Christian Science Responses to Major Public Health Crises

Abstract

Christian Science is a protestant church founded by Mary Baker Eddy in the late 19th century. It emphasizes spiritual healing, the use of non-medical force to cure various diseases. The Christian Science community responded to three major public health crises (the Spanish Flu, H1N1, and COVID-19) quite differently from the average public, with its focus on the cleansing of fear to cure physical symptoms. This paper reviews Eddy’s publications and summarizes her opinions towards treating contagious diseases. The respective responses from the Christian Science community towards the three major public health crises are also analyzed and compared. The paper concludes on the importance of religious literacy among policy makers and the public in order to better implement public health initiatives.