Skip to content
Csbibliography

Annotated Bibliography of Christian Science

Academic and Other Literature

  • Home
  • About
    • About the ABCS Project
    • Support Opportunities (Donate)
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Annotations
    • Search Information
    • Category Search
    • Keyword Search
    • Advanced Search
    • Standard Search
    • Authors/Editor List
    • Title List
    • Recently Added
    • Search Support
  • Resources
    • The Book
    • Online Resources
    • ABCS Blog
    • Suggest Resources
  • Contact
Annotation Resource

“A ‘Green Oak in a Thirsty Land:’ The Christian Science Board of Directors Routinizes Charisma, 1910-1925”

“A ‘Green Oak in a Thirsty Land:’ The Christian Science Board of Directors Routinizes Charisma, 1910-1925”

Swensen, Rolf. “A ‘Green Oak in a Thirsty Land’: The Christian Science Board of Directors Routinizes Charisma, 1910-1925.” Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, 24, no. 2 (Nov. 2020): 32-58.

Swensen documents how, in the fifteen years after the passing of Mary Baker Eddy, the Christian Science Board of Directors consolidated and centralized their authority. Their aim was to bring order and unity to a rapidly growing movement and deal with a host of crises. Swensen details the “Great Litigation” power struggle between the Directors and the Trustees of the Christian Science Publishing Society. The impact was that loyalty to the Directors “was elevated to a point where it became the outstanding symbol of unity” (46). He also examines how the Directors’ centralized authority extended over local branch churches, for a “private in the ranks cannot fully know the plans for the movements of a great army” (38). Further centralization came when distribution of the Church periodicals and the Christian Science Monitor, rather than individuals, were designated the missionary arm of the movement. The result of these and other changes was the “routinization of [Eddy’s] charisma” (33). Mirroring a corporate business model, organization, administration, and standardization were merged with obedience and loyalty. However, as early as 1916, a church officer expressed “fear of an impending rigidity, due to routine and the falling into the inevitable rut” (40).

ISSN: 1541-8480
Print ISSN: 1092-6690

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1525/nr.2020.24.2.32

 

See also annotations: 

“Charisma and Covenant: The Christian Science Movement in its Initial Postcharismatic Phase” by John K. Simmons

Christian Science and Organized Religion by Hugh A. Studdert-Kennedy

Proceedings in Equity 1919-1921 by The Christian Science Publishing Society

“Report to the Members of The Mother Church” by The Committee on General Welfare

 

 

 

Swensen, Rolf

Related Annotations:

Annotations related by category:
  • Availability: Online - Academic Credentials or Fee
  • Controversy: Church Manual
  • Controversy: Great Litigation
  • Official Christian Science Publication: No
  • Organizations: The First Church of Christ, Scientist
  • People: Dickey, Adam
  • People: Dittemore, John V.
  • People: Eddy, Mary Baker
  • People: Stetson, Augusta
  • Publication Date: 2011-2020
  • Resource Types: Article
  • Subjects: Branch Churches
  • Subjects: Christian Science History after 1910
  • Subjects: Christian Science Monitor
  • Subjects: Church Growth and Change
  • Subjects: Church Manual, Governance, Leadership
  • Subjects: Church Practices
  • Subjects: Social and Cultural Studies
Annotations related by keyword:
  • Authorized
  • Bylaws
  • Church Business
  • Critical Analysis
  • Excommunication
  • New Since the Book
More by authors or editor(s):
  • Swensen, Rolf

Comment on this resource: Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Home

Search application instructions and overview.

Search Support

Questions? We've got answers.

Category Search

Select subject, person, organization and/or controversy to provide a subset of annotation results. The results page includes the ability to further limit your search.

Keyword Search

Select one or more specific keywords to provide a subset of annotation results. The results page includes the ability to further limit your search.

Advanced Search

Select from all search options to obtain very specific results.

Standard Search

Might yield a mix of relevant and irrelevant results, but could be very helpful if you are looking for a specific term not included in any of the other types of searches.

Annotations by Author
Annotations by Title
Most Recent

View the 30 most recently added annotations.

New Since the Book

View new annotations available here that were not included in the book.

Suggest a Resource
Donate via PayPal

Scholarly Works on Christian Science is the nonprofit corporation that produces the ABCS website. We rely on donations to keep the bibliography updated and available to the public. If you find this site useful we hope you'll consider donating to support the work. Donate via PayPal by clicking the button above or send a check to:

Scholarly Works on Christian Science
420 Conway Meadows Drive
St. Louis, MO 63017

© 2022 and later by Scholarly Works on Christian Science, all rights reserved.

Privacy Policy is here. Cookie Policy is here. Comment Policy is here.

This material was printed from the Annotated Bibliography of Christian Science website produced and maintained by Scholarly Works on Christian Science (https://csbibliography.org). All rights reserved.