Christian Science in Alaska: The Pioneering Spirit of The Last Frontier

Homan, Terry Ann. Christian Science in Alaska: The Pioneering Spirit of The Last Frontier. 2019, 162 pages.

Homan provides both an informative and anecdotal source for researching the history of Christian Science (CS) in Alaska. After a brief history of Alaska and an introduction to CS, Homan focuses on the people and places that make up the histories of each CS church and society in Alaska, both past and present, in Anchorage, Fairbanks, Juneau, Wasilla, Homer, Kodiak, Sitka, and Tok. The histories include the introduction of CS into the communities, church construction, and the church’s growth and challenges. Homan also highlights the experiences of Christian Scientists during the 1964 earthquake and how a Christian Scientist assigned to oversee the cleanup of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill handled community tensions with prayer and goodwill. Homan concludes with different members’ personal recollections, stories, and spiritual healings. An appendix includes a list of CS churches, societies, practitioners, teachers, and nurses starting at the beginning of the twentieth century up to the date of publication. Also included are lists of testimonies of CS healing by Alaskans, as well as articles and poems written by Alaskans, as found in the church periodicals—the Christian Science Sentinel and The Christian Science Journal.

Contact https://www.christianscienceanchorage.org/ for a copy of this history.