The Religio-Medical Masquerade: A Complete Exposure of Christian Science

Peabody, Frederick William, 1862-1938Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 2.6

Word count: 280K words
Chapters: 28

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.The Religio-Medical Masquerade: A Complete Exposure of Christian Science by PeabodyAuthor: Peabody, Frederick William, 1862-1938,Language: English, Class: BX: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Churches, Church movements, Release Date: Apr 16, 2014

Editor's review

This book is Frederick William Peabody's comprehensive critical examination of Christian Science, a work of early twentieth-century religious polemical literature. Taking "unmasking the religio-medical masquerade" as its purpose, the author analyzes its doctrines, practices, and organizational operations in a blunt, strongly argumentative tone. For readers studying American religious history, controversies over alternative medicine, and new religious movements, the book offers primary material from a contemporary perspective and can serve as a reference text for understanding the debates of the period. It should be read in historical context, with attention to the author's sharply critical stance rather than as a neutral academic treatment. The complete book is a public-domain English ebook of moderate length, suitable for reading alongside related background materials, and also suitable as a primary source for classroom discussion or paper writing.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Scholars and students studying American religious history and new religious movements
Readers concerned with controversies over alternative medicine and faith healing
Researchers needing primary documents from nineteenth- and twentieth-century religious debates
Enthusiasts interested in the history of Christian Science

Not a good fit for

Beginning readers seeking a neutral, balanced introduction to Christian Science
Those reading it as medical advice or a health guide
Readers who do not accept a strongly argumentative tone and critical stance

Reading tips

First learn the basic tenets of Christian Science and the historical background, then read this book to avoid being swayed by a single viewpoint.
While reading, mark the author's factual statements versus value judgments, distinguishing historical sources from argument.
Read it alongside Christian Science's own publications to form a multi-perspective understanding.
The original English edition can be read slowly with a dictionary, taking notes on key chapters for citation.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book an objective introduction to Christian Science?

No. This book is a critical work by the author aimed at "complete exposure," with a clear stance, focused on argument and exposure rather than neutral introduction. Readers should treat it as polemical literature and understand it in comparison with other materials.

Can someone without a religious background understand this book?

It can be read, but requires some background knowledge. It is advisable to first learn about the founding background and core tenets of Christian Science before reading this book; otherwise, one may encounter only one-sided criticism and find it difficult to judge.

Is this book suitable as a medical reference?

No. This book discusses the historical topic of religious and medical controversy; it does not provide any modern medical advice and cannot serve as a basis for health decisions.

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About the author

Peabody, Frederick William, 1862-1938 Author

Frederick William Peabody (1862–1938) is an author about whom little biographical information survives. The publicly available material is limited, and no clear record of his nationality, education, or professional career has been found; only one of his works is held in this collection. He is remembered for the book The Religio-Medical Masquerade: A Complete Exposure of Christian Science, which, judging by its title and subtitle, is a critical work aimed at exposing Christian Science as a disguise cloaking religious and medical claims. Writing of this kind is typically strongly argumentative, seeking to expose and question its subject, and addresses readers interested in religious healing, faith cure, and their social implications. Because the sources are limited, the precise context of its composition and its contemporary reception remain difficult to establish, and this book is still the main basis for understanding his position.