How Christian Science Heals

When talking with someone who is new to the teachings of Christian Science and has no conception of just how healing happens, I often refer them to the last 100 pages of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures". There are so many testimonies to the effectiveness of this method of Christ-healing from people who, from just reading Mary Baker Eddy's book, experienced the removal of what was troubling them. One of the most helpful to me is found on page 603 where an individual from Portland, OR told how he found complete freedom from an accident.

Let me give a portion of it for anyone coming across this blog who is seeking a higher way to health than through medical means. This individual, who after the accident, took up "Science and Health" writes that "I became so absorbed in the book that I forgot all about my ankle; it went entirely out of my thought, for I had a glimpse of all God's creation as spiritual, and for the time being lost sight of my material selfhood. After two hours I laid the book down and walked into another room. When next I thought of my ankle, I found it was not hurting me. The swelling had gone down, the black and blue appearance had nearly vanished, and it was perfectly well. It was healed while I was 'absent from the body' and 'present with the Lord.' This experience was worth a great deal to me, for it showed me how the healing is done."

A precedent for doing what this person did--turn away from the body to God for healing--is found in the Bible, particularly in the life and works of Christ Jesus. He healed many who had physical troubles, showing that disease is a violation of an inherent right -- the right of the children of God to experience harmony in every aspect of life.

Underlying our Master's words and deeds was eternal divine law, which we can learn how to apply. Through prayer that springs from an understanding of God as the perfect Principle of the universe, and of our actual nature as His spiritual image, we can experience genuine health.

Despite the appearance that we're merely physical beings, the true self of everyone is incorporeal, diseaseless, never helpless. We actually live in Spirit and are eternally above and apart from physicality and suffering. Wholeness is the very essence of God's nature, and His children express that wholeness. We can turn away from preoccupation with the body--with how to repair it, add to it, or substract from it -- and realize that Spirit is our true source and substance. God is the sole maintainer of our well-being.

Sickness, or inharmony of any kind, isn't a part of our real identity. And awakening to this fact results in healing. The book mentioned above says, "The Christlike understanding of scientific being and divine healing includes a perfect Principle and idea, -- perfect God and perfect man as the basis of thought and demonstration." (page 259)

Jesus didn't examine the body either to determine the cause of illness or to cure it. He was deeply compassionate with the sufferers he encountered. Yet his teachings turn us away from over-concern about the body to greater trust in God's care. Turning to God was what Jesus invariably did and taught and advocated.

I learned several years ago how powerful Christ, Truth is. I was called to visit a Christian Scientist in a residential home who urgently needed help. When I went into the room, the scene was daunting. I read some comforting truths from "Science and Health" to calm the tumult. Then I turned and looked out the window. I prayed earnestly to witness right there God's absolute allness and the nothingness of matter, sickness, suffering. After a little while I had such a feeling of Love's presence that I turned around. The situation had changed markedly. The woman was sitting up in bed, and said she felt as though she could eat someting. That was the end of her difficulty, which earlier had seemed overwhelming to those concerned.

I've seen over and over again that freedom from suffering comes as the truth of God's allness and of our perfection as His children becomes more real to us. Being 'absent from the body and present with the Lord' does heal.

From Betty Gillingham, C.S.

I am grateful to God for so many things! I've been thinking lately about feeling comforted. Christian Science to me is such a comfort, especially in these times that trouble so many. It helps me to not feel fearful, with all the media reports about the economy, predicted diseases, threats to our country's safety, and so on.

Of course, our Lord and Master, told us what to expect. In Luke Jesus says plainly, in verse after verse in chapter 21 how challenging life is going to get. But I love this, in verse 28: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh."

Christian Science helps me do just this. I find in its teachings so many statements of truth that reiterate what Jesus said and taught. Which is the purpose of my religion being established by Mary Baker Eddy in the first place.

The way I became a Christian Scientist is this: I was a Christian, baptized in my religion, worked hard in my church. But I wasn't satisfied, had gotten to the point where I had to know something more about God. I didn't know what this was at the time, just was searching for more. My friend in college was a devoted student of Christian Science and she mentioned it to me one day. She herself had just turned to it a year before. While talking with her one day about deeper issues, she said: "You will probably find what you are looking for in Christian Science. I certainly have." Later I got Mrs. Eddy's book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. I ate it up. I was ready for it.

I will say to someone who begins reading this life-changing book, that there will or may be many things you don't understand, and perhaps in this day and time, words that you need a dictionary for. I sure did. And I had just gotten my master's degree and was about to start teaching school. I kept looking up words unfamiliar to me and did I get a further education -- humanly and spiritually.

This was many decades ago, and through all these years -- many of them as a public practitioner of Christian Science -- I've not only seen numerous proofs of God's healing power. I have myself been blessed with so many healings through the understanding of God and man that our great Teacher, Christ Jesus, had.

