Todd Ehrenborg - Mind Sciences: Christian Science, Religious Science, Unity School of Christianity

The Zondervan Guide to Cults and Religious Movements comprises sixteen volumes, treating many of the most important groups and belief systems confronting the Christian church today. This series distills the most important facts about each and presents a well-reasoned, cogent Christian response. The authors in this series are highly qualified, well-respected professional Christian apologists with considerable expertise on their topics.

For ease of use we have sought to maintain the same look and feel for all the books. We designed the structure and layout to help you find the information you need as quickly as possible.

All the volumes are written in outline form. This allows us to pack substantial content into a short book. The major divisions are basically the same from book to book. Each book contains an introduction to the cult, movement, or belief system. The introduction gives a brief history of the group, its organizational structure, and vital statistics such as membership. The theology section is arranged by doctrinal topic, such as God, Christ, sin, and salvation. The movements position on each topic is set forth objectively, primarily from its own official writings. The groups teachings are then refuted point by point, followed by an affirmative presentation of what the Bible says about the doctrine. Following the theology section is a discussion of witnessing tips. While each witnessing encounter must be handled individually and sensitively, this section provides some helpful general guidelines, including both dos and donts. The books also have an annotated bibliography, listing works by the groups themselves as well as books written by Christians in response. Each book concludes with a parallel comparison chart. Arranged topically, the chart juxtaposes direct quotations from the cultic literature in the left column with the biblical refutation on the right.

One potential problem with a detailed outline is that it is easy to lose ones place in the overall structure. To overcome this problem we have provided graphical signposts at the top of the odd-numbered pages. Functioning like a you are here map in a shopping mall, these graphics show your place in the outline, including the sections that come before and after your current position. In the theology section we have also used icons in the margins to make clear at a glance whether the material is being presented from the cultic or Christian viewpoint. For example, in the Mormonism volume those portions of the outline presenting the Mormon position are indicated with a picture of the angel Moroni in the margin. The biblical view is shown by a drawing of a Bible.

We hope you will find these books useful as you seek to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have (1 Peter 3:15).

Alan W. Gomes, Ph.D.
Series Editor

Section 1:
Christian Science

I. Historical Background

A. Mary Ann Morse Baker Glover Patterson Eddy (18211910)

1. Mary Baker, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science (CS), was born on a farm in Bow, New Hampshire.

2. She was raised a strict Congregationalist by her parents, Mark and Abigail Baker.

3. As a child, Mary endured much physical and emotional illness, including a nervous condition that left her a semi-invalid for years. She was also afflicted with spasmodic seizures and hysterical outbursts.

4. At age 17 she joined the Congregational Church at Tilton, N.H. Although she rejected their morbid theology (especially their teaching of double predestination), she was accepted into membership.

5. Mary Ann Morse Baker married three times: