The New Birth of Christianity: Why Religion Persists in a Scientific Age
Nenneman, Richard A. The New Birth of Christianity: Why Religion Persists in a Scientific Age. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.
From the distance of eight decades after Mary Baker Eddy’s passing, Nenneman addresses the question of the relevance of Christian Science in modern times. He first acknowledges that for many mainline Protestant churches the language of religion has changed, and that Christian issues have also largely moved from pressing doctrinal concerns toward an emphasis on social justice and personal moral issues for more conservative branches of Christianity. These changes require adjustments for all religious expressions, including Christian Science. Nenneman’s overarching argument is that Christian Science is (in 1992) well poised to adapt to and contribute to the development of human thought. To ground his work contextually, Nenneman presents the basic religious ideas of Christian Science as they were born in the 19th century, showing what they mean a century later. One chapter addresses the advances in science and technology, challenging Newtonian and Darwinian notions of truth and reality. Another chapter demonstrates why new scholarship in early Christianity is unveiling new views of serious issues concerning ideas and healing practices that are similar to those raised by Christian Science in the modern era. Finally, he concludes with reasons for the enduring ideas of supporting Christian healing in antiquity and today.
ISBN-10: 0062506153
ISBN-13 (Hardcover): 978-0062506153