Advanced Study

BOOKS AND TRANSCRIPTS FOR
THE ADVANCED STUDY OF CHRISTIAN SCIENCE

Christian Science is more than a religious creed that one believes in. It is a highly advanced religious and scientific discovery. Many levels of spiritual understanding will unfold as you progress in your study of it. The books and transcripts chosen for the advanced study are to help you develop a spiritual understanding of this Science and enable you to heal through prayer alone.

The books and transcripts listed in Elementary Study are mainly articles and lectures that give a simple explanation of this Science. Once you understand these basic concepts, you should have some success in demonstrating the healing power of prayer. But these elementary works seldom touch upon the more advanced teachings that enable you to become an accomplished metaphysician.

Writings that provide the advanced teachings come from a number of sources. The main sources are those that originated within the Church. We have Mrs. Eddy’s writings, of course, and some extraordinary articles from the periodicals that are inspiring to students at all levels of study. