One of the greatest joys of my professional life is to teach Christian Science to others seeking a deeper understanding of its teachings. I am authorized and credentialed by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, to teach one two-week class a year to those aspiring to be Christian Science healers.
Interestingly, when Mary Baker Eddy, the Founder of the Church, authorized students to become teachers, she put a by-law in the governing document of the Church, called the Church Manual, specifically forbidding teachers to solicit students for classes.
The by-law states in part,
Class Teaching. SECT. 5. Members of The Mother Church who are authorized by its By-Laws to teach Christian Science, shall not solicit, or cause or permit others to solicit, pupils for their classes….
I’ve always obeyed this rule, but over the years have occasionally wondered exactly what moral error Eddy was striving to prevent.
After an encounter with a young man a few weeks ago, and listening to his story, I can see better than ever why Eddy created this mandate.
The young man was asking me about taking class, what was required, how he knew whether he was ready, how I conducted classes, and so on. Part way through our discussion, he relayed how he had talked with another teacher two years earlier, and the teacher had put substantial pressure on him to take class with him at that time. The young man did not feel ready, and declined, but still agonized over whether he made a mistake, because he had great respect for the teacher.
I assured him that the choice was between him and God, and no personal influence from any direction should sway his decision.
From the story I heard, it appeared that a teacher somewhere had solicited this student. And suddenly, clearer than ever before, I saw the evil in recruiting students. And it’s this…
If a Christian Science teacher, in any way, tries to sway the decision-making of a potential student through personal influence, he or she is relying upon his or her personality to affect another, and is not trusting the direction of the one Mind to guide the individual.
The act of recruiting for class may appear innocent, because many teachers of other professions do it actively and aggressively, but in Christian Science, it is an evil. Why? Because a Christian Science teacher is to take a student’s thought to God, not to himself. And if a teacher relies upon his personality to persuade a potential student to attend class, he’ll do the same during class when talking about God. In teaching, he will rely upon his personal presence to convince the thought of the student, rather than relying upon the influence of the one Mind, divine Love. The effect could be more of a teacher-worship, than a deeper worship of God, and this is a grave crime against the moral and spiritual rights of the learner.
“Thou shalt have no other gods before me,” the Bible commands.
The one Mind, God, is the most reliable influence over another’s thought there is. Understanding this truth, and living it, is Christian Science.
Oh Evan I love that explanation ! I ‘chose’ my teacher many years before I went through class when he came to our branch church to give a talk in his capacity as Committee on Publication ( it was my first encounter with him) and I was attracted by the love which shone through him – it was the same sense of love and compassion expressed by my mother’s cousin who introduced us to Christian Science and I’ve come to recognize it as the Christ which shines through all of us when we get personality/ personal sense out the way –
My selection for class teacher was the result of an article in the Journal, followed up by other articles the teacher had written.
There was a careful interview and I felt the power of God’s Love come through.
When I returned to Church following the class instruction, many members comented on the wonderful glowing appearance I had and I immediately became involved in church committees.
Why can class be taken only once? I’m sure I read where several of Mrs. Eddy’s students took class several times.
Per taking class once, I think it underscores the privilege to get it right the first time. It’s like going to college. Generally, you do it once, and go build on what you learned. Class is about becoming a Christian Science healer. You build on what you learned. You keep growing out from it, and that’s why there are Association meetings each year, to keep the growing going. That’s my present sense anyway…
Thank you so much for sharing these very helpful and enlightening ideas!
This is an extremely helpful explanation.
Thanks, Evan.
However….
On occasion I feel like there would be a lot of advantage to a “do-over”. If I’d known then what I know now I would have listened in a completely different way. Some classes in college, like an instrument, you take every semester to gain mastery. I know, I know, that’s what daily study, practice and association is for.
This is not a complaint…I’m only sorry about what I ignorantly missed from class. But thanks be to God for mentoring and practitioners and bloggers.
To Anonymous above,
There’s always the opportunity to go back over your notes from class to be refreshed and inspired.
To above,
This is true — if your teacher allowed note-taking.
I still think I would ask different questions and pick up on different ideas a second time around and it would be very useful.
I am not lacking. My questions are answered in other ways and completely and thoroughly but I can still see a value to having class a second time.
Thanks for your thoughts!
About soliciting, reminds me of what I read somewhere relative to a political leader.
“If I take you by the hand and lead you into the Promised Land, tomorrow someone else will take the same hand and lead you out of it.”
Or something like that.