This article is part of a series appearing occasionally in the Journal, the Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science. Each article aims to correct some misconception about Christian Science that would keep us from having the results we so desire as spiritual healers.
On more than one occasion, I have asked myself whether church is essential to the practice of Christian Science. I think it can be a really good question to think about from time to time. Examining the ways we are thinking about both church and Christian Science practice helps illuminate the answer.
I have had church experiences that really moved me—transformed me, actually. One of these experiences was a few years ago, right after I ran the Boston Marathon. After a full weekend that included not only the marathon but also a church event and lots of traveling, I got home Tuesday evening feeling extremely sore. On top of that, I started to feel a cold coming on.
My wife helped me into bed, and I lay there praying, trying to align my thoughts with what I had been learning in Christian Science about God’s goodness and my inseparability, as an idea of God, from that goodness. I had experienced transformation and healing over the years as a result of this kind of prayer—by understanding what has always been true about God and each of His ideas.
As I prayed and reflected on my uplifting weekend, I realized that the next evening was the weekly testimony meeting at my Christian Science branch church. These meetings offer a time to pause mid-week to reflect on God’s Word and share with fellow attendees our spiritual progress and healings. I love joining with others in this inspiring activity, but as I thought ahead to the next evening, I felt more insecurity and shame than excitement. I couldn’t help picturing myself hobbling into the church and needing my wife’s support to get to a seat.
I was feeling very self-conscious about that picture, and I thought I should probably not go and instead stay home and pray on my own. But on the heels of that thought, I considered the story of the four faithful friends who brought a paralyzed man to see Christ Jesus despite it being so crowded that they couldn’t get into the house where Jesus was preaching. Instead of giving up and leaving, they lowered their friend in through the roof. That was a bold move and a powerful example of faith. Jesus immediately healed the man (see Mark 2:1–12).
I also thought about how Mary Baker Eddy established The Church of Christ, Scientist, to bring to light the practical, spiritual understanding of Jesus’ method of healing and to show its timeless availability and utility for all mankind. In that moment there wasn’t anything I wanted more than to be present with the influence of divine Love. Of course, there is no one way or place to feel that divine Love, but I also knew that it always felt right to be in church—to join with a band of modern-day disciples to worship and rejoice together in the special way that church provides.
I fell asleep that night with a deep sense of gratitude for Jesus and his teachings, as well as for Mrs. Eddy and her love for humanity in making so clear the Science of Christ-healing and establishing The Church of Christ, Scientist, to practically support that discovery—and I knew I wanted to be in church the next evening, even if I had to come through a roof to get there!
When I woke up Wednesday morning, I was completely free. Both the soreness and the sickness were gone. I went to church that evening with a full heart, a deeper understanding of the essential nature of church, and a testimony of transformation and gratitude to share.
The church Jesus established rests on a foundation of spiritual transformation and healing, and gives me a fuller understanding of what church is all about.
In this and other transformative moments that I’ve experienced regarding church, the human organization and physical structure fade, and I feel the true heart of Church, its higher mission of healing.
Jesus never mentions the need to show up for worship services as the way to salvation. But he did say that Peter’s recognition of Jesus as the Christ was the rock, or foundation, upon which his church would be built. And he added that the gates of hell could never overthrow that church (see Matthew 16:16–18). To me, Jesus is signaling that spiritual transformation is the foundation and path of salvation—the path to an understanding and demonstration of our oneness with the Principle of all goodness, God.
I sometimes think about that spiritual transformation that must have been happening in Peter as he followed Jesus, absorbed his teachings, and witnessed his healings. I imagine there was a sense of the supremacy and allness of God unfolding in Peter, and Jesus was nurturing that. When Peter had the courage to voice this understanding and stand on his spiritual conviction, his transformation was evident.
Referring to that transformative moment, Mrs. Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Jesus established his church and maintained his mission on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing. He taught his followers that his religion had a divine Principle, which would cast out error and heal both the sick and the sinning” (p. 136).
Further on in Science and Health, Mrs. Eddy gives the spiritual sense of Church as: “The structure of Truth and Love; whatever rests upon and proceeds from divine Principle.” She points out that the institution of Church “affords proof of its utility, and is found elevating the race, rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas,” bringing about healing—transformation (p. 583).
The church Jesus established rests on a foundation of spiritual transformation and healing, and gives me a fuller understanding of what church is all about. Because Christian Science practice is about the spiritual transformation of thought that naturally leads to health and well-being, then attending church and practicing Christian Science go hand in hand. Both involve moment-by-moment striving to understand and live what Jesus taught about God, about healing, about the kingdom of heaven, and about salvation. All of these require a desire and commitment to understand and demonstrate a spiritual sense of man and the universe instead of accepting a limited material sense of existence.
So when I consider whether being a part of church is essential to practicing Christian Science, my answer is yes—deep spiritual transformation is essential. Both Christian Science practice and church require and support a genuine yearning for this kind of transformation. I’ve come to realize that there is no circumstance that could undo my unity with God and with the structure of Truth and Love. It’s a bond so strong that not even the gates of hell (so to speak) could prevail against it. Being a part of church enables spiritual transformation to happen individually and collectively.
My experiences with church have shown me that there are as many ways for spiritual transformation to show up as there are people. Transformation starts with the individual, but when individuals bring their spiritual desires and efforts together collectively, transformation can happen on a broader scale.
Of course, if I think about attending church as simply showing up to worship where others show up to worship, then I can’t expect to find this deep spiritual transformation. Or, if I think I can practice Christian Science without a genuine yearning for spiritual transformation, I won’t be successful. When I think about the mission of church, I think about folks being ready and willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with each other in the higher mission of Christianity—to reveal the actuality of God and the ultimate unreality of evil, here and now.
In Science and Health we read: “We can unite with this church only as we are new-born of Spirit, as we reach the Life which is Truth and the Truth which is Life by bringing forth the fruits of Love,—casting out error and healing the sick” (p. 35). That work is done individually between each one of us and God, and collectively as we join together with a common purpose to demonstrate with practical evidence that life is in and of God, Spirit. There are innumerable ways that this collective work will look as we all move forward—Spiritward.
There are innumerable ways that this collective work will look as we all move forward—Spiritward.
The Apostles Peter and Paul both contributed significantly to the idea of church that Jesus established. Their contributions were unique, different from each other, but both were very much needed and vital. Their methods and accomplishments didn’t need to be the same to be wholehearted and effective. Similarly, our contributions don’t need to be the same to be significant, wholehearted, and effective. We can focus on being transformed ourselves and lovingly support others in that direction as well.
These days I’m framing the questions I ask myself about church and Christian Science practice a little differently. Instead of asking whether one is essential to the other, I’m asking: “Is my heart fully open to feel the transforming power of divine Love?” And, “Am I willing to stand shoulder to shoulder with others in the mission of earnestly striving to let the light of Truth and Love shine through my life?” Each of our efforts to align our practice with the mission of church is a blessing for individuals, for church, and for the world.
