Article November 12, 1927 Issue

"Student" condemns Christian Science as antichristian

Robert Ramsey, Committee on Publication for Lanarkshire, Scotland,—Glasgow

Scots Observer

"Student" condemns Christian Science as antichristian. It teaches, he states, that "there is no such thing as sin" but that "Mrs. Eddy says sin is a mortal belief." These statements, separated from all context, may convey quite a wrong impression. Christian Science teaches that although sin appears to the material senses as real (and to these senses it has to be overcome), it is no part of that of which John writes in Revelation, "There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth ... or maketh a lie." Sin is a mortal belief, a belief of the "carnal mind," which Paul calls "enmity against God." This does not mean that "there is no such thing as sin" in human experience.

"Student" writes that "it would take quite a big volume to show Mrs. Eddy's contradictions to God's Word." Five examples are then given, every one of which misconstrues the teaching of Christian Science. The first example, "God is a principle," is not to be found in any of Mrs. Eddy's writings. In them God is frequently referred to as divine Principle (sometimes as Principle, always written with a capital), and meaning the cause and sustaining power of the spiritual universe. The second objection is taken to the statement that "Love is God;" but "Love" thus used means divine Love, as John used the term when he wrote, "God is love." The third objection takes the form of a quotation from the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (pp. 29, 30), where Mrs. Eddy has written, "Jesus was the offspring of Mary's self-conscious communion with God." This refers to the human birth of Jesus following the angelic message recorded in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The fourth objection is based on a misquotation from the textbook. The quotation, correctly given, reads: "The material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon 'the accursed tree,' than when it was flowing in his veins as he went daily about his Father's business" (ibid., p. 25). All Christian Scientists recognize that, in its spiritual signification, "the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." The last objection is embodied in the statements that Christian Science teaches that "Jesus did not die" but "he was hidden in the sepulchre alive." Although these sentences are given in inverted commas, following extracts from the Christian Science textbook, they are creations of "Student" himself.

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