I take heart and counsel from the first tenet of Christian Science: “As adherents of Truth, we take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life” (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p. 497).

The Bible is a library of inspiration compiled over thousands of years and reflecting the growth in people’s understanding of God. What brings vibrant, contemporary relevance to Bible stories is that they are shared experiences of mankind over millennia. They may have elements of both allegory and history, but the ultimate test of any history or fiction’s endurance is its application and relevance to today. Christian Science teaches and demonstrates that biblical truths heal now and will continue to heal in times to come.

Christ Jesus’ healings, as recorded in the four Gospels, were not just a testament to his own spirituality but demonstrations that continue to teach us about our spirituality. Of his many works, I have particularly appreciated the healing of the man at the pool of Bethesda (see John 5:2–9). This man had been unable to walk for 38 years, but Jesus healed him immediately. The account shows that even a time-bound experience of immobility can be reversed by the timeless, ever-active power of God, omnipresent Spirit, demonstrated through the immediate healing action of Christ, Truth.