Church of Christ, Scientist | |
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The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, the church's administrative headquarters | |
Classification | Christian new religious movement Restorationist |
Orientation | Nontrinitarianism |
Scripture | Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and Bible |
Region | United States |
Founder | Mary Baker Eddy |
Origin | 1879 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Congregations | approximately 1750[1] worldwide (1,153 in US as of 2010) |
Members | estimates range from around 400,000 to under 100,000. |
The Church of Christ, Scientist was founded in 1879 in Boston, Massachusetts, by Mary Baker Eddy, author of Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, and founder of Christian Science. The church was founded "to commemorate the word and works of Christ Jesus" and "reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing".
In the early decades of the 20th century, Christian Science churches were founded in communities around the world, though in the last several decades of that century, there was a marked decline in membership, except in Africa, where there has been growth. Headquartered in Boston, the church does not officially report membership, and estimates as to worldwide membership range from under 100,000 to about 400,000.[2] In 2010, there were 1,153 churches in the United States.[3]