"Uniting all periods in the design of God"

Christ's Christianity is the chain of scientific being reappearing in all ages, maintaining its obvious correspondence with the Scriptures and uniting all periods in the design of God. - Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy

This intrigued me no end. Especially the "uniting" part.

Christian Science puts forth such a universal concept of God - which goes far beyond denomination. In fact, Christian Science is defined by its discoverer as the law of God. The impact of this is far reaching and exciting.

In my practice, I have found that it is imperative to go beyond the walls of denomination to more effectively practice this Science. There is no division of one child of God to another. Christian Science isn't a have-and-have-not type of discipline. Christian Science explains that God is universal.

"God is universal; " writes Mary Baker Eddy, "confined to no spot, defined by no dogma, appropriated by no sect. Not more to one than to all, is God demonstrable as divine Life, Truth, and Love; and His people are they that reflect Him - that reflect Love." (Miscellaneous Writings p. 150)

The understanding of God and honoring of God --called the practice of Christianity -- is not a denominationally divisive Christianity that draws its lines from one group to another. A denominational territorialism that divides, discriminates and is the basis of judging who is "in" and who is "out" is not primitive Christianity which is one with Christian Science.

Christian Science, oftentimes referred to as Divine Science, is the explanation of the universal science of being. That is not to say it is indistiguishable - but that its basis and practice has its roots in the nature of being. So much so that people world wide - and of different faiths and no faiths - find the bedrock spiritual ideas at its core relate directly to their lives.

There have been four incidences that stand out to me when I was working and introducing Science and Health to book markets all over the world. These situations have illlustrated what it could mean to "unit(e) all periods in the design of God."

• An Armenian man visited a booth in London where we were selling and exhibiting Science and Health. He bought it, read it through in three days, and then came back to say "This book could unify nations in turmoil." (My colleague who worked in Africa said that she got the same comment from a new reader of Science and Health in Nigeria.)
• I was talking with a Muslim while at an international book fair in Germany. Although he maintained a calm demeanor, it was obvious he was quite angry and offended at what he saw as Christianity's worship of three gods ( this was his understanding of the trinity) and that God is coming again ( the second coming) and that Jesus, the person, was God. As I talked to him about God as explained in Christian Science, he became noticeably more at ease, attentive and -- maybe even inspired. He did not take a copy of Science and Health, but he left in peace.
• I learned from another Christian Scientist whose husband was a Muslim who shared a similar disdain of Christianity. He was given Science and Health to read and his animosity dissolved. Totally.
• In a lecture about the ideas in Science and Health given to a group of Islamic students, the question was raised by one student, "Why is this book called 'Key to the Scriptures' instead of 'Key to the Bible'?" Another student raised his hand and commented, "Because this must be the key to all holy scriptures."

To me, it is imperative that Christian Science be understood beyond its denominational boundaries. To share Christian Science is about "elevating the race ( note: not races, but race), rousing the dormant understanding from material beliefs to the apprehension of spiritual ideas and the demonstration of divine Science, thereby casting out devils, or error, and healing the sick." (See definition of "Church" in Science and Health, p. 583)

In my work as a prayer team volunteer at a local hospital, I work side by side with many devout Catholics and others who have their own spiritual discipline. We work and pray with our highest understanding of God's love and wash it over the many prayer requests that come in every week. In our united earnestness and compassion for others, we have a similar mission - to support the alleviation of suffering, to be there as a symbol of an ever-present God, and to let people know that they are not alone in their suffering and that they can be comforted.

Another friend, a Jehovah's Witness, often comes in to the Christian Science Reading Room where I work on Fridays, and our discussions have helped us fine tune our own unique discipline of how we worship and live out our understanding of God and man. We both love what we are learning and can share our lessons with one another with joy!

What the Islamic student so readily saw, is something I love - we all have the key to holiness, health and love. And this key unites us all.

(P.S. There is a marvelous issue of the magazine, The Christian Science Sentinel that just came out with its cover title: "The Universality of Truth." All of the articles address this most important issue of fine-tuning our global view. I highly recommend it! Check your local Christian Science Reading Room for a copy or click here to find out where the closest Reading Room is. Many times, a Reading Room can mail out a copy if you live far away.)







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