Editorial March 19, 1932 Issue

Christian Reasoning

Clifford P. Smith

The extent to which reason entered at first into Christian teaching and practice is not clearly shown by the New Testament. It shows that the primary requisite was faith, but faith can have different meanings. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews—which is comparatively late among New Testament writings—must have felt the need that faith should be defined. So he formulated the following definition: "Now faith means we are confident of what we hope for, convinced of what we do not see" (Hebrews 11:1). This translation is Moffatt's, and other modern translations are nearly the same.

It is plain that this definition does not disconnect faith from reason. In particular, it does not exclude reason as an aid or a basis for hope and convincement. Reason lost its position later, mainly because the prevalent teaching became dogmatic and mystical. Since then different reformers at different times have tried to find a place for reason in Christian theology, but its status continued to be debatable or obscure until Mrs. Eddy found and proved its rightful nature and office in Christian Science.

Reason helped Mrs. Eddy to discover Christian Science, and it is essential now to the comprehension of this theology. Said she, "I won my way to absolute conclusions through divine revelation, reason, and demonstration" (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 109). This Science, however, distinguishes genuine reasoning from false. To be genuine or true, reasoning must be deduced consistently from God, divine Principle, as the only cause or creator. When this is done, reason and revelation agree, and either can be used to test the other.

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