How do Christian Science practitioners serve people seeking spiritual healing?

Christian Science practitioners are individuals engaged in a full-time healing ministry who assist those seeking spiritual healing through prayer. Their role is central to the denomination's practice, which views the cure of disease through prayer as a necessary element in the process of redemption.1

Practitioners are listed in a directory published monthly in the church's major religious periodical, The Christian Science Journal, and they typically charge a nominal fee for their services. Their work is grounded in the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy, who emphasized that healing is achieved by looking beyond material appearances to a spiritual reality. By gaining an understanding of humanity’s true spiritual status—referred to as "the mind of Christ"—practitioners aim to help patients overcome the limitations of the mortal state.12

While Christian Science emphasizes this spiritual approach, the church does not compel members to rely exclusively on faith healing; members often utilize medical professionals for specific needs, such as dentistry, optometry, or setting broken bones.1