A New Christian Identity

In this study of Christian Science and the culture in which it arose Amy B. Voorhees emphasizes Mary Baker Eddy’s foundational religious text <i>Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures</i>. Assessing the experiences of everyday adherents after <i>Science and Health</i>’s appearance in 1875 Voorhees shows how Christian Science developed a dialogue with both mainstream and alternative Christian theologies. Viewing God’s benevolent allness as able to heal human afflictions through prayer Christian Science emerged as an anti-mesmeric restorationist form of Christianity that interpreted the Bible and approached emerging modern medicine on its own terms.<br/><br/>Voorhees traces a surprising story of religious origins cultural conversations and controversies. She contextualizes Christian Science within a wide swath of cultural and religious movements showing how Eddy and her followers interacted regularly with Baptists Methodists Congregationalists Catholics Jews New Thought adherents agnostics and Theosophists. Influences flowed in both directions but Voorhees argues that Christian Science was distinct not only organizationally as scholars have long viewed it but also theologically a singular expression of Christianity engaging modernity with an innovative healing rationale.