Q: How much time should a Christian Science practitioner devote to his or her practice every day? Don’t practitioners have to be on call 24/7?
A: In the Manual of The Mother Church, Mary Baker Eddy wrote, “Members of this Church who practice other professions or pursue other vocations, shall not advertise as healers, excepting those members who are officially engaged in the work of Christian Science, and they must devote ample time for faithful practice” (p. 82).
This By-Law makes clear the kind of commitment that our Leader expected from those who are employed in the public practice of Christian Science. Being a Christian Science practitioner is a way of being and living. To someone devoted to the practice of Christian Science, the office of practitioner tends to undergird every thought and action and guide us in all our daily affairs. So whether we’re answering a phone call for help, caring for a family member, playing basketball, or shopping for groceries, the practice is the starting point for our approach to every task. In fact, it’s this God-centered living that first leads us into this
sacred, satisfying work.
