Did Mary Baker Eddy approve all the selections in the 1932 “Christian Science Hymnal”?

Eddy, who died in 1910, was not involved with the production of the hymnal that has been used since 1932 in Christian Science churches. Nevertheless, her lasting influence was apparent; seven of her poems set to music were included, as well as hymns she had asked to appear in earlier versions of the Hymnal.

Eddy directed Lyman Brackett to compile the first Christian Science Hymnal published in 1892. Revisions were published in 1898, 1903, and 1910. By the 1920s, a growing international field and musical developments in Christian hymnody made another revision of the Hymnal advisable.

In order to meet this need, the Christian Science Board of Directors appointed committees in London and Boston to revise the Hymnal. Their work began in 1928 and was completed by 1930. Then other committees took over, making final decisions on content and dealing with printing and production. This was the most complete revision of the Hymnal to date, with many new tunes and lyrics.

Since then the Christian Science Hymnal Supplement, Hymns 430–462 was published in 2008. Most recently, the Christian Science Hymnal: Hymns 430–603 came out in 2017.