Page "Church of Christ, Scientist" Paragraph 57

The hundreds of millions lost on broadcasting brought the church to the brink of bankruptcy.

However, with the 1991 publication of The Destiny of The Mother Church by the late Bliss Knapp, the church secured a $ 90 million bequest from the Knapp trust.

The trust dictated that the book be published as " Authorized Literature ," with neither modification nor comment.

Historically, the church had censured Knapp for deviating at several points from Eddy's teaching, and had refused to publish the work.

The church's archivist, fired in anticipation of the book's publication, wrote to branch churches to inform them of the book's history.

Many Christian Scientists thought the book violated the church's by-laws, and the editors of the church's religious periodicals and several other church employees resigned in protest.

Alternate beneficiaries subsequently sued to contest the church's claim it had complied fully with the will's terms, and the church ultimately received only half of the original sum.