Christian Science in Canada

I used to live in a small community that was strongly evangelical Christian. Whenever asked about my religion, I said I was a Christian Scientist. And usually the conversation went “thud.” It was like the atmosphere changed. There was a sudden coolness. A tight smile came across people’s faces. “Oh really?” they said. “Isn’t that some kind of cult?” Despite my denials of this misapprehension of my faith, the door of understanding was closed. So I rarely spoke about it.

One day, however, the father of my son’s best friend said to me, “Anna, what church do you go to? I have been watching you and wondering for weeks. I figure you are a thinker, so you can’t belong to a cult.” What was so interesting here was that, unbeknownst to me, he had been listening underneath my words. I then realized, with a pang, that I had not honored him the same way. I had pegged him as a rough-neck sports fan who went to an evangelical church. In neither asking, nor listening at a deeper level to him, my own inner door had been shut – while his was wide open. This was a very humbling experience for me and taught me to listen more rather than to judge. [Read the rest of this entry...]

Despite Mary Baker Eddy’s stated reason for founding The Church of Christ, Scientist, “to organize a church designed to commemorate the word and works of our Master, which should reinstate primitive Christianity and its lost element of healing” it is sometimes said that Christian Science is not Christian. The notion of a church founded on the practice of spiritual healing may raise some eyebrows, but given Jesus’ direct demand on his followers to “heal the sick,” it follows that christian healing, as Jesus taught it, should be considered a central element of christian practice everywhere. At the very least it should not be characterized as unchristian.

Eddy’s phrase, “reinstate primitive Christianity,” refers to the healing that was the basis of early christian practice. Originally, there was no such thing as denominational christianity, only a practice generically referred to as “the way.” This term indicates a recognition among adherents of the universal nature of Christ’s teaching. He did not establish a religion – his later followers did this. What he did do was to reveal a “way” to realize a better, more spiritual standard of existence for all mankind – for everyone, everywhere, throughout time.

To me, what best defines scientific Christianity is Jesus own words “I am the way.” The way to what, or where? To more harmonious experience, to fuller life, health and happiness. The practical results of the Christ teaching makes it appreciable as a way that delivers results that, like any science, are reliable and repeatable – no more or less true for one person than for another.

For more information on the core beliefs of Christian Scientists click here…

Russ Gerber, world wide Media Manager for the Christian Science church points out the need of finding ways to make more space in media for topics that cannot be covered superficially. Some stories, more than others, require readers to think more deeply to find their understanding of the subject being discussed. Case in point – Religion.
Article link: “Enough small talk”

A friend of mine – a senior writer at a prominent Canadian paper – closed an email with “FYI, I really hate blogging — seriously. It would be fine if it was my whole job, but it’s so time consuming and I can’t help but think … trivial.” I was struck by this, though not surprised, given we’ve been in touch from time to time on our experiences with blogs. But, is blogging really “trivial” or do we all, along with the media, need to frequently examine how we generate and deliver blogged material to readers? [Read the rest of this entry...]

In discussions with media or members of the general public, I sometimes see the need to clarify that the Church of Christ, Scientist is not a monolithic, top-down authority-structured organization. But to say what church is NOT begs the question, “well, then, what is it?” I thought I’d attempt responding to the question of what church is to me with a video. I hope you enjoy it. Let me know what you think. What is your experience?

In a recent New York Times article entitled ‘Christian Science Church Seeks Truce with Modern Medicine,’ author Paul Vitello not only follows in a tradition of employing language that parodies Christian Science, but does so in a manner that leaves readers much further from an understanding of what Christian Science is than if they had not read the article at all. [Read the rest of this entry...]

from Victoria Times Colonist – Spiritually Speaking

Are we “puppets on a string, controlled by a supernatural being?” It’s an idea many seem to hold about religious and spiritual people, so let’s explore it more deeply.

The concept of freedom is one we hold close to our hearts. “Free thought” is a cherished right and a pillar of Western society. The idea that all religious people are controlled either by an unseen God of their imagination, or by a doctrine or leader, is one of those “keyhole” views that limits our perspective on what religion is all about. And it certainly does not describe me or other people of “faith” that I know.
[Read the rest of this entry...]

By Kate Dewhurst
www.canadianchristianity.com

THE general population is showing a greater interest in spiritual matters, and the Victoria Times Colonist is acknowledging that fact.

They inaugurated a new blog May 13 – an online forum called ‘Spiritually Speaking.’ It can be found at TimesColonist.com, in the ‘Opinions’ section, by clicking on ‘Blogs.’

“I approached theTimes Colonist about the idea of having a blog that was a forum for individuals of faith (or no faith) to give a larger perspective on how spirituality touched their lives in different and practical ways,” said Anna Bowness-Park, spokesperson for the Christian Science Church in B.C. [Read the rest of this entry...]

People often speak or write a truth that resonates so deeply in us that we can find no better words of our own to describe it. So, we quote them. Sometimes we preface the quote with “so-and-so stated it best when she said…” We could put it in our own words – paraphrase it – but, really, the wealth of quotable revelations are precious in that they give us the ability to “say it” by borrowing the words of another. Quotes provide us with collective reference points [Read the rest of this entry...]

Evidence that prayer works?

The problem with current scientific research on the “power of prayer” is that the data sometimes supports the assertion that prayer works and sometimes it doesn’t. Both positive and negative indicators in findings seem to be so minuscule that you’d think we were looking for signs of water on a distant planet. Some data shows it may be there, other data that it probably isn’t. [Read the rest of this entry...]