Concord — Frequently Asked Questions

General

Why have you made this version of Concord?

We made this version for three reasons:

  1. Significant changes have occurred in technology that allow for improvements and updates to Concord that customers have been asking for and of which we would like Concord to take advantage.
  2. Our customers are using mobile devices now in more ways than they were in 2009 (when the first version of the current Concord was released). We wanted to enable Concord to accommodate those new ways of use and were unable to do that without a significant overhaul.
  3. The cost to maintain, support, and update the current version has grown significantly. We needed to make a change to get Concord on a firmer financial foundation.

What is Concord?

Concord is a study software tool you can access on the internet which allows you to research ideas and citations from the Bible, Mary Baker Eddy’s published writings and the Christian Science Hymnal. Concord also allows you to organize and save lists of citations for your own research and study, as well as being a valuable tool to assist Readers in Christian Science churches in preparing their Sunday and Wednesday services.

Is Concord a digital version of the Concordances?

No. We view these two resources as complementary to each other. The Concordances* are an incredible study resource. Created in Mary Baker Eddy’s day, they are filled with gems of insight.

Concord, by comparison, is a relatively recent study tool which uses technology to support a student’s study of the Bible, Science and Health, the other writings by Mary Baker Eddy, and the Hymnals. Its virtues are in speed, convenience, and the ability to use other tools not available in Mrs. Eddy’s day to analyze the texts. That does not mean that we view Concord as ‘better’ than the Concordances. They are just different, and we hope students of Christian Science use both.

The Concordances and Concord have different goals and so cover different aspects of the text and organize the text references in different ways. The Concordances cover nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs along with some, but not all, pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions contained in the writings of Mary Baker Eddy. This means it does not contain every word in Mrs. Eddy’s writings. The goal of the Concordances is to organize the references in a way that groups them by how they are similarly used.

It does this with subheadings, parts of speech notes, and cross-references to related terms. This makes it rich with insight. It also means there was some interpretation when it was created as to whether some of the references belong under certain subheadings.

Concord, on the other hand, includes additional texts (the Bible and the Hymnals) and makes all the words in those books available to the searcher. However, it does not attempt to organize references by how they are used. This means it is missing much of the rich insight available in the Concordances.

With these differences in mind, we see both the Concordances and Concord as valuable, and independent, tools in a student’s study of Christian Science.

* The Concordances include A Complete Concordance to Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures and A Complete Concordance to the Writings of Mary Baker Eddy other than Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. Customers may also be familiar with the single-bound set, A Complete Concordance to the Writings of Mary Baker Eddy.

Pricing & Discounts

How much does Concord cost?

Monthly PriceAnnual Price
Regular$7.50$80
Previous Concord Customer *$7.50$72
Currently Enrolled Student$5$60
Gift ** (click here for more information)$60

* Discount is available to Concord Desktop 2.1 and Windows 95 owners.
** Gifts may not be given to yourself.
All subscription prices are in US Dollars and local exchange rates will apply for international transactions.

Is there a free trial?

Yes. Customers will be able to try the product free of charge for 30 days. No payment method is required to use the free trial. At the end of the trial period, you will be prompted to subscribe, or you can continue to use many of the features for free when you log in to the program.

I have a previous version of Concord; can I get a discount for the current version?

Yes. As a previous Concord customer, you are eligible to choose the $72 annual subscription; this is a 20% discount from the full, month-to-month price. A previous Concord customer is anyone who owned Concord Desktop 2.1 or the Windows 95 version.

Can I upgrade for free as a current Concord customer?

No. We are transitioning Concord from a single, one-time purchase product to a subscription product. Your subscription helps us to build new features and cover the significant costs to keep Concord running. While Concord is not a free upgrade, we do provide a discount for those with any previous version of the product (see the pricing FAQs). We also provide tools for migrating your data from Concord Desktop to the current version (Migrate your data from Concord Desktop)

Is this a subscription product?

Yes. A subscription-based product allows us to better support, develop, and improve the product over time by continually investing revenue back into product development, adding features, fixing bugs, and covering our overhead. It also enables us to stay current with technological advances and opportunities, which will be more beneficial to you.

Does Concord have gift subscriptions?

Yes. Concord offers gift subscriptions. Using the built-in gift subscription tool, you may give gifts to multiple people, manage your gifts, and see when your gifts are up for renewal. Additionally, you will be notified when a gift is about to expire so that you may give a gift again. Gift subscriptions are offered at a discount.

To give a gift, once you are logged in to Concord, click on your email address in the top navigation bar, and the screen will display the status of your account as well as the option to “Give Concord as a Gift.” Click on that button and follow the prompts.

What forms of payment are accepted?

For subscriptions within the US, Concord accepts domestic credit and debit cards.

For subscriptions from outside the US, international Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover cards (credit and debit) are accepted. Please note, unfortunately, we cannot accept American Express for Canadian customers at this time.

Reading Rooms

What do I do with old Concord Desktop stock in my Reading Room (all previous Concord editions)?

