The standard for the higher criticism is healing—healing in its broadest signification, by which the entire sequence of the beliefs of material sense are subjected to the criticism that uncovers and destroys them. In the accepted theological use of the term, the higher criticism is applied to that literary and historical study of the Bible which analyzes the origin, composition, and authority of the texts with a view to establishing such facts of authorship and historicity as may be deduced from the internal evidence. Christian Science, however, by increasing men's perception is changing current concepts, so that the universality of Truth and its application to every phase of existence may be acknowledged. It thus readily follows that the critical methods employed in the examination of the Bible are equally applicable to everyday experience. The power of thought is being more and more generally conceded, so that any critical method which enables one to recognize and reject the thoughts which outline sin sickness, and death, and to establish in his experience only those thoughts which accord with Principle, is in fact the higher criticism. On page 240 of "The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany," in answer to a question as to why she called Christian Science the higher criticism, Mrs. Eddy elucidates her meaning as follows: "I called Christian Science the higher criticism in my dedicatory Message to The Mother Church, June 10. 1906, when I said, 'This Science is a law of divine Mind. . . . an ever-present help. Its presence is felt for it acts and acts wisely, always unfolding the highway of hope, faith, understanding.' I now repeat another proof, namely, that Christian Science is the higher criticism because it criticizes evil, disease, and death—all that is unlike God, good—on a Scriptural basis, and approves or disapproves according to the word of God."
From the time of Origen, who laid the foundation for the critical examination of the Bible, to the present larger scope of the higher criticism, many centuries have elapsed, with much attendant research into the genesis of the Bible. Following Origen and his recension of the Old Testament. Jerome translated the Old and New Testaments from the original Hebrew and Greek into the Latin, and this translation, known as the Vulgate, though it aroused much opposition at first, later became the accepted version of the Roman Catholic church. It was not however, until the Protestant Reformation that conditions became favorable to the higher criticism. Up to that period, ignorance of the Hebrew tongue and the consequent dependence upon translations involving interpretations favorable to dogma and creed clouded the true meaning of the texts. As Mrs. Eddy says on page 24 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures": "Acquaintance with the original texts, and willingness to give up human beliefs (established by hierarchies, and instigated sometimes by the worst passions of men), open the way for Christian Science to be understood, and make the Bible the chart of life, where the buoys and healing currents of Truth are pointed out." Without Christian Science any analysis of the Bible, however scholarly, fails to develop in the student the spiritual insight that demonstrates the unreality of matter.
The Bible is in fact the interpretation throughout the ages of the activity of Mind. It consists of hymns, poems, folk-stories, allegories, historical records and narratives, all bringing out the truth of some phase of existence. This truth is equally applicable in solving the problems of the present. The universality of Truth makes it forever available. Mind and idea being all, the claim of a supposititious opposite to the one Mind is exactly the same to-day as in the past, for in reality spurious belief has no entity; it is a dream, and a dream can formulate no progressive state. What actually takes place is the recognition of its nothingness or rather the recognition of the allness of God and His idea. Thus the higher criticism does not through any metaphysical process change a mortal into an immortal, nor translate the so-called human being into the image of God; it destroys the belief that man is mortal. Although much time has been spent in delving into the style, dates, and authorship of the Bible, which is historically interesting, this restricted criticism has never developed the spiritual understanding which alone heals. To the man who bases his entire interest on textual criticism, the Scriptures though appealing to his intellectuality fail to afford the salvation which is therein present for the seeker of spiritual guidance.
