Article October 13, 1934 Issue

Omniscience

CHARLES C. BUTTERWORTH

Omniscience, omnipresence, and omnipotence are three words often employed by Mrs. Eddy in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," to convey to the reader a clear sense of the allness of God. These terms signify that God, the infinite Soul or Spirit, is the all-knowing, ever present, and almighty One. To contemplate the divine significance of these words is in itself a lesson in humility.

Of the three, it is not improbable that the one which may receive more attention from students of Christian Science is omniscience, the term applied to the perfect wisdom of God. The very thought of omniscience presents a direct challenge to so-called mortal mind, to the false belief that there is a mind existing and functioning apart from the one perfect Mind, the all-inclusive Soul, or God. For, no matter how boastful its pretensions, so-called mortal mind is compelled to admit that it is not omniscient. Indeed, human reason knows that a material and personal sense of mind, supposed to dwell in brain, could never by any possibility include the whole of even human knowledge. Obviously, human intellect is finite, and mortal mind admits this; but what it does not admit is that real intelligence is a quality of God, and therefore infinite.

According to Christian Science, intelligence is not material, is not produced by body, brain, or birth. It is part of man's divine endowment, which he possesses and manifests because he is made in the likeness of God, the divine Principle, or Mind. This infinite Mind is our Maker, our heavenly Father, and we are bound to Him by everlasting ties of divine law. By means of prayer and conscious communion with God we can become aware of our God-given ability to know the truth, and thus reflect His wisdom. Our Leader has written (Science and Health, p. 6), "God is not separate from the wisdom He bestows."

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