The Christian Science Church in the twenty-first century

Abstract

ABSTRACT The history of Christian Science is characterized by rapid growth and subsequent decline. Almost two decades ago, Rodney Stark concluded that the movement was a ‘dismal failure’ and might not even survive another generation. Richard Singelenberg drew attention to the importance of including consideration of the role of the Church’s doctrinal and financial controversies as possible determinants of the movement’s present and future development. Indeed, after these controversies in the 1990s, the Mother Church has attempted to move on and stabilize itself. Today, Christian Science continues to decline overall, in terms of the number of churches, societies, and practitioners, but the Church is still in existence and likely will be for the foreseeable future. Two main reasons for this are addressed—increased financial capital and some growth in some countries of the global south, which has slowed the general decline. This research note briefly explores these developments and some recent activities of the Church to provide an overview of the movement in the twenty-first century.