Article September 6, 1924 Issue

Christian Science should not be confused with theosophy,...

Theodore Burkhart, Committee on Publication for the State of Oregon,—Salem

Statesman

Christian Science should not be confused with theosophy, spiritualism, Dowie-ism, or any other such ism; nor would any one who really understands Christian Science ever include it with religions classed as false or as man-made doctrines. It is quite true that Christian Science has attracted thousands, yea, tens of thousands of people who are well known to be possessed of intelligence and common sense. They are people who for various reasons have never before found a religion or system of healing that satisfied them, and to whom Christian Science has appealed because of its irresistible and irrefutable logic and practicality. If Christian Science is to be considered a false religion, so also must Christianity be considered false; for Christian Science is none else than the Science of Christianity, that same Christianity which Jesus of Nazareth founded, taught, and practiced. True Science must necessarily be knowledge, systematized knowledge, of that which is demonstrably true. The so-called natural sciences do not measure up to this definition, but Christian Science does. Natural scientists in our day are freely acknowledging the uncertainty of their many theories about things material, and are even questioning among themselves the actual existence of matter, except perhaps as some form of electrical force. Jesus declared that God is Spirit, and taught that His kingdom is spiritual; also that things spiritual are the only things worth while. "The flesh," he said, "profiteth nothing." Mankind would indeed be without hope and "without God in the world" if Christianity were not truly scientific,—if it were not immutably true, provable, and practical.

A religion which heals the sick, comforts the sorrowing, reforms the sinner, and overcomes all kinds of mental and physical ills, and thus proves itself to be Christianly scientific, as Christian Science does, is surely not a "false" religion nor a man-made doctrine.

The sinner suffers the effects of sin because he has indulged in that which he continues to believe is so "dreadfully real." True, the sinner cannot be saved by merely declaring there is no sin,—something more than that is required; but Christian Science is nevertheless eminently successful in the work of saving sinners, by reason of its teachings regarding the unreality of all evil. We read in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy (p. 447), "To put down the claim of sin, you must detect it, remove the mask, point out the illusion, and thus get the victory over sin and so prove its unreality;" and again, on page 339: "A sinner can receive no encouragement from the fact that Science demonstrates the unreality of evil, for the sinner would make a reality of sin,—would make that real which is unreal, and thus heap up 'wrath against the day of wrath.' He is joining in a conspiracy against himself,—against his own awakening to the awful unreality by which he has been deceived. Only those, who repent of sin and forsake the unreal, can fully understand the unreality of evil."

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Christian Science should not be confused with theosophy,...

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access