Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 17, 1993 TAG: 9301170046
SECTION: NATL/INTL PAGE: A-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: JON MARCUS ASSOCIATED PRESS
DATELINE: BOSTON LENGTH: Medium
CHRISTIAN SCIENCE RIFT DISMISSED
A rift in the Christian Science Church was fueled by a handful of dissidents who mocked church tradition, the sect's president said in the only interview granted by a senior church official since the feud erupted."To take it to the press and to try to create a public issue over it, to me that doesn't sound at all like the way Christian Scientists resolve their problems," said Nathan A. Talbot.
Talbot also said that the denomination hasn't given up on television, in spite of criticism over the loss of $327.5 million on its short-lived Monitor Channel.
The cost of the television cable network drew criticism from some rank-and-file Christian Scientists one year ago. The church's release of a controversial book whose critics said was published only to meet a condition of a $97 million bequest deepened attacks.
Talbot said there actually were few critics, their influence exaggerated by a flair for media manipulation. He said most church members drawn into the controversy were "confused," and that much lost unity had been restored.
Critics disagreed.
"I don't see any great signs of healing the rift," said Kurt Stark, a former church president removed from its Bible lesson committee last year when he expressed support for protesting colleagues. "It sounds a bit arrogant to me. It assumes that someone has a more direct line to God than someone else."
The debate began in early 1992, but officials haven't previously given their side of the story.
Talbot said the discord in the church was started by administrators he said wanted to suppress the publication of a biography comparing church founder Mary Baker Eddy to Jesus Christ, an apparent contradiction of her teachings.
"Ridiculous," said Elaine Natale, a former editor of church religious publications who resigned to protest publication of the book.
"By not publishing it, one is not suppressing it," said Steve Gottschalk, a church historian and critic. "If the Catholic Church won't publish a book questioning the virginity of Mary, that doesn't mean it's suppressing it."
Critics said the church directors published the biography because that was the chief condition of a $97 million bequest left by the Talbot author's widow.
"That book would never have seen the light of day had it not had $97 million behind it," said Robert Mitchell, a former church president and clerk who called the past year "a rather sad episode in the history of Christian Science."
Talbot said the issue was distorted.
"I would say essentially that those forces that were really trying to pull the church apart were really very few," he said. "The media was being manipulated by a very few people. The effect of that began to broaden and to touch a significant number of church members who were confused."
Critics say they comprise not just a handful of the membership, but thousands.
Although the church will not disclose its size, a spokesman said in 1990 that there were 250,000 Christian Scientists. The religion has as its basis the belief that prayer can heal injuries and illness.
Talbot said the church remained committed to its daily Christian Science Monitor newspaper, but had not abandoned television journalism, despite the fate of the Monitor Channel. The church also operates Monitor Radio.
The cable TV network was shut down June 28 after disclosures about its cost - some of it underwritten by church pension funds.
"It's a question of priorities," Stark said. "Are you in the media business, or are you in the church business?"
"We have come a very long distance to rebuilding our unity to the extent that it was damaged," Talbot said.