In the Bible the word Spirit is given as a name for God; therefore it is so used in Christian Science. Because God is Spirit and man is made in His image and likeness, as we read in the first chapter of Genesis, man is spiritual. He is the spiritual idea of God. He expresses the joy, harmony, and perfection of Spirit.
Spirituality is a term often misunderstood. Many believe it to be a transcendental, ascetic, or joyless attitude of thought. A teenage pupil in a Christian Science Sunday School had somewhat this misconception. She came to class one Sunday looking very gloomy and unhappy. When asked what the trouble was, she said, "Well, I don't want to get too spiritual." Two other pupils felt that they were in like danger.
The pupils were lovingly reminded of the basic teaching of Christian Science: that it reveals the allness and infinitude of good and the nothingness of evil; that God is the only creator and that man is His child, wholly good and spiritual, the object of His love and care. It was pointed out that God is the all-wise and loving Father-Mother of us all and provides for each one everything that he needs. No one who turns to God is deprived of any good thing; he loses only false, material beliefs, which are harmful.
