Christian Science makes healing lawful
But a Christian Scientist of the twentieth century can believe it as much as a Christian of the twelfth century.
The capitalized name denotes the religious teaching of Mary Baker Eddy, rather than a scientist who happens to be Christian. Her Science and Health first appeared in 1875. In the Project Gutenberg transcription inspected here, she calls healing the operation of divine Principle and describes such works as supremely natural (Preface, xi:9–18). More sharply, she rejects the idea that Spirit occasionally sets aside material laws (83:12–20). Her positive account makes healing an expression of immutable divine law (134:21–135:8). Eddy, Science and Health.
Chesterton's example therefore works as evidence of a modern religious outlook accepting extraordinary healing, but introduces a complication into his contrast between law and will: Eddy's explanation itself appeals to unchanging law. Agreement that a healing occurred would not entail agreement about what made it possible. The inspected transcription does not identify its print edition; these passages should not be treated as verified wording of the 1875 first edition or of a particular edition available to Chesterton in 1908.
Sources
Revision 1 of 1 · 2026-11-07 · Suggest an edit