With the rapid spread of Christian Science among the Jewish people, it is not surprising that frequent questions are asked of those interested, regarding the Christian Science standpoint as to the divinity of Jesus or the divinity of Christ. Other questions of similar purport are frequently asked, and it is better not to argue, or try to explain, as such explanation must necessarily be theoretical, and Christian Science does not deal with theories so much as with vital facts. Christian Scientists frequently answer such inquiries from their own theological view-point in various ways. It would appear, however, that the best way is to advise questioners to study carefully the Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" by Mrs. Eddy, where they will find intelligent answers to all their questions.
Jewish people, before becoming interested in Christian Science, have an intense prejudice against the word Christian, owing to the many generations of persecution conducted in the name of so-called Christian sects. When they first become interested in Christian Science, and begin to read its text-book, they do so, as a rule, under the influence of this prejudice; hence they are unable at first to gain a correct understanding or knowledge of its teaching, and it frequently takes some time before their prejudice is overcome and the simple truth dawns upon them.
Recently a Jewish rabbi, evidently aroused by the fact that a large number of his congregation had become interested in Christian Science, wrote an editorial on the subject in a secular journal controlled by him. The purport of his article was that Jews should have nothing to do with Christian Science, because its foundation was (as he stated) the divinity of Jesus. When it is known that the aforesaid rabbi wrote his article after he had read Science and Health, it must be concluded that his intense prejudice had blinded him to the actual facts, and that he preferred to construe the language to suit his own views. Any intelligent person, free from prejudice, would have noted, on reading the book, that Mrs. Eddy makes it perfectly clear that the fundamental teaching of Christian Science is the allness of God, while she particularly explains the difference between the personality of the man Jesus and the impersonality of the divine Christ,—that the physical Jesus was human, but that Christ is divine.
