How did Mary Baker Eddy explain the causes of disease?

Mary Baker Eddy, the founder of Christian Science, taught that the cause of disease is rooted in the human mind rather than in physical reality or the will of God. She argued that what we perceive as matter and the material world is a subjective state evolved by "mortal thought," which creates a false sense of reality and obscures the true nature of Spirit.12

In her view, illness is a result of the inadequacy of human perception, which incorrectly assumes that life and mind originate from matter. Because she believed that matter is not created by God, she rejected the idea that God is responsible for suffering. Consequently, Christian Science holds that disease is unreal and can be overcome through spiritual understanding and prayer, which align the individual with the "mind of Christ". By looking beyond material appearances to spiritual reality, adherents seek to demonstrate that the limitations of the mortal state are not absolute.21