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

To not rely on the material picture or senses and to rely on one mind God good for all of our supply, including circumstances, dealing with personality, and our own thought process as a means of healing sin, disease and death. Its main commandments teach us to put God first and to love others as we love ourselves.  

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.

The transformation of Saul to Paul is highlighted in both the bible (Acts 9:1-16) and Science and Health (326:23-32). Saul is blinded by the vision of the Christ during which He speaks to Saul and in the process Saul yields to spiritual sense of putting off the material and turning to the spiritual. It was the old man becoming the new man in Christ.

In 1John 4:20 he says “If someone says, ‘I love God’ and hates his brother, he is a liar, for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen.” We see this explained in SH 366:12-21. One of the most important things Mrs. Eddy brings up in her writings is to put God first and do unto others as we would do unto ourselves, which in essence means to put others first. We demonstrate our love for God by loving others.

In Gen 32:22-32 we read the story of how Jacob wrestled with God and is spiritually interpreted in SH 308: 16-32 and 309:1-23. Jacob is wrestling with a belief in mortal mind and proving its unreality. After the demonstration is made, he still holds tight to the Truth or the angel thoughts so as not to fall back into old habits of thinking, thus changing him from Jacob to Israel, which means may God prevail. 

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.

Christian Science has given me an expanded capacity to do my job with excellence and precision even in situations that seems dire. It has given me a greater awareness of others and their needs as well as myself, which has enabled me to help others and myself to demonstrate out of the shadow of mortal belief. As a result it has brought me many physical healings as well as be able to overcome many challenging circumstances that would not have turned out harmoniously without Christian Science at work.

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?

The Bible and SH as our only preachers is not old fashion. Any other books or ideas, no matter how good the intentions, are manmade and ultimately fail. The only way to truly help others is through One Mind and the only books written to align our thought with that One Mind, to help others and ourselves, is the Bible and SH. The Bible is written about the actions of others before us expressing that One Mind, and most importantly tells us about Jesus Christ who is the ultimate expression of God or One Mind. SH is the interpretation of the bible inspired by The Comforter.

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?

SH spiritually interprets the Bible and puts it into practical terms. If the Bible is read at face value from a material sense or literal view it would be unpractical and even confusing at times. But when you take the spiritual interpretation that SH brings to the Bible it illuminates the meaning of it and no longer requires the Bible to be measured in terms of scientific evidence or material means, and it no longer needs to be looked at as just an historical record.