Editorial December 20, 1913 Issue

Atonement

John B. Willis

The greatest possible contribution to the settlement of theological problems is found in the teaching of Christian Science that the rational and demonstrably true interpretation of the Scripture must in every instance begin with God, and that it must consent to no concepts which are out of harmony with His ideal and infinite nature. This at once settles the question of the spiritual nature of God's universe and of man. It also settles the question of the nature of evil and supplies an intelligible basis for the doctrine of atonement, the philosophy of salvation.

To have part in the atonement, writes Mrs. Eddy, is to "rise into newness of life with regeneration" (Science and Health, p. 24). The definition of the meaning of the word is thus taken out of the field of dogmatic contention, and made a matter of practical demonstration. The thought of divine appeasement, or of meeting the demands of violated divine law, as modern scholastics would put it, thus gives place to the thought of human redemption, and passive dependence upon what Christ has done for us yields to the impelling realization that we must become Christlike, and do the Master's works.

The fundamental thought of most theological views of the atonement is that it is a change effected by the sacrifice of Christ Jesus, in the attitude of God toward men by which their salvation or unity with Him is made possible. Christian Science, on the other hand, teaches that the atonement is the "exemplification of man's unity with God" (Science and Health, p. 18); that it is not a means to an end but the end itself, and that the efficiency of Jesus' sacrifice inheres in his practical demonstration, for all men and for all time, of the power of Truth and Love, embraced in human consciousness, to overcome sin, sickness, and death. Mrs. Eddy daringly presents this point of view when she goes on to say that Christ Jesus "did life's work aright" to show men "how to do theirs, but not to do it for them nor to relieve them of a single responsibility."

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