Article October 2, 1920 Issue

A group of people, if asked to formulate a definition...

The Christian Science Monitor

["Religion versus Ceremonialism"—The Christian Science Monitor, Boston, U.S.A., August 16, 1920]

A group of people, if asked to formulate a definition of religion, would probably offer many and diversified replies, conforming to the practical or theoretical aspect of religion involved in their experience. Christian Science, explaining religion on the basis of absolute metaphysics, wholly eliminates the ceremonial and superstitious beliefs usually included in such a definition; for notwithstanding the scholar's claim for the inseparability of religion and magic, Christian Science establishes an interpretation of religion with which superstition and ceremonialism could have no possible relation. All superstition is ignorance, and ignorance could never form an intelligent concept of religion.

Cicero's definition from relegere, to revere the gods, reflects the general viewpoint of antiquity when it was thought necessary to propitiate the so-called gods in order to secure their favor. Although Cicero's etymology is conceded by most scholars to be correct, the theology of the Middle Ages and modern times has found expression in the Augustinian development of the definition offered by Lactantius from religare, to bind together. Early beliefs were concerned only with the practical aspect of religion, while the later concept comprises eschatology as well.

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