Mary Baker Eddy evolved seven synonyms for the word God in her practice of Christian Science and writings about it. Apparently the first of these was Life, which she found best expressed what she felt during an instantaneous healing of life- threatening injuries sustained in a fall on the ice. (See the readings above from Miscellaneous Writings).

That it should have been seven synonyms is presaged by Biblical and other mystical systems. In Hebrew the root of the word for "seven" means "to be complete". Members recalled some of the places in the Bible where seven is important: e.g., the seven days of creation; seven priests compassing Jericho seven times on the seventh day (Joshua 6:4); the seven churches and seven seals in Revelation.

One member even took us through the seven synonyms for God in the Old Testament. These are Elohim (meaning Creator) and its short form El, El Elyon (Most High), El Shaddai (Almighty), Adonai (Lord), Yaweh (Self-Existent) or Yah for short. Jesus of course added Abba or Father.

Our chairperson then read us passages from Arthur Corey's book, "Christian Science Class Instruction" expressing the view that we must keep the Christian Science synonyms in balance in our prayerful work. If we use one or only a few to the exclusion of the others, we'll have a warped appreciation of Deity. Corey does particularly like Principle however. He says it portends infinite possibilities; it's not an implacable force but rather a "warm and vibrant impulsion to be demonstrated."

A few members were acquainted with the Doorly-Kapler method of teaching Christian Science through intensive work with the synonyms. Each synonym has a precise meaning ascribed to it and a specific relationship to the others. Work in Science consists of carefully considering each and all the synonyms in relation to all others. Although Arthur Corey professed not to understand this way of doing things, it certainly seems to address his concern that students not get out of balance. One member speculated, really without knowing, that this intense system must so frustrate mortal mind that it gladly surrenders to the ever-present energies of divine Mind or Love or whatever seems lacking. Anyway, we'll know more after the Emergence Conference, which will devote a day to these teachings.

It became clear to most of us that the synonyms must be accessed and lived actively if they are to have any real meaning. One member thought we should be coming up with our own synonyms for all the words in Science and Health. Another's Christian Science Teacher was quoted "If you can't restate what you're reading in your own words, you don't understand it well enough to heal with it."

This same member brought up two healings reported by students of Mrs. Eddy; she sent them forth to the cases with these statements: "Be the Love that never heard of hate or fear" and "Be the Life that never heard of illness or death."

A member then recalled his instantaneous recovery from the flu based on prayerfully going through the seven synonyms one at a time and applying their absolute meanings to himself — seeing himself as their total reflection. There was no recuperation; he just got up from his bed and went to the kitchen to get dinner ready.

We had a brief look at how Christian Science revises the everyday meaning of words. A member read some passages from Science and Health which give validity to mind reading (see pp. 84: 14-18 and 85: 15-22). This is fine on the relative level but we went on to the definition of Prophet in the chapter "Glossary". It reads in part, "disappearance of material sense before the conscious facts of spiritual Truth." Since all of us engage in mind reading much of the time, whatever we may call it, might we be happier, more fulfilled, if we took it to another level, the level of Science, and lived the reality there discovered until the relative is transformed by the absolute?

A newcomer to our meeting introduced the seven deadly sins into the discussion. These are pride, sloth, envy, anger, lust, gluttony and avarice. Even as the seven synonyms for God can be visualized as a seven headed menorah, with three structural aspects (Mind, Spirit, Soul) on the left and three active ones (Life Truth, Love) on the right, Principle being at the center; so, the more passive states of sin (pride, sloth, envy) can be displayed to the left, the active ones( lust, gluttony, avarice) to the right, all crowned by anger at the center. Roots for the words referring to the passive states suggest goodness, peace and wisdom while all the active states literally scream desire, which is prayer in Christianity and fulfillment in Science. Anger? Its counter-fact according to Science and Health is "the strength and permanency of Spirit" (see p. 293: 24-28). In sum, the seven deadly sins are precognitions of Divinity.

A member was reminded in this discussion of some themes in the new Gay movie "Urbania". It's a harsh examination of the city and part of its Gay scene, with transformations. He says he's glad to have seen it, particularly in connection with the Emergence Conference whose theme is City of Angels. He is studying pp. 572-578 of Science and Health, the Christian Science textbook, which gets some metaphysical import from the Biblical New Jerusalem imagery and the city foursquare. Again, "Urbania" can be taken as a precognition of the truths revealed in Mrs. Eddy's most stunning vision of Heaven on earth.

We ended with a demonstration had by a member on his way to the meeting. He tangled with a Christian street preacher who insisted he subscribe to some words in the New Testament. He resisted but was able finally to reword the passage scientifically, apparently so boggling the preacher's thought that he won his release to more useful pursuits.

At the moment we are uncertain whether we'll have a meeting on October 19th because of travel plans by core members. Those considering coming that date should phone the Gay Center to see whether the meeting will be held. We'll be back the following week, the 26th, to discuss what we learned at the Conference.