Mary Baker Eddy

The founder of Christian Science, a religious movement based on the belief that reality is purely spiritual and the material world is an illusion. After a dramatic recovery from a chronic injury, she authored "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," which outlines the principles of spiritual healing. She argued that sickness, sin, and death could be overcome through a proper understanding of God as infinite Mind. She founded the Christian Science Monitor, an international news organization, to provide a balanced perspective on world events. Her thought challenged the medical and religious establishment of the 19th century and remains a major influence on the "New Thought" movement.