SEVEN SYNONYMS FOR GOD. ONLY SEVEN? The Bible calls God by many names, including Father, Shepherd, Elohim, The Great I AM. And the name God itself derives simply from the word "good." Clearly, the infinite nature of the Creator defies the limits of human language. Yet for millennia, thinkers have found ways to describe the Divine that help give us confidence that something bigger, grander, more powerful than any human companion supports us on our individual journeys.
Mary Baker Eddy well understood that the traditional Western view of God as a stern father figure, an anthropomorphic being, limits not only our view of our Creator, but limits how we see ourselves. After all, the Bible tells us that we're made in the image and likeness of God. So, obviously, to draw strength from that fact, we must first understand God. The seven synonyms for God identified in Science and Health show us that our inheritance—what comprises our very being—has nothing to do with human genetics, human reasoning, or human laws. Rather, we derive our fortitude, inspiration, honesty, tenderness, integrity, vitality, immortality, and talent from one divine Cause: Life, Soul, Spirit, Principle, Love, Truth, and Mind. By understanding this fundamental truth about the source of our being, we begin to grasp the infinite range and scope of our resources.
This month, our cover feature, "Discover God as Mind," wraps up our seven-part series on the synonyms for God. Senior writer Jeffrey Hildner leads off with his thoughtful and lively article, "Intelligence Now." Lois Carlson's article, "The Sixth Tenet: A Promise," continues the feature as she explores the power of staying alert to having "that Mind in us which was also in Christ Jesus." Then, Alessandra Colombini, Anne-Francoise Bouffé, and Lyle Young round out the section with their discussion of three beloved Bible stories that illustrate how believers through the centuries have triumphed over seemingly insurmountable obstacles. And those believers' guide and rescuer? The same Guide and Rescuer available to each of us today: the eternal source of unerring, eternal wisdom—Mind.
