Mary Baker Eddy

Mary Baker Eddy (1821-1910) was an American religious figure and author, best known as the founder of The Church of Christ, Scientist. She established this church in 1879, which became the central institution of the Christian Science movement. Eddy also founded The Christian Science Monitor newspaper in 1908, along with three religious magazines: The Christian Sunday School Journal, The Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science.

Her most significant written work is 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' published in 1875, which is considered a foundational text for Christian Science. This book has been recognized for its impact, included in a list of "75 Books by Women Whose Words Have Changed the World." Eddy's prolific writing extended to other works, including 'Manual of The Mother Church,' and a compilation of her writings published posthumously as 'Prose Works.' She was posthumously inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1995.

Born Mary Morse Baker in Bow, New Hampshire, Eddy was the youngest of six children. Her father, Mark Baker, was a strict Calvinist with strong opinions, and her relationship with him was reportedly strained. Her mother, Abigail Barnard Baker, is described as a devout and nurturing influence. Eddy experienced periods of sudden, unexplained illness throughout her life, which some historians suggest may have been psychogenic in nature. In her teenage years, the family moved to Sanbornton Bridge (now Tilton), New Hampshire. She joined the Congregational church at age 17. Her early adulthood was marked by significant loss, including the deaths of her brother Albert, her first husband George Washington Glover shortly after their marriage, and her mother. She gave birth to her only child, George Washington Glover II, shortly after her husband's death and returned to New Hampshire, where she was bedridden for months.

Eddy's spiritual journey involved significant engagement with the healing practices of Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a practitioner of mesmerism. After experiencing further health deterioration, she visited Quimby in 1862 and reported considerable improvement. While Quimby treated ailments without medicine, Eddy began to attribute spiritual significance to these healings, viewing them as akin to the miraculous cures performed by Christ Jesus, a perspective that differed from Quimby's more secular approach. She took extensive notes during their discussions and her interactions with him, developing her own ideas about spiritual healing. A pivotal moment often cited is an incident in 1866 where, after a fall on ice, Eddy experienced what she described as a spiritual revelation leading to her understanding of Christian Science. She later credited this experience as the basis for her teachings on spiritual recovery and divine metaphysics.

Following her spiritual insights, Mary Baker Eddy dedicated herself to articulating and disseminating her religious and philosophical system. In 1879, she founded The Church of Christ, Scientist, which became the Mother Church for the burgeoning Christian Science movement. Central to her teachings was the book 'Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures,' first published in 1875, which served as the primary text explaining the principles of Christian Science. Eddy also established several periodicals to support the movement, including The Christian Science Journal, The Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science. In 1908, she further expanded her media initiatives by founding The Christian Science Monitor, a newspaper intended to provide objective news coverage. Her enduring legacy is cemented by these institutions and her foundational writings.