The teaching of the Bible must be scientific rather than dogmatic, if, as it purports, it is a statement of the truth about God and His creation, since infinite Truth is absolute Science. Further, the teaching of the Bible must be scientific rather than dogmatic, if, as is now largely conceded, it points the way to universal salvation.
Moreover, the Science of the Bible must be the Science of Jesus the Christ, since his words and works are both the culmination and the epitome of Bible teaching, and it is the spirit of Truth that illumines both the Old and the New Testament. The term Christian Science, therefore, must be more than a happy phrase or formal title, for, accurately used, the name must designate the demonstrable knowledge of the Bible as exemplified by Christ Jesus. The Christian Science text-book, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures," summarizes this truth in the following words: "Christianity must be Science, and Science must be Christianity, else one or the other is false and useless; but neither is unimportant or untrue, and they are alike in demonstration. This proves the one to be identical with the other" (p.135).
Dogma is settled opinion, doctrine that is accepted through authority instead of reason or experience. Science is demonstrable knowledge, that which is based upon sound reasoning, upon consistent and convincing experience. In comparing the dogmatic and the scientific conceptions of Bible teaching as to Christianity, they are found to differ very widely. The Science of the Bible is universal in application, while dogmatic assertion as to Bible truth is so limited in scope that its adherents often describe it as personal. God, Spirit, is the Principle of the Science of the Bible, therefore it accepts as real only that which is spiritual and good; the opposite, namely, materiality, evil, it rejects as unreal. The perfect exemplar of Science is the Christ, the universal Saviour and type of spiritual man. The application of the teaching of Christian Science, that man is spiritual, godlike, points to universal salvation. Dogma represents God as personal, good and evil as pertaining to that which He has created, and Christ as a personal Saviour, affording a limited salvation. We thus see that the dogmatic conception is finite, or limited, while the scientific is infinite, unlimited.
