Christian Healing____essay 1886 (original) (raw)
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Introspection and Retrospection__Christian Science biographical essay__1891
The firstmost book of Mary Baker Eddy after Science & Health, explaining the history of Christian Science. Here she mentions her view of the afterlife to be purely spiritual, obviously not considering reincarnation, leading to a number of confusing terms about how life is not in matter, and that spirit is the only thing that truly exists. She details her life story, and the unfolding of her Massachusetts Metaphysical College, and the coursework for the large sum of $300 over a mere 2 months. The inferiour mortal life is rebuked, with scant reference to the divine immortal superiority. Poetry is recited. Also some anxiety is expressed about the prospect of secret lovers being used to heal people, in the name of Christianity. Clearly she is in pretty deep with a combination of spiritual Christian dogmas and both physical and mental health practices based on secret lovers. Again her doctrines appear to somewhat resemble advanced Pythagorean teachings that summarize things in a few words.
2017
This thesis asks what might be revealed from a Practical Theology conversation between historical texts and contemporary Christian Science experience about healing theologies and practices. Certain enduring theological ideas (God’s goodness and omnipotence, the deceptiveness and impotence of evil, and a correlation between healing and salvation) explain these Christian healing practices. I investigate such ideas and practices using a Practical Theology methodology that accommodates an epistemological contrast and enables meaningful analysis of the ideas. This ‘critical conversation’ between the Secret Revelation of John, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and myself as an autoethnographic ‘text,’ draws out comparisons and contrasting ideas of Christian healing. The three parts of the thesis reflect moments of ‘conversation’: (1) an overview of the conversation’s structure and identification of its partners; (2) a detailed conversation between the two historical texts based on three key themes (the enduring theological ideas mentioned above), and (3) engaging my experience as a twenty-first-century ‘text’ in conversation with the same themes in epistemologically contrasting contexts. I conclude that understanding theological views from contrasting epistemologies is a constructive means for expanding mutual understanding of Christian healing practices with great potential benefit to scholarly and ecumenical audiences.
Verbum et Ecclesia
This study aims to present an effort for an encounter between Christian faith and science in Alister E. McGrath’s thinking. The process of encountering both Christian faith and science is mediated by Christian natural theology. Christian natural theology is the result of rethinking conventional natural theology by McGrath. This is carried out because the meaning of conventional natural theology as an interface of Christian faith and science is not in accordance with Christian faith. The efforts to encounter Christian faith and science through conventional natural theology are something that is not possible, because conventional natural theology is denoted as pure theology centred on the rationality of scientific thought alone. In this article, we will show how Christian natural theology as a result of thinking by McGrath can be a medium for an encounter between Christian faith and science. The analysis of this article is generally based on the writings of McGrath, which are only par...
Science & Health....the 1875 Christian Science Gospel-reader
Volume 14 of The New Melchizedek Bible (the bible of all known religious writings in chronological order) The book appears to be a memorial to President Lincoln. Apparently written by Civil War vets and feminists. The text renumbered quite well! Turned out real nice. Also edited for clarity, with suggestion of certain words thought to have been omitted.
Science and the Christian Faith by Christopher C. Knight
Studia Gilsoniana, 2021
This paper is a review of Christopher C. Knight’s book, Science and the Christian Faith. According to the author, Knight’s book sheds light on the wide differences between Orthodox and western theology and applies Orthodox-inspired perspectives to explaining many key aspects and terms, such as the fall and its ramifications, miracles, grace, the sacraments, the western distinction between the natural and the supernatural, and the link between the Logos and the logoi. The author concludes that Knight’s book is an attempt to show that the Orthodox vision of the universe is not in competition with science.
“God is My First Aid Kit”: The Negotiation of Health and Illness among Christian Scientists
Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion, 2018
Christian Scientists' rejection of conventional medical practices has generated considerable controversy. Using insights from theories of subcultural identity and cultural repertoires, we analyze elite discourse and adherent narratives from 20 Christian Scientists to examine how this nonmedicalized religion engages the challenges posed by the highly medicalized character of American society. The writings of Christian Science founder Mary Baker Eddy primarily exhibit a critical posture toward conventional medicine, although conciliatory language is also evident in these same works. These discursive nuances provide Christian Science adherents with latitude in negotiating health and illness in their everyday lives. Interview data reveal that negotiated health practices are particularly evident in three domains: using prayer as a means of seeking divine guidance, developing metaphysical competency as a healer, and weighing options based on legal mandates for seeking medical treatment. We conclude by specifying the implications of our findings and identifying directions for future research.