Thank You, Commenters

Just a note of appreciation to all you who are taking the time to leave a comment on my blog. As I have found, not only do the essays on Christian Science have an uplifting and often healing impact on readers, the comments you all leave can be such a help to readers all the world as well.

And to the comment left in an Asian language, thank you for putting English with it. Although we lived for a time in the Far East, and traveled extensively throughout Korea and Japan and to Hong Kong, China, and Taiwan, I cannot tell which is your language.

May God bless you -- as He continuously is doing.

Waking Up from the Waking Dream - S. Webb (Tennessee)

I can't be thankful enough for what I'm learning from Christian Science. Some months ago a friend gave me Mary Baker Eddy's wonderful book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" and what it is doing in my life! I've had many healings of different problems. But I want to share this with someone who may be struggling with a misconception I had for years. Christian Science is showing me what I really am.

As a member of another Christian denomination, I read and believed that I was God's child. But like far too many of the church members I know, there was a disconnect somewhere. I thought so much about my sin and God's wrath that I got up each morning already kind of down feeling.

It was as I was reading "Science and Health" one day that the cause of this dawned on me. I was too taken up with the flesh, with the unreality of my being, instead of really understanding that I am God's spiritual image and likeness. Matter was so real to me it was like I was shutting God out in a way. This is the way I would put it. I was giving Satan more power than God almighty! I was letting Satan steal the joy and freedom and health God wants His children to have, which Jesus came to make plain.

Too many of the Christians I know are clueless about what is missing in their everyday lives. They don't know how to wake up from the unreal and see the spiritual reality all about them. They don't think of themselves as God's spiritual, perfect creation.

I thank God for the teachings Mrs. Eddy gave the world. I feel I am waking up more every day to what is truly real about myself and other people.

Notes to my readers

After many months (don't know how far back) of not showing comments, have decided to show previous comments readers of this blog have posted. And accept new ones. I stopped receiving reactions from readers as some people wanted to argue unduly, in my opinion. And respecting Christian Science as I do, felt things were going off track unnecessarily. I wanted to enjoy the freedom of sharing my thoughts on metaphysical issues without having to be picking and choosing which comments to leave on.

I will welcome dissenting views, of course, but not accept crude comments or those from individuals who want to debate me out of my religion! Or remarks that are too personal where I'm concerned -- either for or against.

Now, we shall see how this works out for all.

And through the months of blogging, I've welcomed guest columns from fellow Christian Scientists, and if you should have something you wish posted here, feel free to send it along to me. As I do not wish to allow someone to enter this site themselves, put what you want to say in an email and I shall transfer it to my blog. Or send something through the mail if you'd rather do it that way.

Have a lovely day!

Guest Column - By John Wellsman

5+8x4/3+7-2x6+9x8/2+5-13+23-17/2+45x0=?

More than 40 years ago the students in Mrs. Abel's sixth-grade arithmetic class bent over their old wooden slant-topped desks concentrating on a problem similar to the one above. Similar, but actually much longer--it was probably two lines and included more complex numbers. Pencils scratched, erasers rubbed as the students diligently computed the result. Everyone except my best friend Steve, that is. Presently Mrs.Abel looked up from grading the papers on her desk and noticed Steve looking out the window and said, "Well, now Stephen, have you arrived at the answer or are you just daydreaming?" Most of the class, including myself, were astounded when Steve respectfully (remember, this was more than 40 years ago) answered, "Yes, Mrs. Abel, I've got the answer!" Mrs. Abel looked intently over her reading glasses and said in her imperious schoolmarm voice, "And what is the answer, Stephen?" "The answer is zero, Mrs. Abel" he replied. "That's excellent, Stephen, you are absolutely correct, but how did you arrive at the answer so quickly?" "It's simple," Steve answered, "The last operative is times zero and anything times zero is always zero." Perhaps as a precursor of my challenges in higher math later in school, I was a little slow picking up on this fundamental fact of mathematics. For the longest time I kept focusing on all those numbers in the problem and thinking, "Yes, but all those numbers..."

While this incident receded from my conscious thought it apparently remained with me to be remembered when many years later after becoming a serious student of Christian Science, I was faced with a seemingly serious health problem which didn't appear to yield. One day, when yearning to know what more I needed to understand, I was suddenly back in Mrs. Abel's arithmetic class hearing Steve say, "...anything times zero is always zero."

I realized two things, one, I still hadn't fully accepted the very simple mathematical principle of "anything times nothing is always nothing" and secondly, ,this was very profoundly applicable to the practice of Christian Science, thus I began a serious effort to get a real understanding of the mathematical principle and to apply it to the practice of Christian Science. Gradually it became clearer that one had to, as my friend Steve had grasped--incidentally, he went on to have a very successful career in compuer science--understand the "nothingness of nothing" and to remain focused on that nothingness rather than to be distracted by all those numbers and operations preceding it. That zero was nothing and its' nothingness negated all that preceded it.

