Conversations with experienced Christian Scientists on topics of interest.
Interviews
Many church families of various denominations these days are having lively discussions about how their music ministries can be meaningful to their sometimes quite diverse congregations. Besides the obvious nuts-and-bolts of music production, there are deeper, spiritual issues.
For the last five years, Spirituality & Health magazine has—in the words of its editor Robert Owen Scott —been dedicated "to all who wish to dig deeper. " As part of the Journal's exploration of how people and magazines are communicating with today's spiritual seekers, Journal staffer Jeffrey Hildner talked with Scott in his office at Trinity Place, near Wall Street in New York City.
For The First Church of Christ, Scientist, the presentation of spiritual healing as lived by Christ Jesus and described in Mary Baker Eddy's book, Science and Health, is the key mission. Here, the Journal's Jeffrey Hildner interviews the managers of four different church activities, who tell how they are supporting that purpose.
As the Journal editorial staff talked about this focus on prayer, it was clear that we couldn't just stay at our desks. We wanted to hear what our neighbors are thinking about prayer.
Many people don't know that in addition to Retrospection and Introspection, Mary Baker Eddy wrote another autobiography entitled, Footprints Fadeless. This fall, Mary Baker Eddy, Speaking for Herself, a volume that contains both works along with an introduction by Jana Riess, religion book review editor for Publishers Weekly, w ill be issued.
Designed by Ann Beha Architects, The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity, which opens this month in Boston is as much an urban renewal enterprise—a breath-of-fresh-air, park-like gift to the community—as it is a building project honor of the powerful ideas of a unique individual. The stone 1930s neoclassical Christian Science Publishing House, which is also home to The Christian Science Monitor and to which the graceful steel and glass modern library entrance has been added still stands largely intact.
Every day the media brings images of terrorism and war into our living rooms. These images can be haunting.
THE BROTHERHOOD OF HUMANITY IN ACTION The news media regularly report on desperate human needs. But often the problems seem so huge and formless to the millions of readers and viewers hearing the reports, that they don't see a way to be of help.
Huston Smith's many books have garnered countless accolades during his half-century career as one of the world's preeminent religious historians. But when I met with him at his Berkeley, California, home following the lecture series devoted to the subject of his latest book, Why Religion Matters, the genial professor told me that one of his favorite reviews appeared in the Journal's sister publication, The Christian Science Monitor.
Actress Kathryn Hays is probably best known as Kim Hughes of As The World Turns. She has been playing Kim for the past 30 years.