Mary Baker Eddy

Mary Baker Eddy
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Name	Mary Baker Eddy
Birth date	July 16, 1821
Birth place	Bow, New Hampshire
Death date	December 3, 1910
Death place	Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts
Occupation	Religious leader, author

Mary Baker Eddy was a prominent American religious leader, author, and founder of the Church of Christ, Scientist, who played a significant role in the development of Christian Science. She was influenced by the ideas of Phineas Quimby, a New England philosopher and healer, and Ralph Waldo Emerson, a leading figure in the Transcendentalist movement. Her spiritual journey was also shaped by her interactions with notable figures such as Julius and Augusta Stahl, Daniel Spofford, and Asa Gilbert Eddy. Eddy's life and work were closely tied to the intellectual and spiritual currents of her time, including the American Renaissance and the Women's Suffrage Movement.

Early Life and Education

Mary Baker Eddy was born in Bow, New Hampshire, to Mark Baker and Abigail Ambrose Baker, and was raised in a Congregationalist family. She attended Pinkerton Academy in Derry, New Hampshire, and later studied at New Hampshire Conference Seminary in Tilton, New Hampshire. Eddy's early life was marked by poor health, which led her to explore various forms of alternative medicine, including homeopathy and hydropathy. She was also influenced by the ideas of Francis Bacon, Isaac Newton, and Immanuel Kant, which she encountered through her readings of Harvard University-affiliated scholars such as James Walker and Andrew Preston Peabody.

Career and Spiritual Development

Eddy's spiritual development was shaped by her interactions with Phineas Quimby, who introduced her to the concept of mental healing. She also drew inspiration from the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, a Swedish theologian and mystic, and William Lyman Johnson, a New England minister. Eddy's career as a spiritual leader began to take shape in the 1860s, when she started teaching her ideas on Christian Science to a small group of students, including Daniel Spofford and Julius and Augusta Stahl. Her teachings emphasized the importance of spiritual healing, prayer, and the role of the Bible in spiritual development, as well as the influence of Eastern spirituality and the ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

Founding of Christian Science

In 1879, Eddy founded the Church of Christ, Scientist, which was officially recognized as a Christian denomination in 1894. The church's teachings were based on Eddy's book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, which outlined the principles of Christian Science. The church's early growth was rapid, with the establishment of First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, Massachusetts, and the founding of the Christian Science Journal and the Christian Science Sentinel. Eddy's work was also influenced by her interactions with notable figures such as Clara Barton, Susan B. Anthony, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, who were involved in the Women's Suffrage Movement and the American Red Cross.

Later Life and Controversies

Eddy's later life was marked by controversy, including a highly publicized court case, the Next Friend Suit, which was brought against her by her son, George Washington Glover. The case was widely covered in the press, including in The New York Times and The Boston Globe. Eddy was also criticized by some of her former students, including Emma Curtis Hopkins, who went on to found the Christian Science Theological Seminary. Despite these challenges, Eddy continued to write and teach, producing works such as Miscellaneous Writings and Retrospection and Introspection. Her legacy was also shaped by her interactions with notable figures such as Theodore Roosevelt, William James, and Jane Addams.

Legacy and Impact

Mary Baker Eddy's legacy is complex and multifaceted, with her teachings on Christian Science continuing to influence spiritual and philosophical thought to this day. Her work has been recognized by scholars such as Harvard University's Howard University-affiliated Henry Steele Commager and Yale University's Jaroslav Pelikan. Eddy's ideas have also been influential in the development of New Thought and New Age movements, and have been studied by scholars of American Studies and Women's Studies. Her impact can be seen in the work of organizations such as the National Council of Churches, the World Council of Churches, and the United Nations.

Personal Life and Writings

Eddy's personal life was marked by a series of marriages, including her marriage to George Washington Glover and her marriage to Asa Gilbert Eddy. She was also a prolific writer, producing works such as Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Miscellaneous Writings, and Retrospection and Introspection. Eddy's writings were influenced by her readings of Shakespeare, Milton, and Dickinson, as well as her interactions with notable figures such as Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, and Julia Ward Howe. Her literary style was characterized by its use of Biblical imagery and its emphasis on the importance of spiritual growth and personal development, reflecting the intellectual and cultural currents of her time, including the American Renaissance and the Gilded Age. Category:American religious leaders