“The object of the Monitor is to injure no man, but to bless all mankind.”
– Mary Baker Eddy, the Monitor’s founder
Our story
Launched in 1908, The Christian Science Monitor was forged in a crucible of turbulent public thought, driven by newspapers filled with sensationalism and personal slander. The press in that era vilified Mary Baker Eddy, the Monitor’s founder, who had drawn national acclaim and controversy for establishing a church to teach and practice Christian healing at a time when women were not welcome in the pulpit.
Yet Mrs. Eddy did not use her newspaper to retaliate against her adversaries. Her object in founding the Monitor was “to injure no man, but to bless all mankind” – to lift the standard of journalism and uplift humanity.
That spirit has informed more than a century of reporting from all corners of the globe.
Our mission
Mrs. Eddy established the Monitor “to spread undivided the Science that operates unspent.” That’s not as complicated as it sounds. She used Science, capitalized, to refer to the laws of God.
There’s a great hunger for journalism to speak the truth today. Our commitment to doing that is rooted in the spirit which impelled our founder to return blessing for cursing, according to the biblical precept of “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15). We strive to discern not only the facts, but also the motives that shape events and shifts in thought, and the higher ideals like justice, mercy, and wisdom that drive human progress.
We report to inform, not to influence. Our goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you the essential knowledge and understanding to come to your own intelligent conclusions. The Monitor’s founder believed that everyone has the right to self-government, reason, and conscience.
Our independence
We are owned by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, Massachusetts – headquarters of the worldwide movement of Christian Science. We are funded by subscription revenue and the church. Unlike other news outlets, we are entirely free of corporate allegiances.
The church’s Board of Directors appoints the editor of The Christian Science Monitor but entrusts daily editorial decision-making to his or her professional judgment. The only content the Board reviews prior to publication is the daily editorial, called “The Monitor’s View.” One daily article offers healing ideas based on the teachings of Christian Science. In our reporting, we do not proselytize.
Our team
Our staff writers and editors are spread around the globe, from Boston to Berlin to Beijing. In addition, we retain special correspondents on contract and work with select freelancers to help us cover key areas of the world where we don’t have full-time staff. We also hire qualified local interpreters to assist our reporters when they’re working in unfamiliar areas.
While many Monitor staff have a background in Christian Science, not all do. We unite around our shared commitment to the Monitor’s unique mission.
See our newsroom directory for a listing of all Monitor staff.
Our coverage
The Monitor aims to be a newspaper welcomed in any home. We address the issues of the day head-on, however hard or sobering, but we avoid getting mired in graphic details or sensational descriptions. Above all, we strive to be unprejudiced, representing a broad range of issues and viewpoints in a respectful, thoughtful way.
We deliver global news via our website and mobile site, daily newsletter, weekly print magazine, and free newsletters.
The Monitor always has been and always will be produced by people, for people. See our AI policy for more information.
Our commitment to accuracy
Think we got it wrong? Write to us.