Article January 18, 1930 Issue

Under the heading "What is Christian Science?" your...

Bjarne V. Bockmann, Committee on Publication for Norway,

Stavangeren

Under the heading "What is Christian Science?" your paper for August 24 brings a lengthy article. The "orientation" given therein being, in most essentials, incorrect, some corrections are needful.

The view that Christian Science "denies all science and those truths of Christianity that distinguish it from other religions" and is, therefore, neither "Christian nor Science" is not shared by those who have studied its teachings and tried to live in accordance with it. Christian Science is based on Christianity as Christ Jesus taught it, and points to him as the great Exemplar in all things. Mrs. Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science, says in the textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 313): "Jesus of Nazareth was the most scientific man that ever trod the globe. He plunged beneath the material surface of things, and found the spiritual cause;" and (ibid., p. 273): "Jesus walked on the waves, fed the multitude, healed the sick, and raised the dead in direct opposition to material laws. His acts were the demonstration of Science, overcoming the false claims of material sense or law." Christian Scientists, through experience, are constantly finding that Jesus spoke for all time when he said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." They have seen that men now, to some extent, are also able to do his works, according to their understanding of the Science which explains these works as being according to law; as fulfilling, not setting aside, the eternal and unchangeable spiritual laws whereby God governs His creation.

Misapprehension of various passages in the Christian Science textbook, and quotations therefrom detached from their contexts and having an erroneous meaning assigned to them, have led to a highly misleading statement of the teaching of Christian Science on certain questions appearing in the last part of the article, called "Christianity." While asking space for the corrections to be found below, may I point out that they deal only with what had been put forward by the critic, and therefore do not necessarily indicate, much less cover, the essential teaching of Christian Science on the points in questions. The headings of the article are followed here.

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