Christian Science

From WikiMD.org
Jump to navigation Jump to search

Christian Science

Christian Science (pronounced: /ˈkrɪstʃən ˈsaɪəns/) is a set of beliefs and practices belonging to the metaphysical–new thought family of new religious movements. It was developed in the 19th century in the United States by Mary Baker Eddy, who argued in her 1875 book Science and Health that sickness is an illusion that can be corrected by prayer alone.

Etymology

The term "Christian Science" is derived from the English words "Christian" and "Science". "Christian" (pronounced: /ˈkrɪstʃən/) comes from the Greek word "Χριστιανός" (Christianos), meaning "follower of Christ", referring to Jesus Christ. "Science" (pronounced: /ˈsaɪəns/) comes from the Latin word "scientia", meaning "knowledge".

Beliefs

Christian Science teaches that the reality of God denies the reality of sin, sickness, death, and the material world. Accounts of Jesus' resurrection and ascension are interpreted as the return of Jesus' divine nature into the spiritual realm. Christian Scientists believe that prayer does not change the spiritual creation but gives a clearer view of it, and the result appears in the human scene as healing: the human picture adjusts to coincide more nearly with the divine reality.

Practices

Christian Science practices include spiritual healing, prayer, study of its religious texts, and Sunday services. The most widely known practice is spiritual healing. Christian Scientists believe that healing through prayer is possible because God is the only true reality and is entirely good, so that the seeming reality of disease is an illusion.

Related Terms

External links

Esculaap.svg

This WikiMD dictionary article is a stub. You can help make it a full article.


Languages: - East Asian 中文, 日本, 한국어, South Asian हिन्दी, Urdu, বাংলা, తెలుగు, தமிழ், ಕನ್ನಡ,
Southeast Asian Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, မြန်မာဘာသာ, European español, Deutsch, français, русский, português do Brasil, Italian, polski