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

“Spiritual Christianity: Christian Science and Unity”

“Spiritual Christianity: Christian Science and Unity”

Conkin, Paul K. “Spiritual Christianity: Christian Science and Unity,” Pages 226–73 in American Originals: Homemade Varieties of Christianity. Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press, 1997.

Five years before the opening of the Mary Baker Eddy Library, Conkin acknowledged in this nearly 50-page chapter that current literature on Christian Science was sharply divided in content and tone. His relatively extensive textbook coverage of Christian Science is an attempt to bridge the gap. But, he explains, the Christian Science Church “presents more problems for the historian of Christianity in America than any other denomination. … Its beliefs are very elusive. Its records are secret” (226). An example of his gap-filling approach is his explanation of Mary Baker Eddy’s loss of her son to a foster mother: Christian Scientists would stress Eddy’s desire to be a mother and show the evidence of her love and concern, whereas critics would see her as willing to give him up, implying a defect of character. “There is insufficient evidence to verify either point of view” (229). The chapter is divided into four main sections: Eddy’s human story before her writing of Science and Health; the philosophical and theological development of Science and Health; the growth of a movement; and the building of a centralized church. Although Conkin admits Science and Health became “one of the most influential religious books ever written by an American” (237), he finds its philosophy and theology too incoherent, elusive, and full of conundrums.

ISBN-10: 080784649X
ISBN-13: 978-0807846490

 

See also annotation:

Mary Baker Eddy by Gillian Gill

“Writing Revelation: Mary Baker Eddy and Her Early Editions of Science and Health, 1875-1891” by Amy B. Voorhees

“Christian Science and the Rhetoric of Argumentative Synthesis” by Gage Chapel

 

Conkin, Paul K.

Related Annotations:

Annotations related by category:
  • Availability: Library or Purchase
  • Controversy: Theological Controversies
  • Official Christian Science Publication: No
  • Organizations: The First Church of Christ, Scientist
  • People: Eddy, Mary Baker
  • Publication Date: 1981-2000
  • Resource Types: Book Section
  • Subjects: Biographies and Chronologies
  • Subjects: Polemic Literature and Responses
  • Subjects: Theology
Annotations related by keyword:
  • Critical Analysis
  • New Religious Movements
  • Unity Church
More by authors or editor(s):
  • Conkin, Paul

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.