You may continue to sell them if you wish. However, please make it clear to your customers that technical support for the Concord 2.1 Desktop product will be discontinued on October 31, 2019, one year after the release of this version of Concord. (Versions of Concord prior to 2.1 are not currently supported.)

May I receive a credit for old Reading Room Concord Desktop stock?

No, we are unable to provide credit for old Reading Room Concord Desktop stock. However, you are welcome to inform potential customers that support for the Concord 2.1 Desktop product will be discontinued on October 31, 2019 and price the stock at a discount.

Concord & Internet Access

Is Concord still offered as a desktop product?

Concord is no longer offered as a stand-alone desktop product. Concord requires an internet connection — meaning you will need an Internet (or cellular data) connection to use it.

It works seamlessly with desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones.

Am I able to use Concord when I am disconnected from the Internet?

No. With Internet (and cellular data) available in many locations, customers often have numerous ways to access Concord — via hotspots, smartphones, and even on trains and airplanes.

Why do I always need to have an Internet connection for Concord?

Our move to an online-only product enables us to focus our efforts on delivering the best Concord experience for as many users as possible. An online-only product provides distinct benefits. By being online-only, we can deliver the latest updates, improvements, and bug fixes to all users simultaneously, without you having to lift a finger. You no longer have to wonder if you need to install a complex upgrade — you will always be on the latest version.

You may have noticed there hasn’t been an upgrade to Concord 2.1 in several years. This was due, in part, to the expense involved in updating the program and distributing it to our users. Over time, our inability to update Concord meant that some users who had to update their operating systems, were no longer able to use Concord fully. We do not want to put customers in that situation again.

By delivering Concord entirely over the Internet, we reduce or eliminate many potential performance, data migration, and data loss issues. At the same time, (as with any change) new issues may arise which we expect to be able to address more easily for all customers through an online-only Concord.

Lastly, having Concord fully and easily available on any device makes this program accessible to members in developing countries whose only computer is often a smartphone. And with Internet access becoming more available globally, there are increasingly fewer places where one will be offline and unable to access Concord.

But I really like my desktop program.

We recognize many of our customers use, and enjoy, their locally-installed desktop programs. And we understand that some users will decide to continue to use these versions into the future. We truly appreciate this loyalty and enthusiasm for Concord.

At the same time, the reality of publishing software is that computer code needs to be updated regularly to address bugs and stay current with changes in devices, platforms, and most importantly, security practices.

The previous version of Concord came as both a locally-installed desktop product and an online version. Over time, it became increasingly costly to support both versions of the product. We, ultimately, had to choose between them — and selected the path which would allow us to serve the greatest number of Concord users over time.

Acting on customer feedback, the overwhelming request for more smartphone functionality was a major reason why we pursued an online-only Concord product.

Types of Accounts

Subscribed vs. Free Guest Account: What’s the difference?

Search Create lists Modify lists Print lists Save a list Play hymns Login required
Subscribed Account
Free Guest Account

(subscription invitation upon login)
⛔️ ⛔️
(deleted when logged out of the session)
⛔️

Cancelled vs. Deleted: What’s the difference?

Search Create lists Modify lists Print lists Save a list Play hymns Login required
Cancelled Subscription ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️
Deleted Account ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️ ⛔️
(No account exists.)

Subscribe

How do I subscribe to Concord?

To subscribe to Concord, you must first create an account. Go to concord.christianscience.com and click on the [ Login | Create Free Account ] button at the top. On the next screen, click the green [ Create a Free Account ] button.

Once you have an account, log in to Concord and click on your email address in the gray bar at the top of the page to subscribe.

How do I renew my subscription or update my credit card information?

Your subscription to Concord will renew automatically every month or every year, depending on which subscription plan you selected.

If you need to update your credit card information, log in to Concord and click on your email address in the gray bar at the top of the page to update your subscription information, including your billing address, your credit card, or your subscription plan (monthly vs. annual billing).

Can I give a gift subscription?

Yes. Please see the information about gift subscriptions.

Cancel my Subscription

What happens to my data if I unsubscribe from Concord?

If you cancel your Concord subscription, your account and data will still exist in Concord. All lists will be locked in an uneditable, read-only mode, which means you will be able to view, print, or export your lists, but will not be able to modify them. After one year, we reserve the right to delete your account and its data.

What happens if my credit card expires and my subscription does not renew?

If your subscription does not renew because your credit card has expired, you can log in to your account and renew your subscription by changing your credit card information under your account profile. If you opt not to renew, your account will remain in a read-only mode (see above question for details.)

Delete my account

Will you delete my account if I’m no longer subscribing?

If you are no longer subscribing to Concord, your account may be deleted one year after canceling your account.

Your account could also be deleted if it is found in violation of our terms of service. Please read our terms of service for more info about these circumstances.

How is deleting my account different from canceling my subscription?

If your account is cancelled, you can still access your lists as read-only. If you delete your account, all your data will be eliminated!

Please see chart under “Types of Accounts

How do I delete my account?

You may delete your account in your account profile, by clicking on your email address in the top bar. Before deleting your account, we recommend that you download your data using the tool in your account profile. Once you delete your account, all data will be permanently deleted and cannot be retrieved.

