Emma Curtis Hopkins - Relation To Christian Science and Work With Mary Plunkett

Relation To Christian Science and Work With Mary Plunkett

Hopkins' earliest record in Christian Science appears to be her role in the expulsion of Clara Choate for promiscuity around 1884; Hopkins would some months later become acting editor of the Christian Science Journal (though she was never a Christian Science teacher), then in just over a year be relieved of the post for an editorial syncretizing too wide an Asian influence for Eddy's identification with Christianity.

Eventually won over to the influence and ambitions of Christian Science dissident Mary Plunkett, she told her original Christian Science practitioner that if Eddy did not give her the next Normal class and authority over all of Christian Science west of Buffalo, "I will sweep her off the face of the earth." She had earlier criticized A.J. Swartz for plagiarism of Eddy's work but, with Plunkett's help, went on to edit Swartz's magazine for a period before going into business with Plunkett.

Hopkins and Plunkett appropriated the term Christian Science for both their magazine's and institute's names. This term was beginning to come into its early great success with Mrs. Eddy. Hopkins and Plunkett believed the term appropriately described their work, in spite of their breach with its founder and her emphasis on a Christian subjugation of the human mind to the Divine. They sought to gain adherents from Eddy's base, including Joseph Adams.

Plunkett would again ask Eddy for a division of Eddy's Christian Science movement, with Eddy to yield everything west of the Mississippi, and took offense at Eddy's rebuff. Hopkins and Plunkett would in time take in other disaffected students of Eddy, such as Ursula Gestefeld, who were dissatisfied with either the teachings or Eddy's promotional schemes.

Hopkins went on to teach the Fillmores, after which she would finally drop use of the term Christian Science (which the Fillmores would also use, then subsequently drop).

Plunkett, however, tried to borrow visibly from her own past ties to Eddy to build a following in New York City. She fell into public disgrace after the scandal of her parting with her husband John, who had fathered neither of her children, in favor of a free love relationship with A. Bentley Worthington. Within a month after her adoption of his name Worthington was exposed as an embezzler and multi-state bigamist. Plunkett moved to Australia, where she committed suicide.

Hopkins went on to found the Emma Hopkins College of Metaphysical Science, which focused on training women as spiritual leaders. Hopkins believed that mankind was supposed to live through three spiritual ages, corresponding with the Holy Trinity. God the Father represented the patriarchies of the past. God the Son represented Jesus Christ and the freeing of human thought. The present age of God the Holy Spirit would place women in charge. Hopkins thought of the Holy Spirit in terms of the Shekinah, the Mother Comforter.

Her ideas about spiritual healing and the soul's relationship with God have been adopted by some mainstream religious movements including the International Order of St. Luke the Physician which was founded by an Episcopal priest. She wrote many books on these subjects. Her last student was Ernest Holmes. She died at her home in Connecticut in 1925.