Christian Science, Part 1

So, about a month ago I got my hands on the book "The Kingdom of the Cults" by Walter Martin, 2003 edition. I'll skip the introduction to this book; you can click the cover to the right and explore on your own. Suffice it to say, I think it may be the best reference book I've ever gotten. This may be the major reason why I haven't blogged in a few weeks.

I will also skip all introduction into Christian Science. Search the net for more info first before reading my blog if you are not familiar with them.

Well, a week ago I got to the chapter on Christian Science. Previous to reading this chapter I've only had a very vague idea of this religion, consisting mostly of hearing the name "Mary Baker Eddy" before and them being normally seen as a very twisted form of Christianity. Having read about Christian Science now, it's origins, its founder, its doctrines, and what it looks like today, I went online seeking a rebuttal, just to make sure Walter Martin is on the straight and narrow, and to give Christian Scientists a chance to have the last word. I was quite surprised when all of my searches yielded nothing. There were no Christian Science apologetics, defenses, debates, or anything defending Christian Science. There were plenty of sites attacking Christian Science, however. For comparison, the Jehovah's Witnesses have an extensive network of apologetics, and the Mormons greater still, to the point of having an "institute" geared to defense (FARMS). The Christian Scientists are strangely silent.

So, being denied a defense, I sought the next-best thing: clear teaching of their allegedly "Biblical" doctrine from their own mouths. I dug into their official website and was not disappointed. What follows is an analysis of one of their "Bible" studies, chosen at random. I wrote this mostly to document what I found for my own sake. I publish this here for you all merely as a secondary bonus, however I've completely restructured my notes for much easier reading.

This blog is part one of two parts, as the post is running quite long, and the second part, which deals more with an analysis of their use of scripture and an analysis of Eddy's writings used in the study, is a little more touchy and requires more thought and precision. What follows in this blog is a summary of the study.

The Christian Science religion has several websites (ChristianScience.com, spirituality.com, csmonitor.com, ChurchOfChristScientist.org, MyBibleLesson.com). The source of this blog comes from the last link. As of this blog writing, on the front page of MyBibleLesson.com is a link to a video of one such "Bible" study, the topic being "Thanksgiving." This link will break shortly, however. A little digging around and I think this link may last longer, though I'm not positive. What follows are the notes I took from this "Bible" study.

Background information: The video is set up like a infomercial: long, thinly-veiled scripted words, plastic smiles, order information, and warm studio lighting. The study mostly consisted of reading from the Bible and from "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (abbreviated hereafter as S&H) by Mary Baker Eddy. Between readings or in the middle of readings, they would lightly expound a word or idea or description (hence the "study" part). References to the Bible or S&H were nearly omitted, verbally, although quick glimpses of the study guide they were using do show chapter and inline verse designations for their readings. Myself, without the guide, was forced to heavily rely on BibleGateway's passage lookup feature. All scripture citations here are the result of my searches. All scripture quoted is in KJV, the translation the study used. Citations from S&H are without references, as I lacked the resources to hunt them down. When scripture verses are skipped, there is no pause or jolt when read. This is because the study guide they are reading scripture from presents a solid block of text, albeit with inline verse numbers still intact and ellipses (...) present when the entire verse is not present. All readings from the S&H were transcripted by myself and included in full. Personal commentary on the study will be minimal, mostly saved for afterwards, save for factual elaboration.

The first third of the study: As stated, the topic of study here is "Thanksgiving."

They read Psalms 26:6-7 and followed with discussion, consisting mostly of interesting historical nuggets and observations. I note the word "thanksgiving" appears in this verse.

They read 1 Chronicles 16:8-11, 24, 27, 29-32, 34, 36b. They skipped all over David's song of thanks. The skipped parts seem to focus on God's "onlyness" and God's salvation: "Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise." Indeed, this is a huge reason for thanksgiving to God! Indeed, this is a huge reason for thanksgiving to God! No discussion followed.

They read Colossians 4:2. I note the word "thanksgiving" appears in this verse. No discussion.

They read Nehemiah 8:1, 3, 6, 10, 12. They gave historical background of Ezra, mentioned in verse 1. They skipped v. 2, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, and 11. Verse 8, skipped, is somewhat significant: those that read spoke in such a way that the listeners were able to understand. Also, two verses about grieving were skipped. Historical nuggets were added.

They read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18a; 1 Thessalonians 3:12 with no discernible break between chapters. No discussion.

The second third of the study: This concluded the first set of Bible readings, where they moved into S&H for the first time:

God is love. More than this we cannot ask, higher we cannot look, farther we cannot go. Not materially but spiritually we know Him as divine Mind, as Life, Truth, and Love. We shall obey and adore in proportion as we apprehend the divine nature and love Him understandingly, warring no more over the corporeality, but rejoicing in the affluence of our God. With additional joys, benevolence should grow more diffusive [widespread, expansive]. The rich in spirit help the poor in one grand brotherhood, all having the same Principle, or Father; and blessed is that man who seeth his brother's need and supplieth it, seeking his own in another's good. Self-forgetfulness, purity, and affection are constant prayers. Practice not profession, understanding not belief, gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings. [E1]

Point of information: "Life, Truth, and Love constitute the triune Person called God" (S&H, 331). "The theory of three persons in one God (that is, a personal Trinity or Triunity) suggests polytheism, rather than the one ever-present I AM" (S&H, 256). "Jesus Christ is not God, as Jesus himself declared, but is the Son of God" (S&H, 361). No discussion of the above followed, but rather they went on to discribe Jonah's life.

They read Psalm 100:2a, 4. Skipping v.3 seems significant: "Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture." Also somewhat significant is the omission of the last verse of the psalm: "For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations." No discussion.

