First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boise

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Boise, is a branch of The First Church of Christ, Scientist in Boston, MA, also known as The Mother Church. It was founded by Mary Baker Eddy in 1879 and is based on the Bible and the teachings of Jesus Christ.

The original Boise church was erected in 1904 and was renovated in 1924; the foundation stones were obtained from the Table Rock quarry and the structure featured nearly 20 stained-glass windows. A completely new edifice was erected on the same site in 1990, utilizing the foundation stones from the original edifice as the retaining wall at the front of the church, and re-purposing the handmade stained-glass windows to create beautiful rectangular panels currently on the front of the church building.

Eminent Boise architect, Nat Adams, who designed such landmarks as All Saints Church, Bronco Stadium, and the J.R. Simplot House, created the original design for the current church edifice.

The Christian Science church is “designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing.” (Manual of The First Church of Christ, Scientist, p. 17.) Christian Science teaches that God is infinite Love and that a clear glimpse of this has power to heal and transform.