Christian Science nursing is nursing that is compatible with the spiritual method of healing as understood in the Science of Christ. One who nurses as a Christian Scientist is caring for others from the basis of spiritual reality. This requires that the nurse approach his or her work from the standpoint of reliance on God to meet all human needs.
Christian Science teaches that God, good, is Spirit, the only power, and that the real man, the true selfhood of each of us, is not material but wholly spiritual, made in the image and likeness of God. Any genuine caring we experience is evidence, to some degree, of God's care for us. He constantly maintains us as His image and likeness, and this fact becomes more and more apparent to us as we accept the truth of His allness and our oneness with Him. God's care comes to light in our experience in countless ways—physical healing through prayer, love expressed to us by a friend, opportunities to develop our true talents, an insight into how to make a correct decision —and this care always promotes our real purpose, which is to express Him.
Christ Jesus' life provides us with the clearest example of effective, loving caring for others. Jesus' understanding of man's relation to God enabled him to help others experience God's care. In particular, he healed various physical and mental problems, freeing individuals from disease, disability, and sin. He also helped provide for other human needs, as when he fed the multitude, or when, at the cross, he gave his mother into the care of one of his disciples.