They began to read Jonah. By the end of the study they will read up to Jonah 3:3a. Here they read Jonah 1:1-3. No discussion.

Divine Mind rightly demands man's entire obedience, affection, and strength. No reservation is made for any lesser loyalty. The Divine Being must be reflected by man, else man is not the image and likeness of the patient, tender, and true, the One "altogether lovely;" but to understand God is the work of eternity, and demands absolute consecration of thought, energy, and desire. Are we really grateful for the good already received? Then we shall avail ourselves of the blessings we have, and thus be fitted to receive more. Gratitude is much more than a verbal expression of thanks. Action expresses more gratitude than speech. What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds. [E2]

"Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth." In moral chemicalization, when the symptoms of evil, illusion, are aggravated, we may think in our ignorance that the Lord hath wrought an evil; but we ought to know that God's law uncovers so-called sin and its effects, only that Truth may annihilate all sense of evil and all power to sin. Belief in material suffering causes mortals to retreat from their error, to flee from body to Spirit, and to appeal to divine sources outside of themselves. Divine Love corrects and governs man. Men may pardon, but this divine Principle alone reforms the sinner. God is not separate from the wisdom He bestows. The talents He gives we must improve. [E3]

They read Jonah 2:1, 2, 7-9a, 10. Extremely significant here is the omission of v.9b: "Salvation is of the LORD." Whereas perhaps the first chapter was sliced and diced for sake of brevity, cutting this verse so close to the words "salvation" to save a mere five words is an obvious red flag! After the Jonah reading, they discuss:

This is their last reading of Jonah with Jonah 3:1-3a. A closeup of the leader's dogeared KJV shows blue markings everywhere, suggestive of scholarly wisdom and years in the Word, but if you pause and inspect, every mark denotes what part is read by whom, what isn't read (blue X through a chunk of scripture) and nothing more. (I thought that was humorous.)

The highest prayer is not one of faith merely; it is demonstration. Innocence and Truth overcome guilt and error. Are we benefited by praying? Yes, the desire which goes forth hungering after righteousness [i.e., "alignment with God, expressed in right thinking and action"] is blessed of our Father, and it does not return unto us void. God is not moved by the breath of praise to do more than He has already done, nor can the infinite do less than bestow all good, since He is unchanging wisdom and Love. Prayer cannot change the Science of being, but it tends to bring us into harmony with it. Goodness attains the demonstration of Truth. [E4]

There was "discussion" in the middle of that quote but it added only the bracket I added. One of the kids points out the study guide goes into an aside about Jesus' healing of lepers. A shot of the page was shown but they did not dwell and I couldn't read the text. I have a strong hunch there are some weird things in there related to the S&H quote above (particularly about Truth overcoming error).

They read Luke 4:14a. A dozen pages were flipped in their book in one second and landed them seamlessly at Luke 17:12-19. Why was Luke 4:14a read so far out of context yet made to sound together when 17:11 gives the context perfectly? The only thing Luke 4:14a adds is "And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee...." Perhaps they wanted to emphasize that Jesus performed miracles "in the power of the Spirit." The group gave background on Samaritans but did not discuss the passage.

Of the ten lepers whom Jesus healed, but one returned to give God thanks -- that is, to acknowledge the divine Principle which had healed him. If pride, superstition, or any error prevents the honest recognition of benefits received, this will be a hindrance to the recovery of the sick and the success of the student. If we are Christians on all moral questions, but are in darkness as to the physical exemption [ i.e., "freedom or immunity from pain or disease"] which Christianity includes, then we must have more faith in God on this subject and be more alive to His promises. [A dozen pages were skipped.] Let us accept Science, relinquish all theories based on sense-testimony ["what the five senses report"], give up imperfect models and illusive ideals; and so let us have one God, one Mind, and that one perfect, producing His own models of excellence. Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine "powers that be." To those leaning on the sustaining infinite, to-day is big with blessings. [E5]

They discuss what healings they have had and are grateful for. The adult leader shares his from a few months earlier. He was struggling with a fever for two to three days days. He called someone to pray with him. A few hours later, his fever was completely gone. He's grateful for that healing. One of the kids talks about the S&H quote above:

They read Psalms 107:21-22. Throughout this psalm are reasons why we should give praise to the Lord, Him being the Redeemer, for one, but that verse wasn't read. No discussion.

They read Mark 16:15. In discussion it was connected briefly with Jonah and Ninevah. It is significant that v.16 was not read: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

To keep the commandments of our Master and follow his example, is our proper debt to him and the only worthy evidence of our gratitude for all that he has done. Outward worship is not of itself sufficient to express loyal and heartfelt gratitude, since he has said: "If ye love me, keep my commandments." The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer. Its motives are made manifest in the blessings they bring -- blessings which, even if not acknowledged in audible words, attest our worthiness to be partakers of Love. It is possible -- yeah, it is the duty and privilege of every child, man, and woman -- to follow in some degree the example of the Master by the demonstration of Truth and Life, of health and holiness. Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us. We have strengthened in proportion to our apprehension of the truth, and our strength is not lessened by giving utterance to truth. If our words fail to express our deeds, God will redeem that weakness, and out of the mouth of babes He will perfect praise. The night of materiality is far spent, and with the dawn Truth will waken men spiritually to hear and to speak the new tongue. [E6]

That pretty much concluded the study. They put a plug in for www.MyBibleLesson.com, which is where I got the video. Six chunks of S&H were read. I don't have the "chapter and verse" of them. I wish I did. In Part 2 I will reference them by the brackets I added to them: [E1], [E2], ... [E6]. And so that this blog shows up as a "Bible Blog" in MyChurch, here's a pertinent scripture: