScienceChristian Science
Christian Science is a system of thought and practice derived from the writings of Mary Baker Eddy and the Bible. It is practiced by members of The First Church of Christ, Scientist as well as some others who are nonmembers. Its central texts are the Bible and the Christian Science textbook,...
and Christian Scientists often call it their "textbook." At Sunday services, passages from the book are read along with passages from the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
. Eddy called the two books Christian Science's "dual and impersonal pastor."
Chapter titles
The titles of the chapters are:- Prayer
- Atonement and Eucharist
- Marriage
- Christian Science versus Spiritualism
- Animal Magnetism Unmasked
- Science, Theology, Medicine
- Physiology
- Footsteps of Truth
- Creation
- Science of Being
- Some Objections Answered
- Christian Science Practice
- Teaching Christian Science
- Recapitulation
- Genesis
- The Apocalypse
- Glossary
- Fruitage
External links
- Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (Boston: Christian Science Pub. Co., 1875) from the National Library of Medicine
- Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures on spirituality.com
- Science and Health official information and downloadable PDF from the publisher
- More information on the Mary Baker Eddy Library Website