Radical reliance and the church member

CAROLYN B. SWAN

The Church of Christ, Scientist, upholds the standard of original Christian healing, through the actual healing proofs of its members by spiritual means alone. Because of this, people sometimes wonder if a member of The Mother Church who may choose to resort to material means for healing is disciplined by Church action.

The answer is no. Total dependence on prayer and the power of God for healing is a voluntary commitment to the teachings of Christian Science. Christian healing is a sacred, individual privilege, and the steps leading to it do not come from any external monitoring or administrative procedures.

One reason members join the Church is that they have found Christian Science healing to be spiritually uplifting as well as dependable and physically effective. Another reason for joining the Church may be the desire to give and receive the loving support we all need to share as we strive to better demonstrate Christian Science. Such support for the individual member's spiritual growth and his efforts to demonstrate the healing power of Truth remains constantly available even if he has turned from it in some instance to material methods of treatment. In such a circumstance his church membership remains intact, and his spiritual progress toward closing the gap between his ideals and his present actions will be nurtured.

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