Chapter VI - Science, Theology, Medicine
117:1
The term individuality is also open to objections, be-
The term individuality is also open to objections, be-
cause an individual may be one of a series, one of many,
as an individual man, an individual horse; whereas God
is One, – not one of a series, but one alone and without
an equal.
Spiritual language
117:6
God is Spirit; therefore the language of Spirit must
God is Spirit; therefore the language of Spirit must
be, and is, spiritual. Christian Science attaches no physi-
cal nature and significance to the Supreme
Being or His manifestation; mortals alone do
this. God's essential language is spoken of in the last
chapter of Mark's Gospel as the new tongue, the spir-
itual meaning of which is attained through "signs
following."
The miracles of Jesus
117:14
Ear hath not heard, nor hath lip spoken, the pure lan-
Ear hath not heard, nor hath lip spoken, the pure lan-
guage of Spirit. Our Master taught spirituality by simili-
tudes and parables. As a divine student he
unfolded God to man, illustrating and demon-
strating Life and Truth in himself and by his power over
the sick and sinning. Human theories are inadequate to
interpret the divine Principle involved in the miracles
(marvels) wrought by Jesus and especially in his mighty,
crowning, unparalleled, and triumphant exit from the
flesh.
Opacity of the senses
117:24
Evidence drawn from the five physical senses relates
Evidence drawn from the five physical senses relates
solely to human reason; and because of opaci-
ty to the true light, human reason dimly re-
flects and feebly transmits Jesus' works and words. Truth
is a revelation.
Leaven of Truth
117:29
Jesus bade his disciples beware of the leaven of the
Jesus bade his disciples beware of the leaven of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees, which he de-
fined as human doctrines. His parable of the
"leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures
118:1
of meal, till the whole was leavened," impels the infer-
of meal, till the whole was leavened," impels the infer-
ence that the spiritual leaven signifies the Science of Christ
and its spiritual interpretation, – an inference far above
the merely ecclesiastical and formal applications of the
illustration.
118:6
Did not this parable point a moral with a prophecy,
Did not this parable point a moral with a prophecy,
foretelling the second appearing in the flesh of the
Christ, Truth, hidden in sacred secrecy from the visi-
ble world?
118:10
Ages pass, but this leaven of Truth is ever at work. It
Ages pass, but this leaven of Truth is ever at work. It
must destroy the entire mass of error, and so be eternally
glorified in man's spiritual freedom.
The divine and human contrasted
118:13
In their spiritual significance, Science, Theology, and
In their spiritual significance, Science, Theology, and
Medicine are means of divine thought, which include spirit-
ual laws emanating from the invisible and in-
finite power and grace. The parable may
import that these spiritual laws, perverted by
a perverse material sense of law, are metaphysically pre-
sented as three measures of meal, – that is, three modes
of mortal thought. In all mortal forms of thought, dust
is dignified as the natural status of men and things, and
modes of material motion are honored with the name of
laws. This continues until the leaven of Spirit changes
the whole of mortal thought, as yeast changes the chemical
properties of meal.
Certain contradictions
118:26
The definitions of material law, as given by natural
The definitions of material law, as given by natural
science, represent a kingdom necessarily divided against
itself, because these definitions portray law as
physical, not spiritual. Therefore they con-
tradict the divine decrees and violate the law of Love, in
which nature and God are one and the natural order of
heaven comes down to earth.