Article March 16, 2009 Issue

Grace—a view from the top

WHEN OUR BACKS ARE TO THE WALL, AND THERE SEEMS NO HELP AT ALL, GRACE COMES THROUGH.

BY SHIRLEY PAULSON

How ironic that grace has been so ungraciously fought over for nearly 2,000 years! For Christians, the potential loss of grace has meant the difference between eternal torment in hell and everlasting peace. Yet, in some ways grace today almost seems boring, by comparison. It conjures up images of Victorian lifestyles, or God's intervention at a Judgment Day that few people fear anymore.

By contrast, Mary Baker Eddy's ideas about grace show that it is of utmost importance in these times, and without cause for theological angst.

Why is grace so crucial? Because somewhere along the way, each individual needs to come to terms with mortality and all its limitations. Whether one feels it in something he or she dreads, in some secret inadequacy, or in their bodies, people ultimately learn the limits of their personal capacity and realize that they need to turn to a higher source for strength. That higher source is God's grace, given to everyone freely.

About the author

Shirley Paulson is a Christian Science practitioner in Glenview, Illinois. She has a Master of Theological Studies degree in Christian history from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary.

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