Answering the question, "What is God?" our beloved Leader, Mary Baker Eddy, has given this concise and comprehensible definition in the Christian Science textbook, "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 465): "God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love." The seven synonyms in this statement constitute a remarkably whole definition; and it is noteworthy that the numeral seven indicates spiritual completeness. The English language contains but few words which could thus constitute a sufficiently comprehensive and adequate definition of Deity, indicating the supreme wholeness, the complete and absolute perfection of the one infinite God.
Some of the terms relating to God in the Bible and in the writings of Mrs. Eddy show forth God's qualities, whereas each of the seven synonyms is in itself a name for God. Being intelligibly named in Christian Science, God can be demonstrably understood, for proof of the omnipotence and omnipresence of infinite Being is found in the Christian healing of sin, sickness, disease, and all inharmony. That the understanding underlying this proof far transcends blind faith and conjecture based on human hypotheses, ecstasy, emotion, sentiment, or belief is beyond cavil, for Christianly scientific demonstration rests on the operation of spiritual law. Love's ever-presence is made manifest through divine revelation and spiritual understanding, and this restores health and harmony.
An interesting and enlightening study of the synonyms for God may be made with the help of the Concordances to Mrs. Eddy's writings. Therein is indicated the scope of this inexhaustible subject. The synonyms have various shades of meaning, and any one of these meanings is applicable to and in a degree descriptive of each.
