Editorial May 21, 1984 Issue

Is fear an actual cause?

BARBARA-JEAN STINSON

To develop an ability to heal through Christian Science, it's vital that important metaphysical points be clearly understood. One of these points pertains to the question "Does fear cause sickness and disease?"

Mary Baker Eddy very plainly says that it does. In Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures she writes, "The procuring cause and foundation of all sickness is fear, ignorance, or sin."^{Science and Health, p. 411.} If we left the subject with that single reference from all her writings, we might mistakenly assume a real and lasting mental cause for sickness, when in truth there is never an actual cause for disease.

When we pursue the subject further by studying all Mrs. Eddy writes on the subject, we find that fear is not a true cause of anything. Writing about the nature of cause, she says, "Immortal Mind is the only cause; therefore disease is neither a cause nor an effect."^{Ibid., p. 415.} Further on in Science and Health we read, "Neither disease itself, sin, nor fear has the power to cause disease or a relapse."^{Ibid., p. 419.}

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