"It has a motion or movement that blesses"

2) In your own words, what would you say is meant by “the spiritual meaning of the Bible”?

The “spiritual meaning of the Bible” must be the substance or conviction of Truth that heals the sick. More than an intellectual concept, it has a motion or movement that blesses. It's a reincarnation of the spirit of those who wrote and inspired the writings in the Bible. 

3) Give three examples of passages or stories in the Bible (other than the Lord’s Prayer SH, pp16-17) for which Science offers a spiritual interpretation.  And please explain each spiritual interpretation that you select.

a. The 23rd Psalm. “Divine Love is my shepherd…” It’s interesting that this is the last paragraph in the main part of Science and Health (the Key to the Scriptures). She’s emphasizing Love again, and giving the sense of what Love does: leads, restores, is present, comforts, prepares, anoints, and houses. Besides being everything we could ask for as a movement, this Love loves the entire world, and can be the answer to its lack of direction, hunger, and search for home.

b. The above reminds me of another line she quotes (and capitalizes): “perfect Love casteth out fear”, part of the longer quote which she says is “a definite and inspired proclamation of Christian Science” (p 410). It gets to the core of Christian Science, the heart and soul—Love (113). Many times I’ve thought of your advice to love more, as a healing agent, especially my family. And I’ve loved the letter to a First Reader (My 247), where Mrs. Eddy advises “tender persuasion.” This is becoming my call to action for reading from the desk.

c. Without this Love, Mrs. Eddy says, “the letter is but the dead body of Science”. Jesus raised Lazarus, and Mrs. Eddy interpreted his saying that “our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep” as indication that Jesus understood that Lazarus had never died, and actually “never lived or died in his body.” This must have something to do with spiritual understanding overriding material belief, and restoring the visible, which is subservient to reality.

4) Identify some practical benefits to you individually as a practicing CSt from searching the Scriptures, reading the weekly Bible Lesson, and becoming more familiar with the Key to the Scriptures.

The wisdom in the Bible is much higher than mortals', and includes wisdom from experiences which would take hundreds of years to reproduce, if ever possible again. I love Paul’s admonition to be temperate “in all things”, and Jesus’ thanking God that He heard him always because God just makes it that way. When I learned that temperance was acceptable to God, I thanked Him, and knew that this acknowledgement had a precedent as Jesus did before. Also, all the references to bridling the tongue and being slow to anger from Proverbs have been very helpful. The weekly Bible lesson steadies me, and brings the focus back to God, giving me the balance I need for the day (although I don’t make it entirely through the Lesson everyday).

5) Why should the Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures be our “only preachers”?  Would you say that was old fashioned?  What’s the purpose behind it?

I don’t think it’s too far out to mention that since I’ve taken the First Reader position, I’ve paid off my business debt and most of our family credit card debt. A lot of the credit goes to me being a faithful worker in my profession, patience, and the ability from God to be successful. The spirit that I get from serving the church and being familiar with the Scriptures, gives me “acuteness and comprehensiveness” like Mrs. Eddy explains. It’s beautiful that Mrs. Eddy confined our preachers to those two books. Without it we wouldn’t have the Sunday sermons that are “uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized”. She had undoubtedly seen how churches vary by the quality of their preacher, and it was obvious this Science needed a preacher that wouldn’t change.

I don’t know if there is anything old fashioned about this approach, as I don’t recall any other church ever doing it! It does seem old in the pure sense of getting back to Christian roots and the early days of seeking inspiration through the Spirit.

6) What does Christian Science have to offer those who value the Bible but are put off or confused by Biblical criticism which seems to invalidate Bible accounts such as the resurrection of Christ Jesus or “miracles” of healing of sickness?

I have a friend, another dad in the town where I live, who is a lawyer and loves asking questions, who had left the Catholic Church, then came back and gave up his drinking. We used to get together sometimes at a local coffee shop in the morning to talk about Bible things. For a while he had wondered if Jesus really did rise from the dead, but then came to the conclusion for himself that because of what it inspired—all the acts of the apostles and good activity throughout the world since—something special had to have happened. People just don’t get inspired like that if nothing happens. And that was proof enough for him.

Especially, Christian Science has modern-day examples of healing like happened in Biblical times. Christian Science also has a tangible spirit of Love and Truth that can be felt at the services and in our own study and interaction with other Scientists. I think as that spirit grows stronger. it will heal the sick in our services and elsewhere. Mrs. Eddy said the reader could prove for himself the truth of this Science, and that is true for everyone.