Christian Science

American  

noun

1. a system of religious teaching, founded in 1866 by Mary Baker Eddy and based on the Scriptures, the most notable application of which is the practice of spiritual healing.

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Christian Science British  

noun

1. the religious system and teaching of the Church of Christ, Scientist. It was founded by Mary Baker Eddy (1866) and emphasizes spiritual healing and the unreality of matter

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Christian Science Cultural  

1. A religion based on the teachings of Jesus. It was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in the nineteenth century. Christian Scientists believe that sickness and sin are not ordained by God and can be overcome by prayer and understanding.

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Christian Scientists are known for refusing to accept medicine or treatment by doctors. However, a Christian Scientist's decision to dispense with medical treatment is left to the individual believer and is not dictated by church policy.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Christian Scientist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of Christian Science

An Americanism dating back to 1860–65

Example Sentences

Zlati's freelance work has appeared in a variety of publications, including the Boston Globe, the Christian Science Monitor and the New York Post.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

“Instead of improving memory,” the Christian Science Monitor notes, “hypnosis may only manipulate it.”

From Slate • Feb. 13, 2026

A 1953 Los Angeles Times article called fruitcake a "holiday must," and in 1958, the Christian Science Monitor asked, "What Could Be a Better Gift Than Fruitcake?"

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2024

Few modern religions grew as quickly and prosperously as Christian Science at the start of the last century, riding on the promise of health and healing through steadfast devotion.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2024

Enid Simdars embraced the strictures of Christian Science, a faith that taught that the material world and all the evil that attended it were illusory, that the only reality was spiritual.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown