On occasion, I’ve heard people say, “Christian Science is hard to understand.” In the past, this statement would befuddle me because I find Christian Science easy to understand. But, nonetheless, I could not deny my neighbor’s experience, for they were conveying their honest impression.
In trying to figure out how two people could have a direct opposite experience in their attempt to understand Christian Science, I finally realized that the difference is explained by how one approaches their study of it.
If one tries to reason Christian Science through material sense, they will have a difficult time grasping its teachings for Christian Science is all about the realities of Spirit. The realities of Spirit are understood through spiritual sense, not through material sense.
When one reads the teachings of Christian Science with spiritual sense, its ideas make perfect sense. They are logical, intelligent, clear, and healing, all part of one grand whole in God.
However, if one tries to understand Christian Science through the lens of material sense, its teachings are likely to feel obscure, for Christian Science teaches the opposite of what material sense would argue as reality.
Material sense argues that matter and evil are real and powerful. Christian Science teaches that God and good are all powerful, and able to dissolve the claims of matter and evil. They are two opposite points of view. One would deny the other.
So, if you’re ever tempted to think, “Christian Science is hard to understand,” but would like to understand it, examine how you are approaching its study. Are you relying upon material sense or spiritual sense to reach your conclusions?
Material sense tries to figure out reality through material observation and conclusions. It will never unlock the treasures of Truth found in Christian Science.
Spiritual sense starts with God’s spiritual creation, reasons out from Spirit, and discovers spiritual man made in the image of God. This point of view opens the floodgates of heaven and leads to spiritual healing on earth.
Reason with spiritual sense, and Christian Science will make perfect sense.
Thank you, Evan. This very well laid-out explanation will be helpful for me to bridge over to non or even new to Christian Science.
This point of spiritual understanding versus material belief can be a conundrum at times, but as you say Evan it is a present possibility when we keep our thought on the prize of knowing God and Man spiritually. Thank you!
Thank you Evan for this. Despite being in Science from a very young age I have often struggled with understanding it. As you bring out so clearly today, I am often probably approaching it from the material instead of the spiritual sense. I am grateful for your helpful message.
Thanks Evan, I loved reading that God is “all powerful and able to dissolve the claims of matter and evil.” I kept thinking about the word dissolve, I thought of something being washed away. I read on vocabulary.com, “Dissolve goes back to the Latin root dissolvere, meaning “to loosen,” A greater understanding of God, explained in CS, loosens the grip material beliefs and claims seem to have on our thoughts and experience.
Mrs. Eddy said in S&H (p. 242) “….let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant [hardness] of error, — self-will, self-justification, and self-love….” Good advice indeed.
Thank you, Evan. Rose, I appreciate your explanation about “dissolve” and loosening the grip of material beliefs.
Thank you Evan. In Science and Health on page 323:13-14 we read, “In order to apprehend more, we must put into practice what we already know.” This is another way by which we can gain the needed understanding, to progress in this study.
Really excellent point, thank you Grace, you’re right on!
Excellent point, thank you Grace, you’re right on!
Thank-you, Evan! This was just the inspiration I needed to start the week off “right.” The simplicity of the Christ came through loud and clear in your message. I had been trying for too long to work from two standpoints –the material and the spiritual — to try to understand and get along with an individual I work closely with on a daily basis whose thoughts seem very steeped in the carnal. It had made me unhappy and confused. Moving forward, embracing the spiritual in consciousness as what “reality” is, and not veering from that standpoint, I look forward to results that are progressive, solid, and mutually beneficial. I cannot be afraid of what the outcome will be, as my thoughts are, and will be, aligned with the spiritual thinking we are taught in Christian Science.
Perfectly expressed for me to comprehend. Thank you, Evan.
Thank you, Evan, for this clear distinction about how we approach our study. From your ideas, I recognize how I need to better watch my thought as I ponder what I read. Also, Rose , I appreciate your sharing – the definition of dissolve being “to loosen”. This gives a new understanding to the quote you shared. This blog is such a blessing .
Thank you Evan for this helpful, awakening explanation. It reminds me of a few passages from Science and Health: “For right reasoning there should be but one fact before the thought, namely, spiritual existence.” and , ” You render the divine law of healing obscure and void, when you weigh the human in the scale with the divine, or limit in any direction of thought the omnipresence and omnipotence of God.”
I’m always so grateful to have these wonderful explanations, comments, accounts of healing and revealing experiences for inspiration from you and all readers.
Oh, that quote dovetails nicely with Evan’s and Rose’s comments. Thank you.
Wonderful, thank you!
Christian Science explains staying in the Absolute. Suggesting begining a “treatment” in the Absolute where we are.
Thank you Evan for this succinct explanation on how to answer someone’s question about Christian Science. I will keep it in my library for future use. But let no-one be startled…..explaining to a CS sceptic not to look at reality from a material standpoint is like telling them to run into a brick wall. A person has to be able to receive this with an open mind and be able to evaluate the reasoning from a biblical standpoint, i.e. Truth.
Gaining the spiritual sense of words
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/1v6x2vn7hr2?s=e
All such wonderful comments following the most beautiful and clear explanation of the spiritual approach of Christian Science. Thank you so very much, Evan.
Thank you Evan, and everyone – a very important thing to understand and
live by – constantly “changing things into thoughts, and exchanging the
objects of sense for the ideas of Soul”.
I was looking at the illustration, and it looks to the material senses as
if the wall consists of pointed curved domes coming to a point at the top.
When the shadows are removed, I think we should see a flat and normal kind
of wall. So it is that when we remove the shadows of false beliefs from the
material view of things, we will find the perfect image as the only reality – the ideas
of Soul.
Thank you Evan, and thank you all for the wonderful comments and article!
The brick wall with the three lights reminded me of a lecture by Dorothy Holder Jones, who came into Christian Science at a time in her life that she felt was influenced by three factors:
1) Mental readiness for the awakening;
2) The influence of the Christ;
3) An acceptance of the revelation of Truth contained in the Christian Science textbook Science & Health by Mary Baker Eddy.
It’s lengthy, but a good read:
https://firstlessonsinchristianscience.files.wordpress.com/2020/12/gods-man-or-adams-man.pdf
Thank you J for this link. I had read it some time ago but had mislaid my notes from it. It is now saved for much future reading!
Thank you also to everyone for their comments….always refreshing and thought provoking.
Special thanks to you also Evan for sharing with us such clarity and guidance for this subject.❣️
You’re welcome BarbaraUK. 🙂
Thank you for all the helpful comments, particularly the one from Rose regarding the definition of the word “dissolve.” The following came to mind from verse four of Mary Baker Eddy’s poem “Satisfied.”
“Love looseth thee, and lifteth me,
Ayont hates thrall:
There Life is light, and wisdom might,
And God is All.
very nice tying in. Thank you.
Thank you very much, Evan, too!
English is my native language and the only language I speak. Yet I need a dictionary handy when reading any of Mrs. Eddy’s writings.
Lori I have to agree with you, I also keep a dictionary nearby, it’s like getting a vocabulary lesson. Mrs. Eddy’s command of the language keeps us on our toes.
I love how clearly you articulated this. thank you Evan!!!
It was a watershed moment for me to realize that I (we) are not material beings trying to become spiritual. Rather we are now, and always have been, and always will be spiritual ONLY, and are merely dealing with suggestions that we aren’t! 🙂
Thus looking out from spirit, rather than looking up from materiality, so-called.