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How did Christian Science grow during Mary Baker Eddy’s years in Boston?
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Christian Science
The Mother Church and reflecting pool, Christian Science Center, Boston.
During Mary Baker Eddy’s years in Boston (1882–1889), the Christian Science movement began to experience significant growth and impact on American religious life. This expansion was driven primarily by the healing work performed by students who had trained at the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, which Eddy chartered in 1881.12
Several factors contributed to this development:
- Educational Outreach: Eddy taught hundreds of students at her college and actively promoted her teachings through her writings, including the textbook Science and Health and articles in a monthly magazine she founded in 1883.12
- Religious Appeal: Her message offered a distinct alternative to both orthodox and liberal forms of Christianity, attracting a growing number of disaffected mainstream Protestants.2
- Institutional Foundation: By the end of the 1880s, nearly 100 congregations had been established, primarily across the Atlantic states and the Midwest.1
Despite facing criticism from Boston ministers and challenges from rival "mind-cure" groups, Eddy’s leadership during this period successfully laid the groundwork for the movement's future institutional structure.12