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Destiny appears to advocate a semi-divine change in the status of Eddy, the New England visionary who first began propounding her creed in 1866. According to Knapp, her arrival as a religious figure was foretold by the biblical prophet Isaiah ("thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles"). Knapp further contends that Eddy's "work or assignment was complementary to that of Christ Jesus."
The church's tolerance of Knapp's teaching led its former longtime archivist, Lee Z. Johnson, to send a protest letter to the board and reading rooms worldwide. The claims of Destiny, he said, are "incorrect" and a "deviation," harsh terms in Christian Science. But according to Hoagland, the publication of Knapp's work is nothing more than an act of pluralism. "This commotion is not about the Bliss Knapp book," he says. "It's about our move into television. These critics simply don't approve. So they search for reasons to attack the church."
There is no sign that the board is about to change its mind or relinquish any of its authority. Nor are there any indications that the Destiny furor will lead to a full-blown schism. But for some faithful Scientists, the foundations of the Mother Church are shaking.