About the church and its development

The Church of Christ, Scientist came into being to make the healing and educational system known as Christian Science available and accessible to everyone. It originated in the United States of America, growing out of years of Biblical study and related spiritual healing practice by Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, in the last Quarter of the 19th century. It took a foothold in the UK before the turn of that century, and the first record of formal gatherings of Christian Scientists in Oxford refers to meetings in a private house in 1902.

Numbers grew and the group became recognized as a branch Society of The Mother Church, The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston MA in 1907 . The growing Society was redesignated as First Church of Christ, Scientist, Oxford in 1924, and it moved to its present location in 1933. Here a 'temporary' church building was erected behind numbers 34-36 St Giles'. It was in regular use for the next 50 years! The church also used 36 St Giles' to house the Sunday school, the reading room and administrative offices.

Construction of a permanent church on the site of the temporary building was completed in 1986. It included provision for the Sunday school, so the only remaining activity in 36 St Giles' was the reading room and a small amount of administration. The transition to an integrated site was completed in 2004, when reading room activity was transferred to a new purpose-built facility on the same site as the church, both buildings sharing the address 36A St Giles', Oxford, OX1 3LD.