Editing Christian Science Reading Room

{{Short description|Place where the public can access Christian Science literature}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
[[image:5054_christian-science-reading-room-e.jpg|400px|thumb|A typical storefront Christian Science Reading Room on the main street of a suburb of Boston. The window displays a lamp, a large Bible open to the current reading, and copies of ''[[Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures]]''.]]
A '''Christian Science Reading Room''' is a facility operated as a public service by a [[Christian Science]] church in the community where that church exists. The local branches of [[The Mother Church]] ([[The First Church of Christ, Scientist]]) in [[Boston]], Massachusetts, maintain these rooms as a place where one may study and contemplate the [[Bible]] and Christian Science literature in a quiet atmosphere, similar to a library.

Literature and other items related to the study of Christian Science may be borrowed or purchased. There are approximately 2,000 Christian Science Reading Rooms worldwide.{{cn|date = March 2022}}

== Background and purpose ==
Reading Rooms were established in 1899 by a by-law in the ''[[Manual of The Mother Church]]'', the book which governs the Christian Science church. They were created to provide both a quiet place for reading, study and prayer and a means for the public to come into contact with Christian Science. They also offer Christian Science books, periodicals, and other media for sale.

[[File:The First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boston, aerial shot (1), 19 July 2011.jpg|thumbnail|left|alt=Aerial photograph of a triangular lot between roads and their sidewalks. The lot contains a small, Romanesque church filling the front point to the sidewalks, connected to a much larger and impressive domed, Neoclassical building behind it, filling the lot to the sidewalks to the left and right.|The First Church of Christ, Scientist. The original Mother Church (1894) is in the foreground and behind it is the Mother Church Extension (1906).<ref>[http://www.cityofboston.gov/images_documents/Christian%20Science%20Center%20Complex%20Study%20Report,%20as%20amended_tcm3-17697.pdf "Christian Science Center Complex"], [[Boston Landmarks Commission]], Environment Department, City of Boston, January 25, 2011, pp.&nbsp;6–12.</ref>]]

Eleven years before the ''Manual'' by-law, there was an earlier concept of reading room and a dispensary of literature and services for those unable to afford to pay for Christian Science treatment or transportation to a Christian Science church. In Boston, these efforts were halted in 1894 to concentrate on building the original Mother Church.<ref name="gott-232">Stephen Gottschalk, ''Rolling Away The Stone'' (2006), pp. 230-232</ref>{{#tag:ref|The large domed church is the extension to the original Mother Church, which is smaller and located in the corner of the triangular property.<ref>[http://christianscience.com/church-of-christ-scientist/about-the-church-of-christ-scientist/history-of-the-mother-church "History of The Mother Church"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510115536/http://christianscience.com/church-of-christ-scientist/about-the-church-of-christ-scientist/history-of-the-mother-church |date=May 10, 2013 }} The First Church of Christ, Scientist official website. Retrieved August 10, 2013</ref>|group=n}}

Both library and bookstore, it is a "harbor of rest" for quiet meditation and prayer,<ref name="gott-232" /> where one may study or purchase the Bible and the church's denominational textbook, ''[[Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures]]'' written by [[Mary Baker Eddy]], who is known as the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science. Also available are the denomination's other main books, the [[Authorized King James Version|King James Version of the Bible]] and ''[[Prose Works Other than Science and Health|Prose Works]]'', a volume of collected works also written by Eddy.<ref group=n>''Prose Works'' is only published in English. In other languages, the individual books comprising ''Prose Works'' are published individually. The translated writings of Mary Baker Eddy are double in volume because they are published as bilingual books with the original English on the left, the translation on the right.</ref> Also available are the denomination’s religious periodicals: a monthly publication, ''[[The Christian Science Journal]]''; the weekly ''[[Christian Science Sentinel]]''; ''[[The Herald of Christian Science]]'', published for speakers of languages other than English; and the ''[[Christian Science Quarterly]]'', used worldwide to study the religion's Bible "lesson-sermons."

In addition, there are various religious pamphlets and audio recordings, as well as ''[[The Christian Science Monitor]]'', an international newspaper. Reading rooms in countries that speak other languages often have a limited stock of English-language reading material; those in large cities in anglophone countries usually stock books and periodicals in one or more foreign languages.

Reading rooms are often storefronts in a busy part of a city, though some are situated within the local church's building.<ref>DeWitt John, ''The Christian Science Way of Life''. Christian Science Publishing Society (1962), p.&nbsp;57</ref> Hours of business vary from reading room to reading room; some are open during regular retail business hours, others less frequently. The person working there is called a "librarian", indicative of the atmosphere to be found. Reading rooms are staffed by members of the local Christian Science church.

Jointly-maintained reading rooms (operated jointly by several Christian Science churches) operate in a number of locations, for example a jointly maintained room in [[John Street (Manhattan)|John Street]], New York City, is maintained by the Christian Science branch churches of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey.<ref> Jointly-maintained Tri-State Christian Science Reading Room Committee, [https://www.csreadingroomnyc.com/copy-of-mary-baker-eddy History of the Tri-State Christian Science Reading Room], accessed August 27, 2022</ref>

Reading Rooms may hold events, such as bible study groups, and may offer resources to help homeless populations in their city.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Zhang |first=Brian |date=February 21, 2022 |title=Christian Science Reading Room offers new services and programming since reopening |url=https://yaledailynews.com/blog/2022/02/21/christian-science-reading-room-offers-new-services-and-programming-since-reopening/ |access-date=February 19, 2023 |website=Yale Daily News |language=en}}</ref>

==Part of the American landscape==
[[image:Chr sci read rm newbern nc.jpg|250px|right|thumb|A Christian Science Reading Room in [[New Bern, North Carolina]], US]]
In many parts of the U.S., Christian Science Reading Rooms are ubiquitous parts of the downtown landscape. A book by Kristin Hahn speaks of "Breezing by the Christian Science Reading Rooms prominently centered on main streets all across America."<ref>{{cite book|title=In Search of Grace: A Journey Across America's Landscape|author=Kristin Hahn|year=2003|publisher=Harper|id=978-0380802715}}</ref>

Novelists use them to characterize respectable-but-prosaic commercial districts. A mystery novel by Loren D. Estleman characterizes the location of a detective office by putting it among a beauty school, a plumbing supply store, "a hearing-aid shop, [and] a Christian Science reading room next to a medical supply outlet."<ref>Estleman, Loren D. (2002). ''A Smile on the Face of the Tiger''. Mysterious Press. {{ISBN|0446678171}}</ref> A fictional cop in a novel by Peter Plate steers a patrol car "past Siegal's Tuxedo Shop, Queen's Shoes, Discoteca Latina, The Eggroll Express, The Christian Science Reading Room, and Duc Loi's Meat and Fish Company."<ref>Plate, Peter (2003). ''One Foot Off the Gutter''. Seven Stories Press. {{ISBN|1583222596}}.</ref> The Simpsons' fictional town of [[Springfield (The Simpsons)|Springfield]] contains one.<ref>[http://www.snpp.com/guides/bibliography05.html Lisa the Skeptic] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051206090427/http://www.snpp.com/guides/bibliography05.html |date=December 6, 2005 }},' Simpsons episode 5F05, in which an anti-science mob attacks a Christian Science Reading Room</ref>

== Notes ==
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== References ==
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== External links ==
* [https://directory.christianscience.com/?keyword=&location=&latitude=&longitude=&rt-rr=1 Directory of Christian Science Reading Rooms] 
{{Christian Science}}

[[Category:Christian Science]]
[[Category:Libraries by subject]]