Article May 4, 1899 Issue

Question and Answer

In what sense can the atonement be said to be "a hard problem in theology" from the Christian Science point of view? Does this mean the theology of Christian Science or that of old theology?—T. D. W.

We understand this quotation from our text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," page 328, relates to the old theology. The atonement has ever been one of the perplexing questions of the old theology, because in it are embraced many other difficult doctrinal questions. The old theological theory is, that atonement is the reconciliation of God to man, or the appeasing of God's wrath through the propitiation or mediatorial office and sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Those who so far believed on Jesus Christ as the Saviour of mankind as to bring themselves within the saving efficacy of his blood shed for them, had so far appeased God's wrath as to be forgiven of their sins and thereby saved. Those failing thereof were still under the ban of the divine wrath and were to remain unforgiven throughout all eternity, consigned to endless banishment from God's presence and saving power. This view of the atonement surely is a hard problem—hard in every conceivable view of it; hard because difficult of comprehension and more difficult of solution,—a mystery above and beyond mortal ken. And yet, according to the old theory, if unsolved, the penalty of eternal banishment from salvation follows.

But what of the Christian Science view of atonement? God is eternal, ever-present Love. His atonement is love. He has evolved from His eternal consciousness or selfhood, infinite ideas. The highest of these ideas constitute man. God being the Principle of man, the Principle and the idea are forever inseparable. There is, therefore, an eternal at-one-ment between God and man, or Principle and idea. This is the absolute fact of Being.

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