Article August 15, 1908 Issue

Christian Science distinguishes between the divinity...

Frank W. Gale—San Francisco, Cal.

Emanu-El

Christian Science distinguishes between the divinity (not Deity) and the humanity of Christ Jesus, and teaches that he understood and demonstrated the will of God, the truth of being, and proved the dominion of divine Life, Truth, and Love over all the claims of evil, sin, sickness, and death, thus showing the way of salvation for all mankind. Jesus not only said to his disciples, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free," but he said, "The works that I do shall he do also," showing that the spiritual understanding of the truth which he taught would enable all who understood to do the same healing works which he did, and thus work out their salvation, knowing that "it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Christian Science, therefore, does not teach "that the healing system of Christian Science is a gift deriving its value from a faith manifested in Jesus healing miraculously," but declares that the healing power which Jesus exercised was the result of his spiritual understanding of God and His law, and that every one to-day who gains this same spiritual understanding will do the same healing work to the extent that he understands. With this understanding, which is demonstrable at the present time, Christian Scientists are satisfied that Christ Jesus healed the sick and the sinful and raised the dead as recorded in the New Testament; but it does not follow that they subscribe "to all the mysteries upon which the [Christian] Church has raised its remarkable foundations." As said before, Christian Science either explains or rejects many of these so-called "mysteries" taught by the churches.

In answer to the question, "Can Jews be Christian Scientists?" I would say: The spiritual understanding of God and His relation to man which Christian Science reveals, is for all mankind, Jew, Christian, and Gentile; but in order to gain this understanding it is necessary for all classes to give up many erroneous views which they had previously entertained. To the extent that this is done and the teachings of Christian Science accepted, both Jews and so-called orthodox Christians may be said to have relinquished some of their former religious views, but in doing so they have gained a clearer understanding of the spiritual essence of their religion and are better able to prove it in their daily lives. Christian Science is giving to the world to-day an understanding of God and His spiritual law that is producing practical results in uplifting the lives of the people, and they are accepting it because they have not been able to find it in the synagogues or churches. Christian Scientists claim no monopoly of the truth, but hold that a right understanding of the truth should and does bear fruit in health and righteous living.

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