Article August 5, 1922 Issue

Christian Science is based solely on the Bible

Robert G. Steel, Committee on Publication for the State of Michigan,

Leslie Local-Republican

Christian Science is based solely on the Bible. It believes in and teaches the divinity of Christ. No doubt the popular theological misconception of the name Jesus and the title Christ as synonymous and interchangeable is largely responsible for many misstatements relative to the Christian Science teaching on the subject. It also accounts for much of the ambiguity to be noted in the so-called orthodox interpretation of the Bible. Christian Science makes precisely the same distinction as did Christ Jesus himself between Jesus, the human man, and Christ, the divine idea. In that declaration to the Jews, "Before Abraham was, I am," it is apparent that the Master could not have referred to the human, material Jesus, but to his divine selfhood, the idea of God, coexistent and coeternal with God. To calm his frightened disciples, in the midst of whose deliberations he appeared after the crucifixion and resurrection, he called attention to his hands and feet as convincing proof that it was none other than Jesus the Christ who stood before them. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, writes on page 26 of the Christian Science textbook. "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," as follows: "The Christ was the Spirit which Jesus implied in his own statements: 'I am the way, the truth, and the life;' 'I and my Father are one.' This Christ, or divinity of the man Jesus, was his divine nature, the godliness which animated him."

The statement of our revivalistic critic as to what Mrs. Eddy says about the material blood of Jesus is wholly untrue. On this point, as on all others, Christian Science will be found in strict accord with the Master. In the sixth chapter of John's gospel are recorded those wonderful words of Jesus, uttered in the synagogue at Capernaum, in which he pointed out the nothingness of matter as represented by flesh and blood, even his own material flesh and blood, and indicated plainly the somethingness, even the allness, of Spirit. He summed up this teaching as follows: "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life." Clinging to materialism, failing to grasp the full spiritual significance of Jesus' utterances, many turned from him and "walked no more with him." And to-day we find many still clinging to the doctrines of materialism prone to criticize the Christian Scientists because they have accepted and are teaching Jesus' precepts in their full spiritual significance. On page 25 of Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy writes as follows on the subject of true flesh and blood: "The spiritual essence of blood is sacrifice. The efficacy of Jesus' spiritual offering is infinitely greater than can be expressed by our sense of human blood." In the same paragraph she writes, "His true flesh and blood were his Life; and they truly eat his flesh and drink his blood, who partake of that divine Life."

Enjoy 1 free Sentinel article or audio program each month, including content from 1898 to today.

Send a comment to the editors
NEXT IN THIS ISSUE
Editorial
Faith in God
August 5, 1922
Contents

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit