The church has three levels of representative government: local, regional,
and general, with a salaried general minister and a president. The Disciples of
Christ are represented in the National Council of Churches of Christ in the
U.S.A., the World Council of Churches, and the Consultation on Church
Union. A world convention of Churches of Christ has its headquarters in
Dallas, Texas.
THE CHURCH OF CHRIST, SCIENTIST.—The Church of Christ,
Scientist, organized in Boston in 1879, is known for its ministry of spiritual
healing. Christian Scientists see healing of both sin and sickness as
natural in Christian life. Christian Scientists reject medical treatment;
“practitioners” heal by prayer and reliance on divine law. The church’s
founder, Mary Baker Eddy, stressed following Christ’s example and
interpreted healing as the result of understanding and observing divine law.
Her book, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures, sets forth
Christian Science teachings.
The roles of the Christian Science reader, teacher, and practitioner are
very important in the Christian Science movement. The readers in each
church, usually two, read alternately from the Bible and from Science and
Health. The lesson-sermon of the Sunday service, used by all Christian
Scientist churches, is issued quarterly by the Christian Science Publishing
Society. A midweek meeting, conducted by a reader, features testimonies of
healing from sin and sickness.
All local churches of Christ, Scientist, of which there are approximately
three thousand, enjoy their own forms of democratic government within the
general framework of bylaws laid down in the Manual of the Mother Church
by Mrs. Eddy.
The Church of Christ, Scientist, publishes the Christian Science Monitor,
a well-known international newspaper.
THE CHURCH OF JESUS CHRIST OF LATTER-DAY SAINTS.—
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, better known as the
Mormon church is uniquely American. Essentially a laymen’s movement in
its origin, their church is rooted in the visions of Joseph Smith, who organ-
ized the movement in 1830, at Fayette, New York. Organization and govern-
ment are based upon the Priesthood. The Priesthood is divided into two
parts: The Aaronic Priesthood (the lesser priestly degree) consists of three
offices: priests, teachers, and deacons. The Aaronic Priesthood administers
the temporal or worldly affairs of the church. The Melchizedek Priesthood
(the higher priestly degree) consists of three offices: high priests, seventies,
and elders. The Melchizedek Priesthood administers the spiritual affairs of
the church. Geographically the church is divided into stakes, wards,
missions, and branches. A group of 34 General Authorities directs the work
of the two Priesthoods and the entire church.
Members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are so called
because they believe in the divine inspiration of the Book of Mormon. They
also believe in the Bible, the Doctrine and Covenants, and the Pearl of Great
Price. They base their beliefs on the teachings of the New Testament,
especially the Sermon on the Mount. The Mormon faith is similar in
some respects to that found in many conservative Protestant churches.
Mormons believe in faith, repentance, and a Godhead consisting of three
2-16
