Article September 10, 1979 Issue

Accretion or unfoldment?

ANNE P. CORK

In studying Christian Science we often ask—and can be assured of finding answers to—questions about God and His creation. What is the truth of man and the universe? Indeed, what is the truth of God?

Truth is always true, and answers are already present. Where are they present? Right here. In Mind, the all-knowing, infinite God, in Truth itself. How, then, can we know the answers? Through their unfoldment in our consciousness. The book of Isaiah attributes these words to God: "It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear." ^{Isa. 65:24;} In Science and Health, beside the marginal heading "God's creation intact," we find Mrs. Eddy's words, "Christian Science presents unfoldment, not accretion; it manifests no material growth from molecule to mind, but an impartation of the divine Mind to man and the universe." ^{Science and Health, p. 68;}

Unfoldment implies completeness, manifesting itself from within, as a budding flower. How does the beauty become apparent? Surely by unfoldment. On the other hand, accretion works by addition from outside. It suggests that incompleteness exists and can be corrected by something added, or that if too much has been added, it can be taken away.

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