Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." This is the answer Peter gave to Christ Jesus' question, "... whom say ye that I am?" Peter's recognition, acceptance, and acknowledgment of the true Messiah, or Saviour, caused Jesus to announce the building of his church on a spiritual foundation —on the eternal rock, Christ, the spiritual, true idea of God. "Upon this rock I will build my church," the Master declared; "and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." See Matt. 16:13-18 .
Hymn No. 176 in the Christian Science Hymnal sings of the church of God "Founded secure on timeless rock" and of each of us as "Living stones ... each in his place." But what is our place in Church? And can we understand that place before we understand what Church really is? In the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy has given mankind a twofold description of Church—its absolute, scientific meaning, together with a statement defining the practical appearing of this spiritual idea in human experience. Her explanation begins this way: "Church. The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle." Science and Health, p. 583 .
Is not a structure that rests upon divine Principle one that depends upon divine law for its stability? And could we perhaps say that "whatever ... proceeds from divine Principle" does not simply rest, but moves—goes forward? The Latin origins of proceed are pro-, meaning "forward," and cedere, meaning "to go." A spiritual idea that proceeds must be an unfolding spiritual idea, whose mission— whose continuity and perpetuity—we have the God-given ability to discern and to cherish.
