Understanding Christian Science: Beliefs, Differences, and Conversations for Evangelicals

The other day I was driving through town on my way to take photos of my son for homecoming. As I passed by a building with the sign Church of Christ, Scientist—better known as a Christian Science church—I caught myself wondering, “What do they actually believe?” I’ve seen these churches for years, but like many of us, I hadn’t really stopped to dig deeper. That brief moment of curiosity turned into a longer reflection, because if we as Christians are called to love our neighbors, we need to understand where they’re coming from.

So what does the Christian Science church teach? How is it different from what we believe as evangelicals? And how can we engage people from this background in meaningful conversation? Let’s take a closer look.

What Christian Science Teaches

The Christian Science movement was founded in the late 1800s by Mary Baker Eddy, who wrote Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. This book remains the guiding text for Christian Science, often treated with as much—if not more—authority than the Bible itself. Eddy’s teachings flow from the conviction that ultimate reality is entirely spiritual, while the physical world, including sickness and even sin, is an illusion of the human mind.

Here are the core beliefs you’ll encounter in Christian Science:

• God as divine Principle, not personal Lord.Rather than confessing God as the triune, personal Creator, Christian Science describes Him in abstract terms—Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, and Love. These are attributes, not a personal Being to know and worship.

• Jesus as Exemplar, not Savior. In Christian Science, Jesus is not the eternal Son of God who died for our sins. He’s seen as a man who perfectly embodied “the Christ,” which they define as a divine idea of God’s goodness. His life was a model to follow, not a substitutionary sacrifice.

• Sin, sickness, and death as illusions .Since God is Spirit and all He made is spiritual and good, Christian Science claims that anything evil—sin, disease, death—cannot be real. Instead, these are errors of the human mind. Healing comes not through medicine but through prayer and spiritual realization.

• Scripture plus Eddy’s writings .While Christian Scientists do read the Bible, it is always filtered through Science and Health. In practice, this makes Eddy’s interpretations the lens by which all biblical truth is judged.

How Christian Science Differs from Evangelical Christianity

At first glance, Christian Science might sound Christian. It uses familiar language like “God,” “Christ,” “salvation,” and “Scripture.” But when you dig deeper, you discover that the meanings are dramatically different.

• God. Evangelicals worship the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—personal, holy, sovereign, and involved with His creation. Christian Science speaks of God as Principle or Mind, stripping Him of personhood and denying the Trinity.

• Christ. Scripture proclaims Jesus as fully God and fully man, the eternal Son who took on flesh, lived a perfect life, died for our sins, and rose from the dead (John 1:14; 1 Cor. 15:3–4). Christian Science denies His deity and His atoning work, reducing Him to a model of divine ideas.

• Sin. The Bible is clear that sin is real, universal, and separates us from God (Rom. 3:23). Christian Science says sin is not real—it’s only a mistaken thought that can be corrected.

• Salvation. The gospel is about God’s grace: “For by grace you have been saved through faith” (Eph. 2:8). Salvation means forgiveness of sins and eternal life in Christ. In Christian Science, salvation is enlightenment—gaining spiritual understanding, not receiving forgiveness.

• Scripture. Evangelicals hold the Bible as the inspired, authoritative Word of God. Christian Science treats it as secondary to Eddy’s writings.

The result is a system that looks Christian on the surface but denies the heart of the gospel. It presents a Christ without the cross, a problem without sin, and a salvation without grace.

Engaging in Meaningful Conversations with Christian Scientists

If you meet someone who is part of the Christian Science church, how should you respond? It’s tempting to either avoid the conversation or dive into debate. But the better way is to combine grace with truth.

1. Listen Well

People are often drawn to Christian Science because of its emphasis on healing, its hopeful language, or its intellectual approach. Ask questions. Be genuinely curious. Listening communicates respect and opens the door for real dialogue.

2. Find Points of Contact

Christian Scientists talk about prayer, God, love, and Scripture. You can affirm those starting points. For instance: “I’m glad you value prayer. I do too.” From there, gently explore how prayer in the Bible is not about denying reality but about trusting the God who steps into our broken reality.

3. Define Terms

Words like “Christ,” “salvation,” and “resurrection” mean very different things in Christian Science. Don’t assume shared vocabulary equals shared belief. Ask, “What do you mean when you say ‘Christ’?” and then share how Scripture defines Him as the eternal Son of God.

4. Keep Jesus Central

Rather than getting sidetracked by abstract ideas about matter and spirit, keep the focus on Jesus. Who did He claim to be? What did He accomplish on the cross? Why does His resurrection matter? The gospel rests on real history—on a cross and an empty tomb, not on mental corrections to an illusion.

5. Talk About Sin and Grace

One of the hardest barriers is that Christian Science denies sin is real. Yet without sin, the cross makes no sense. Share your own testimony: how you came face-to-face with sin, and how God’s grace changed you. Help them see that forgiveness is not about denying sin but about Christ taking our sin upon Himself.

6. Be Patient and Pray

Leaving Christian Science can be slow and costly, because it means rethinking not just theology but identity and community. Be patient. Keep pointing to Jesus. And above all, pray that God would open their eyes to His truth.

So what now?

That brief moment of driving by a Christian Science church on my way to take homecoming photos sparked a reminder: there are people in every community who are searching for truth but have embraced a distorted version of Christianity.

Christian Science offers a religion without sin, a Christ without the cross, and a hope without grace. But the good news of the gospel is that Jesus is not just an example of spiritual ideas—He is the eternal Son of God who entered our world, bore our sins, rose from the grave, and offers real forgiveness and eternal life to all who believe.

As evangelicals, our responsibility is to understand where others are coming from, discern the differences clearly, and then engage with a heart of compassion and the truth of the gospel. That way, when we pass by buildings like the one I drove past, we don’t just wonder what they believe—we pray for those inside and look for opportunities to point them to the only One who can truly save.