Every three years since 1907, the Board of Education, an auxiliary to the Massachusetts Metaphysical College, has held a Normal class to prepare and authorize new teachers of Christian Science, as provided for by Mary Baker Eddy in the Manual of The Mother Church. With rejoicing, we announce the completion of the 2024 Normal class, which included several historic firsts.
Over the years, the Normal class has always been held in the Boston area, whether at The Mother Church or, for the past several classes, at a nearby conference center. However, in recent years it has seemed to be increasingly difficult for qualified applicants from outside the United States to obtain visas to come to Boston. While on the surface the reasons appeared to be geopolitical, the Board of Directors felt the real challenge that needed to be overcome was resistance to “promoting and extending the religion of Christian Science as taught by me,” as Mrs. Eddy called for in multiple documents (see, for example, Deed of Trust Organizing The Christian Science Publishing Society, p. 3). The Directors knew that having teachers available in areas of the world where Christian Science is being practiced is a needful and right idea, and they began to explore the possibility of holding Normal class in a location other than Boston. After much prayer, the Directors decided to move forward with this idea.
The timing of what happened next was striking. The very next day the Directors, who also serve as Trustees Under the Will of Mary Baker Eddy, were considering a provision in a clause in her will for providing financial support for teaching where needed. They came upon this wording from Mrs. Eddy’s will: “I desire that the instruction for which provision is hereby made shall be at the said College, but my said trustees are hereby authorized to provide said instruction elsewhere, if, in the unanimous judgment of all said trustees for the time being, such course shall seem best” (italics added for emphasis).
