The Internet provides a lot to Christian Scientists today by allowing people worldwide to listen to the Sunday church services from The Mother Church, receive spiritual nourishment from spirituality.com, among other Christian Science sites. What are your thoughts on listening to Sunday services online in lieu of attending and supporting a local branch church of Christian Science?—A READER IN NEW YORK
A1 Why was Jesus here in person? Could a virtual Jesus have accomplished the Messianic work? Hardly! Nor would any of us be satisfied with virtual husbands, wives, children, or friends. We need loving relationships with real people, as much in church as anywhere else.
Clearly, there are those who do not live near a Christian Science church, or who are physically unable to attend. For them an online service can deliver a powerful feeling of God's presence and comfort. But how many others choose to listen to a virtual church service because they don't see attending, let alone joining, their local branch church as essential to their spiritual journey? Perhaps others haven't experienced in church that unconditional love that expresses the primitive Christianity Mary Baker Eddy saw as essential to the design of Church.
