Article May 22, 1926 Issue

The religious teaching, Christian Science, is often described...

Paul Gassner, Committee on Publication for Germany,

Coburger Tageblatt

The religious teaching, Christian Science, is often described by those who have made no investigation of its authorized writings, solely as a mystical healing method, or as faith healing. Every one who, without prejudice, investigates the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mary Baker Eddy, recognizes that this textbook is based throughout on the Bible, corroborating and explaining its spiritual import. Nothing opposed to the teachings of Jesus, as handed down to us in the New Testament, is to be found therin. Christian Science, therefore, is not solely a healing method, it is also a Christian religion. Its aim is to lead mankind back to primitive Christianity as taught and proved through practice by Christ Jesus, which he bids us emulate. The healing of sickness is by no means its main object; but it is one of the requirements of Christianity demanded by Jesus, namely, to prove our faith by our works. The teachings of Christian Science culminate herein: that we emulate our Master, Christ Jesus, in everything, and by striving to have that Mind in us which was also in him. Just as Jesus said that he, personally, did not do the works, but that the Father, eternal Truth, operated through him, so do Christian Scientists know that they, personally, are not the healers.

The Christian Science point of view is that the teachings of Jesus, as given to us in the New Testament, are just as unrestrictedly valid to-day, and for all times, as at the time of primitive Christianity; and that these teachings have not been limited by human intelligence. Jesus' teachings met with opposition by his worldly contemporaries, and his teachings and works reaped scorn and sarcasm from his opponents. To-day the pure metaphysical teaching of Christian Science is not understood, and is opposed by mere materially-minded humanity. Jesus taught that man must be born anew and of the Spirit, for flesh and blood cannot enter the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of harmony—cannot commune with God. In the first two chapters of the first epistle to the Corinthians the Apostle Paul clearly describes the difference between worldly and spiritual wisdom. To the worldly-minded, divine wisdom appears to be supernatural, foolish. Christian Science accepts divine wisdom, as described by Paul, as Science, and is based completely on this divine wisdom. Christian Science, then, is not a mystical healing method, carried on by forms of prayer or suggestions of human will. The chief aim of Christian Science is to free mankind from sin.

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