Biography of Rev. G. A. Kratzer

Rev. Kratzer is one of a long list of wonderful students of Christian Science who were chased out of the movement by the Board of Directors of the Mother Church because “they did not do it right!” In Rev. Kratzer’s case, his unbounded enthusiasm for Christian Science and his desire to share it with others, could not be constrained by the organization. He committed the unpardonable sin of sharing essays with his patients, outside of the filtering mechanism of the central organization.

His writings had been published a number of times in the official Christian Science periodicals, and Mrs. Eddy specifically praised his article, “Dominion Within.” Rev. Kratzer’s deficiency was not in his metaphysics and understanding of Christian Science. It was his unwillingness to bow down to a human authority.

Rev. Kratzer had been a Protestant minister before coming into Christian Science in 1906. Taught by Edward Kimball, in 1908 he and his wife, Elizabeth, became Christian Science practitioners, listed in the Journal. He evidently did outstanding healing work, as patients came to him from all parts of the country.

After his departure from the organization, Rev. Kratzer went on to publish his own writings and the classic book, Teaching and Addresses by Edward A. Kimball. It is apparent that his love and respect for Mary Baker Eddy and her revelation was not diminished by the authoritarian behavior of the Board of Directors.

We celebrate Rev. Kratzer’s moral courage in refusing to acquiesce to ecclesiasticism and the directed hatred of “loyal” members, but instead continued, as he was directed by God, to share with others his enthusiasm for the Christian Science that Mary Baker Eddy gave to the world.