Editorial February 13, 1984 Issue

A practitioner's duty: personal advice or prayer?

WILLIAM E. MOODY

Individuals are constantly confronted with decisions—some big, some small. And when there are important issues involved, it's understandable that people may often want advice from others on how to proceed.

Sometimes people have the mistaken notion that a Christian Science practitioner's function is essentially that of a counselor or adviser. Consequently a practitioner might find that he occasionally receives calls from individuals who perhaps are seeking personal guidance on whether it's the right time to get married, on specific steps to take in a business transaction, on the appropriateness of selling a certain stock, or even on whether to visit a relative next weekend!

It's important, however, to understand that giving human advice on such personal matters is not the proper duty of a Christian Science practitioner. The practitioner's fundamental responsibility is to pray. He has dedicated his life in the service of God to help mankind, through spiritual means alone, gain healing and regeneration. He is not a psychologist, a marriage counselor, a business consultant, a financial planner, or a travel agent. The practitioner listed in The Christian Science Journal or The Herald of Christian Science is available to give Christian Science treatment—scientific prayer—for those who request help in times of sickness, suffering, or crisis.