And how does this apply to Christian Science? Very simply, we learn in Christian Science that matter and all that pertains to it is an error of thought--mortal thought. Our task, therefore is to remain focused on that single fact until we understand it thoroughly. Mary Baker Eddy, the Discoverer and Founder of Christian Science states very succinctly in her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, (p. 346) "The nothingness of nothing is plain; but we need to understand that error is nothing...in order to prove the somethingness -- yea, the allness -- of Truth." (emphasis added)

Thus, it doesn't matter how many or how real the symptoms of a disease appear, we need to focus our thought on that "times zero" operative until we understand it. Clearly. Not just intellectually. Not just unreasoning acceptance, but real comprehension. Then, when we understandingly apply that "times zero" operative to whatever matter and mortal mind are claiming, those claims will disappear because they are clearly understood as nothing.

"...matter is mortal error."

As Mary Baker Eddy states in her "Scientific Statement of Being" in the Christian Science Textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (p. 468). And error has no essence, presence, power or activity. It is simply nothing.

Using the "times zero" example, it is easy to see how Mrs. Eddy could state that, "There is no life, truth, intelligence nor substance in matter" in that same "Scientific Statement of Being." No scientific enquiry or research has ever once identified a single atom or element of "life" in matter. Thus no matter how many atoms or elements are combined in whatever combination can be humanly conceived, the result will not be alive. Forty-five duodecillion atoms are not and cannot be alive because not one of them has any "life" within itself. DNA research purports to outline how combinations of these inert atoms can determine aspects of life. But when one realizes that not one of those atoms has a single element of "life" within it, the fallacy of the DNA theory becomes readily apparent.

The same goes for intelligence. No scientific enquiry has ever identified an atom or element of "intelligence." Thus no matter how many atoms or elements are combined together, the result will still be non-intelligent. Samuel Greenwood, a prominent early worker in the Christian Science movement once wrote, "..it is impossible and inconceivable to impart consciousness and intelligence to nothingness." (1940 Association address: "Preexistence")

No matter how many apparent "somethings" there seem to be, when the "times zero" operative is applied to them they all amount to nothing. The clear understanding of this fact can result in physical healings. Take, for example, a Biblical example from Jesus' healing ministry--the case of the man at the pool of Bethesda. To mortal thought he had been crippled for "thirty and eight years.' However when Jesus understandingly applied the "times zero" operative to the mortal picture, all the arguments and mental pictures of a crippled man were instantaneously relegated to their native nothingness and the man was healed.

Safe - 24/7

For centuries, people in dangerous situations have turned to the Bible for reassuring promises of God's protecting care. One of the most comforting and best-loved is the first verse of Psalm 91: "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." I love that image of having a spiritually secure "secret place" right in God's shadow. And an understanding of man's spiritual selfhood, a recognition of our unity with God, man's loving Father, enables us to find that "secret place" and dwell in it.

Christ Jesus', conviction of being inseparable from his Father empowered him to demonstrate his dominion over evil. This is indicated by Jesus' words, recorded in John's Gospel: "He that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone." And as we follow his example to the best of our ability, we, too, can rely on God's powerful protection. Jesus showed beyond a doubt that the Father never leaves us alone or unprotected; He keeps us continuously secure in His omnipotent care.

And in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," Mary Baker Eddy assures us: "The history of Christianity furnishes sublime proofs of the supporting influence and protecting power bestowed on man by his heavenly, Father, omnipotent Mind, who gives man faith and understanding whereby to defend himself, not only from temptation, but from bodily suffering." (p. 387)

Included in this understanding is the reassuring fact that as offspring of the all-wise, all-directing, and all-seeing divine Mind, you and I continuously respond to God's unerring direction. We therefore have the wisdom and judgment necessary to stay out of harm's way. As we abide in God, divine Love, we have the constant support of our Father throughout our daily activities. Claiming this God-given dominion enables us to fulfill our responsibilities in confidence, freedom fearlessness.

One day when we lived in Seoul, South Korea, I was tacking up posters for a meeting. Oblivious to the crowd milling about, I was suddenly struck very hard on the back and shoved into the board. Turning around, I saw a young man with an angry look on his face. I didn't know this person, had no idea why he took his anger out on me. Instantly resisting fear, I firmly acknowledged divine Love's governing presence, knowing that God's law alone was controlling us both and holding us beyond the reach of ill will, misunderstanding, or harm. Immediately the hostile look left the young man's face, smiles were actually exchanged, and a dangerous incident was quickly resolved.

This practical understanding of man's unity with God is available to anyone. And prayer empowers each of us to conduct his or her life without inhibiting fear and uncertainty. Through prayer and Christlike living, we gain the wonderful assurance of being safe - 24/7.