Customer Reviews

The Healing Revelations of Mary Baker Eddy: The Rise and Fall of Christian Science

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As with his treatise on The Urantia Book, Gardner has spent a great of time studying his subject and presents the facts with the degree of humor and raised eyebrows that they deserve. This is not an all-inclusive history or biography but a concise overview of the topic (it began as an article and grew into a 255 page book). No doubt true believers will find fault throughout the entire volume but those of us on the outside looking in will find the shenanigans quite amusing. Another home-run for Gardner.

Just a reminder. Books that address any controversy attract attempts to pack the Reader Reviews with negative comments.

The quality of reviews here is very uneven. The Kirkus review, for example, refers to Phineas Quimby as Phineas Parkhurst. This is a dead giveaway that the reviewer has not actually read the book.

Gardner's accusations against Mrs Eddy are thoroughly researched and documented. Most of them have been made before and remain unchallenged except by evasion and denial. What is new and helpful in this book is the description and commentary on other aspects of the larger New Thought movement. Many who would never give credence to Eddy are strongly influenced by the same strain of thought.

I would strongly recommend this book to any reader, not just those interested in Christian Science.

After reading Gillian Gill's well researched biography of the founder of the Christian Science church, Gardner's book is incredibly disappointing. Misconstrued facts, while presented in a persuasive way, demolish his thesis. Gill's work, (a non-Christian Scientist just like Gardner) is the antithesis of Gardner's. She is fair, evaluative, does not editorialize, and while she tells things that Christian Scientists may or may not appreciate, she is honest to the core. Gardner would have done well to peruse the work of a TRUE writer (Gill) before attempted his own falsified fiction of an American religious figure.

You won't find any spin from brainwashed followers in this book. The truth shall set you free.

This book is an entertaining brief account of Christian Science and its founder. Gardner does not address some important points (e.g., the controversial CS practice of denying medical care to children), but the information he presents on other points (e.g., the bizarre memorial pyramid at Eddy's birthplace) is new.

It's possible that Gardner could have used a better fact-checker at some points. Matters such as copyright dates of the church textbook are apparently wrong (at least according to one CS attorney I corresponded with).

In Gillian Gill's recent bio of Eddy, Gill claims that Gardner's book is "error-filled," but does not elaborate.

Of course, like all modern researchers, Gardner did not have access to the church archives, not even the restricted access enjoyed by Gill. So perhaps some of these problems can be forgiven.

Any objective reader who is interested in CS--even open-minded readers who don't know much about CS--will enjoy this book. CS readers no doubt will be offended by Gardner's light-hearted poke at Eddy and should stay away.

The author does an excellent job of presenting historial events not documented elsewhere. The material can be dry but truth is his goal. This book presents the truth of MBE and the movement of Christian Science. Edwin Dakin's book, Mrs. Eddy Doctrine of A Virginal Mind, and Milmine's book on Christian are similar, however I would highly recommend Dakin's book. It reads better than most fiction. There are many surprises and events unknown to many people even devote Christian Scientists. Another EXCELLENT book written by a member of the Christian Science Board of Director's is Bates and Dittemore's The Truth and The Tradition, This Is The ULTIMATE biography. It was written using documents inaccessible to the public from the archives of The Mother Church. It is hard to find but well worth the searching. I recommend it to all even the most devoted Christian Scientist.

rather disappointing reading. Instead of a story telling or narrative style, the author presents his material as if it were evidence in a court of law. Too many extracts of letters & documents. Makes for a persuasive, but unimaginative and dull argument. Also, a little too much editorializing.

Gardner's claim of plagiarism of Quimby's writings by Mrs. Eddy simply doesn't hold water. Quimby did reach the point of recognizing to a meager extend the influence of the human mind on the body. So by necessity, some of Mrs. Eddy's writings might seem to parallel Quimby's writings regarding the human mind/body relationship. But that's as far as any seeming similarity can be found between the two. Here's excerpts about what Mrs. Eddy says about Quimby in her book, Miscellaneous Writings:

"Having practised homoeopathy, it never occurred to the author to learn his [Quimby's] practice, but she did ask him how manipulation could benefit the sick. He answered kindly and squarely, in substance, 'Because it conveys electricity to them.' That was the sum of what he taught her of his medical profession.

"The readers of my books cannot fail to see that metaphysical therapeutics, as in Christian Science, are farther removed from such thoughts than the nebulous system is from the earth.

"I never heard him say that matter was not as real as Mind, or that electricity was not as potential or remedial, or allude to God as the divine Principle of all healing. He certainly had advanced views of his own, but they commingled error with truth, and were not Science."

Throughout the latter years of her time here on earth, Mrs. Eddy was constantly being accused of plagiarizing the writings of Quimby. Many of her detractors claimed that he was the one who healed her of her many years of invalidism. The truth is that she seemed to derive temporary benefit from his treatments, but soon after, lapsed into an even worse physical state. Eventually she was completely healed through her own study of the Bible and her faith in a higher power, far transcending the electricity/magnetism techniques that Quimby employed. It's obvious that Gardner didn't study Mrs. Eddy's writings sufficiently to discern the vast gulf between her teachings, and those of Quimby. And as other reviewers have noted, he misstates many facts regarding the life of Mary Baker Eddy, which seriously compromises and undermines his arguments from the starting line to the finish line. Don't waste your money on this one.

A searing indictment of the crank named Mary Baker Eddy. Christian Science is neith Christian nor Science and Mr. Gardner tells it like it is. I am not suprised at the bad reviews given this book by Christian Scientists, after all what else can you expect from an goup of ignorant and superstitious people, many of whom would rather see their children die than give them antibiotics. Christian Science is an dying cult and it is clear that there will be violent death throes coming from its members.

In order to understand CS one has to devote their life to the continually unfoldment that is a result of studying Mrs. Eddy's teaching's. It is not unusual for sometime to totally miss the essence of CS . But the fact remains it is a demonstrable science. Most Christians Scientists have demonstrated good health , happiness and prosperity throughout their long lives. This speaks volumes. "Scientist's simply follow the example and teachings of Christ Jesus. Mrs. Eddy , thankfully explained the teachings of Christ to a degree that had not been done before.
She laid no claim to inventing the truth but rather explaining it through what she called "Christian Science". Naturally after her passing the "truth began to get diluted and hence demonstations were less frequent. She was simply trying to wake everyone up to the fact that " The truth will set them free"
from the erroneous thinking of mankind. It's evident that every
forward thinking person throughout history has been persecuted by those of lesser vision. Why should she be an exception.
"Forgive them father they know not what they do".