In this Issue
September 2026
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds.
—II Corinthians 10:4
WELCOME
Welcome - September 2026
Heidi Kleinsmith Salter
If you’re reading this month’s issue of the Journal, you’re probably interested in learning more about how you can shine your light to bless others.
ANNUAL MEETING REPORT
Explore an edited and abbreviated transcript of the 2026 Annual Meeting of The Mother Church.
ARTICLES
What does it mean to think in the AI era?
David Grier
Thinking is a function of the infinite Mind, God, which a machine's “mechanical reasoning” could never approach.
God and man are immaterial
JüRGEN KURT STARK
Divine Mind leads us every moment into “a large place” (Psalms 18:19), a larger spiritual understanding of our substance, our identity.
What lasts forever?
Kevin Soulé
Whatever mortal mind sees as reality, from the supposed basis of matter as omnipotent, is not forever. It is a lie.
Seeing past Pilate’s assumption
SUE A. SPOTTS
Are we assuming that any person or any thing has power over our future prospects—that they can determine our health, our longevity, our happiness, our capacity for productivity?
MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT CHRISTIAN SCIENCE
The simplicity of Christian Science practice
Colleen Douglass
The practice of Christian Science does not need to be complicated or intellectual; instead, it can be a simple understanding of the nothingness of matter and the allness of God—Mind, Spirit, Truth.
THE BIBLE: OUR SUFFICIENT GUIDE
Rich linguistic diversity and study of the Scriptures
Elizabeth Massey
Each language brings fresh inspiration to scriptural texts, a point brought home to the author shortly after she began serving as Administrator for Non-English Bibles at The Mother Church.
POEMS
Daily bread
Kit Cornell Kurtz
You are Life
and You give me my being,
eternal with You.
TESTIMONIES OF HEALING
Severe abdominal pain healed immediately
Katie Mangelsdorf
Putting spiritual lessons into practice brings certain healing.
Standing under God’s law brings healing
Sheryl Bristow
I knew that God’s laws of good were always in operation and that I could be confident that His love was loving me right then and there, even in the midst of what appeared to be an accident.
Proof of God’s power and love
Veronique Sierens
"There was no reason why this appeared to have happened, but it was an opportunity to demonstrate the glory of God!"
Discouragement about spiritual growth vanishes
Rachel Holland Richardson
A dancer finds spiritual growth and healing as she learns more of her spiritual selfhood and relation to God.
LIVING CHURCH
In this piece, The Mary Baker Eddy Library looks at the role of the President of The Mother Church, historically and in the more recent past.
Read a recent report to the Christian Science Board of Directors by Mother Church President Josh Niles about his year of service in that role.
Wednesday testimony meetings
Church Activities Department
Consider some helpful ideas regarding the length of readings for Wednesday testimony meetings.
Rotation on the Christian Science Board of Directors
The Christian Science Board of Directors
Read about a recent rotation on the Christian Science Board of Directors.
Learn about how the Church Activities Department in Boston supports branches and societies in their essential demonstration of Church. And consider exploring the digital Bible collections on JSH-Online.com, including the one on prophecy, posted earlier in 2026.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Readers Respond
Sue Holzberlein
Fruitage from readers and listeners
EDITORIAL
The end of darkness
Lisa Rennie Sytsma
We each have our own part to play in Revelation’s prophecy of the end of all darkness.
