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Important Texts: The Bible and Science and Health
Number of Believers: 1.5 million
Gods? Goddesses?: God
Afterlife?: They don't believe in hell
Founded: 1879
Beliefs:
The focus of Christian Science is seeking out God, characterized as all loving and omnipotent, the Father-Mother. Christ is His Son and serves as an example for all children of God. He shows the way that all Christians can and should act. An understanding of the relationship that exists between Man and God is what makes healing possible.
History:
Christian Science was founded by Mary Morse Baker Eddy who, after experiencing health troubles, found that she was able to get better through prayer, rather than relying on medical means. Christian Scientists are not opposed to medicine, rather, they have experienced prayer as an effective healing method and choose to keep pursuing it.
Today:
In Christian Science, there is no clergy. Instead, "Readers" read from the Bible or from Science and Health. There are also practitioners, whose lives are devoted to helping people heal through prayer. Healing is not done by the practitioner, but by God. Any Christian Scientist is capable of praying for his or her own healing.
For more information, check out these sites:
The Christian Science Monitor
information about the founder, Mary Baker Eddy
Spirituality.com
Wikipedia.org on Christian Science