The obligation of Christianity to heal disease, sickness, sin, and suffering had been largely overlooked for centuries when Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, proclaimed to the world that apostolic spiritual healing as practiced by Jesus and his disciples is a constituent part of Christianity itself. She writes in the textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: "The ancient Christians were healers. Why has this element of Christianity been lost? Because our systems of religion are governed more or less by our systems of medicine."Science and Health, p. 146;
In sending out first the twelve and then the seventy disciples, Christ Jesus instructed them how to heal all kinds of evil and disease, thereby showing that spiritual healing is a necessary element of Christianity. To Jesus, practical proof was essential to a correct understanding of his teaching. And so it is today. The healing works, not only the words, of Christianity have been made clearly comprehensible and available to all mankind through the teachings of Christian Science.
From the moment that the Christian Science interpretation of Christianity is understood, not only the obligation but the opportunity and increasing ability to heal disease and suffering is presented to the Christian. The consequent proof, instead of mere profession, satisfies the individual that he has now a full, practical, and healing religion.
