Who was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby?

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The Mother Church at the Christian Science Center in Boston stands beside a large reflecting pool, with its domed roof and ornate facade visible under a partly cloudy sky. — Christian Science The Mother Church and reflecting pool, Christian Science Center, Boston.

Phineas Parkhurst Quimby (1802–1866) was an American mental healer and the founder of the New Thought movement. He theorized that all illness originates in the mind due to a patient's erroneous beliefs, and he believed he had rediscovered the healing methods used by Jesus.1

Quimby is historically significant to Christian Science because Mary Baker Eddy sought his treatment for her own health issues and was a disciple of his for a period. However, a controversy arose when Eddy later denied that her development of Christian Science was influenced by Quimby's teachings.1