Frequently Asked Questions

What is Christian Science?

Simply put, Christian Science is the science of Christianity — the practical application of Christian ideas to daily life. It’s both a religious teaching and a system of healing founded on the Bible’s universal truths.

Is Christian Science the same as Scientology?

No. Other than a similarity in name, the two have nothing in common. (Please see About Christian Science for further information on the healing system discovered by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866.)

For more insight on this topic, please read Scientology or Christian Science?, an aricle by Shirley Paulson, reprinted from the February 2012 issue of The Christian Science Journal.

Why is it called Christian Science?

It’s Science because it’s based upon a set of spiritual principles—laws relating to the nature of God and His creation—that can be applied with expected, consistent results.

Why do you call yourselves Christian?

Because Christian Science is based on the Bible, and Christian Scientists follow the teachings and ministry of Christ Jesus. In fact, the virgin birth, the crucifixion, the resurrection and ascension of Christ Jesus, and so on, are all central to Christian Science theology.

Is it true that Christian Scientists don’t take medicine?

Generally, a Christian Scientist’s first choice is to rely on prayer for healing, and in most cases, this means that a medical remedy is unnecessary.

There is no biblical or church mandate to forgo medical intervention, nor do Christian Scientists believe that it’s God’s will that anyone suffer or die. A Christian Scientist’s decision to rely on prayer comes from trust, not blind faith, in God, and from a conviction that God’s care continues under every circumstance.

What is the Christian Science view of God?

You’ll find a thorough answer to this question in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. But, just for example, you might hear Christian Scientists refer to God as Father-Mother, as divine Love, or as infinite Mind.

What do you do in the case of communicable disease?

Christian Scientists care about their neighbors and fellow community members and gladly abide by city and state laws or mandates regarding quarantines, vaccinations, and the like. The Christian Science Journal, Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science also contain documented healings of communicable diseases and show the role prayer can play, not just in protecting and healing individuals, but in helping communities as well.

What are your core beliefs?

Christian Scientists believe in one, infinite God who is All and all-good. They believe that God is not distant and unknowable, but that God is all-encompassing and always present, and that each individual is loved by God, cared for by Him, and made in God’s image—spiritual, not material.

Christian Scientists believe in the Bible and in Christ Jesus as the Son of God, or promised Messiah. And they believe that Jesus’ teachings and healing work expressed scientific Christianity, or the application of the laws of God—laws which are still practical and provable today, by anyone, anywhere. Christian Scientists consider the Commandments, as well as Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, to be central to their lives and practice of Christianity.

Above all, Christian Scientists believe in the saving, healing power of God’ s love—that no one is beyond redemption, that no problem is too entrenched or overwhelming to be addressed and healed. In other words, Christian Scientists don’t believe that salvation occurs at some point in the future, but that the presence of God’s goodness can be experienced here and now—and by everyone.

One of the best ways to learn more about Christian Science is to explore the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures.

Find out what Christian Scientists think…

In this video series, people respond to “Your Questions” about Christian Science and explain what it means to them. Check out “Life Stories” to learn how Christian Science is impacting people’s lives in big and little ways each day.

What is your Church doing for the world?

For a small denomination, we are quite active on many fronts. Christian Scientists pray each day for the world and many church members are involved in the public practice of Christian Science healing. We publish numerous magazines and support an international news organization, The Christian Science Monitor. We open our doors to children and teens at Christian Science Sunday Schools for classes and discussions about the Bible every Sunday. The Mother Church and its branches also sponsor public talks on Christian Science that address both personal and global issues. In addition to supporting these and other activities, our members participate actively in community service and contribute to many public charities and causes.

This FAQ is an excerpt from the FAQ at ChristianScience.com