SERIOUS STUDENTS OF Christian Science agree that spiritual healing is at its core. It verifies their faith. They look earnestly through its textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, to learn the methods of healing and they work to practice it in their daily lives. The Discoverer of this new/ancient theology, Mary Baker Eddy, found it in the Bible. Then she designed her Church to "... reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing" (Church Manual, p. 17), and "to be built on the Rock, Christ; ... healing and saving the world from sin and death; ..." (p. 19).
At the core of the ability to heal through scientific prayer is spiritual discernment. It's like when Elisha prayed to God at Dothan when he and his terrorized servant appeared to be surrounded by enemy horsemen. "Open his eyes, that he may see," Elisha prayed (II Kings 6:17). And his servant immediately saw spiritual forces in complete command.
Christian Scientists often think of this ability to behold spiritual reality and to let it silence material beliefs as a humble willingness to subordinate popular beliefs to the holy, powerful Word of God—that He is all and that all creation is in His likeness.