Technical support

How long will you support the current Concord Desktop product (Concord Desktop v2.1)?

We will continue to offer email and telephone support for this product through October 31, 2019, one year from the release date of this version of Concord.

How do I contact Concord technical support?

We offer several online support resources to help you with Concord:

Find all these resources by visiting the Concord Product Support page.

Features

Am I able to use Concord easily on my smartphone or tablet?

Yes. This version of Concord is built to offer an easy-to-use experience from smartphones, tablets, desktops, and laptops.

Can I do everything I could do in previous versions of Concord?

We have made a concerted effort to respond to user feedback and to streamline and simplify the Concord experience. We have kept the core functions of searching, reading, listening, annotating, printing, and building citations. At the same time, many of these functions have been re-envisioned or streamlined to address persistent issues experienced by customers in previous versions of Concord. Sign up for a free 30-day trial to experience Concord.

What features are included?

Please visit the product information page to to get an overview of the new and improved features you’ll experience in Concord. We rely heavily upon customer feedback from our users in the development of this version of the program.

Am I able to print?

Yes. Printing is available in citation-only, book-format, and free-flowing text when using a desktop or laptop computer. Printing is not (yet) available from tablets or smartphones.

How does the notebook functionality work?

Notebooks are now lists. Instead of providing customers with the full functionality of a word processor within the program, Concord now focuses on the capture and re-organization of citations as the primary functionality, while still supporting the use of bold, italics, hyperlinks, and the ability to insert live-link citations and images. Customers can add private comments to individual citations or to an entire list of citations. Learn more in the Concord Help Center

How do annotations work?

You may easily attach an annotation to any citation within your lists. This annotation could include text notes, links to other websites, images, or other citations. Additionally, you may apply bold, italics, or underline to your annotation text; notes could also include hyperlinks to JSH-online articles, definitions from your favorite online dictionary, and more. View a short how-to help video on annotations

How do I import / export citations?

Import
Concord has a robust citation import tool which makes it easy to import citations lists, readings, old Concord notebooks, and annotations. Click on the Import button within any list to get started. If you need further assistance, please view our video on importing.

Export
In Concord, you may export your list as a PDF, Word document, or plain text file.

2017 Christian Science Hymnal

Are the hymns from the 2017 Christian Science Hymnal available in Concord?

Yes. Both the hymn tunes and lyrics are available to search and listen, including on your smartphone.

You must be registered and logged in to access either the 1932 or 2017 Christian Science Hymnals.

Will the hymns from the 2017 Christian Science Hymnal be added to current or previous versions of Concord?

No, they will not be added to previous versions of Concord. The current product encodes the hymnal in ways which are incompatible with previous versions of Concord. Therefore, we could not easily, nor economically, add the 2017 hymnal to previous versions.

This free download of a word index for the 2017 Christian Science Hymnal is provided for customers with older versions of Concord.

Concord Guest Access

Will Concord Guest Access still be available?

Beginning February 8, 2024, Concord Guest Access will be accessible only after creating and logging into a free account (email and password). To learn more about these changes click here.

Concord Guest Access gives users free access to Concord, but with a few limitations. First, you will need to login to use Guest Access. Second, due to hymnal copyright issues, Concord Guest Access does not provide access to the text or tunes from the hymnals. Third, since guests have no subscription, their lists, recent searches, and bookmarks will not be saved in the account. Users will have the best experience if you subscribe, but are not required to do so.

View Guest Access Frequently Asked Questions

Read about the changes to Concord Guest Access: view FAQs.

Concord Privacy

About Concord’s Privacy Policy

Concord is used for many different purposes. Some use Concord to quickly look up passages to share with friends, family, or other individuals. Some use Concord for enhancing their study of the weekly Bible Lesson. Others use Concord to support deep study of the core texts of Christian Science. Many also use Concord to support others. Some use Concord in very personal times of need.

Our goal as we launched this version of Concord was to write a Privacy Policy that respected each individual’s right to use Concord in the ways that met their needs, without concern about whether their use of Concord would be used for marketing or other internal church purposes. We want to establish a place of trust with our users, which requires us to be transparent about what we do with the data put into Concord. We also give users choices to tell us what to do with their data.

In Concord, when you first register you are asked two questions:

The first question is: “Would you like to help us improve Concord?” Saying yes allows us to collect statistical information, such as:

  • Features used in Concord
  • Frequency of features used in Concord
  • Amount of data being stored
  • And more…(see the Privacy Policy for more details)

We analyze the data collected in aggregate or summary form to improve performance or identify weaknesses in the service, not to identify unique users. All data and its analysis is treated as private and will be protected per the terms in our Privacy Policy. This data collection is optional for all of our users, and you can opt-in or -out at any time. We hope you’ll help us by allowing this unobtrusive data collection, and we also completely respect those who do not wish to participate.

The second question you will be asked is: “May we contact you via email to tell you about new products?” Saying yes will allow us to contact you about other TMC or CSPS products. Your selection helps us better communicate with you.