Victoria, B.C. Last fall the University of Victoria's Christian Science Organization joined with thirteen other faith communities on campus to observe The United Nations International Day of Peace. During the afternoon, we had our own half-hour prayer meeting on peace. In the evening we also presented our ideas on peace along with representatives of the other faiths during a two-hour circle discussion. Among the faiths and groups represented were Islam, Judaic, Unitarian, Bahai, Quaker, Hindu, Catholic, Presbyterian, Wican, Sikh, World Prayer Society, United Church, First Nations, and Christian Science.
In our own afternoon session, we gave readings from the Bible and Science and Health. These focused on the peace that comes with forgiveness. We also prayed together, read a hymn, and offered ideas from the Christian Science Sentinel on forgiveness and peace. During this time, our group included five people from other faiths as well as five who were Christian Scientists.
In the evening session with the larger group from many faiths, one of our CSO members briefly summarized what Christian Science teaches of the nature of God. He mentioned our focus on the link between forgiveness and peace. He also talked about the fact that God is Father-Mother and the need to understand that God expresses motherhood as well as fatherhood qualities. He mentioned that the idea of God as Mother is brought out in the spiritual interpretation of the Lord's Prayer from Science and Health. He read this and closed with the "Daily Prayer" by Mary Baker Eddy.
