An introduction to religious and spiritual experience

Christian Science
Mary Baker Eddy (1821–1910) was born into a devout, Puritan family in 
New Hampshire, USA in 1821. Finding the doctrine of predestination 
abhorrent, Mary argued with her father until she became feverish. 
Her mother suggested that she should pray for God’s guidance over the 
matter. This she did, and was immediately healed. She continued her spir-
itual searching even after being tragically widowed after only 7 months 
of marriage and despite her own frail health. She investigated homeopa-
thy, came under the influence of the magnetic healer, Phineas Quimby, 
and eventually concluded that it was faith in the drugs rather than their 
actual content, which cured. 
After a serious fall, Mary had a vision of Life in and of the Spirit as the 
sole reality. This vision of the Absolute brought her immediate healing. 
Her further reflections on the event and subsequent study of the Bible led 
her to see mind as overcoming matter and to view God as the ultimate 
Mind. Healing was to take place without recourse to medical interven-
tion, but through focus on the Spirit. She became the Discoverer and 
Founder of Christian Science and the author of 
Science and Health
, the 
textbook of the movement. 
Church of Scientology
L. Ron Hubbard (1911–1986) was a precocious child and an early seeker 
for meaning in life. He travelled the world exploring different regions, 
cultures and religions looking for an answer to the suffering of humanity. 
He became disillusioned with the thought of both East and the West and 
eventually abandoned academic study for life as a writer of thrillers. 
Yet his searching continued as he studied cell function and the link 
between mind and body. After being injured in World War II, he was able 
to complement those studies with practical experiments on his fellow 
patients, observing their reactions to medication. 
He concluded that mind ruled matter and the thesis of 
Dianetics
was born. Initially his teaching spread through word of mouth and many 

---

Religious and Spiritual Experience
44
people were healed through his approach. He eventually wrote various 
books on the subject, notably the best-selling 
Dianetics: The Modern 
Science of Mental Health
. He continued to explore the world and differ-
ent levels of awareness, lecturing widely on Scientology. He attracted 
many followers, who eventually established the Church.
There is some controversy surrounding Hubbard and the movement, 
with prominent Hollywood figures speaking up both for and against. The 
most famous member is Tom Cruise, who extols the virtues of his beliefs,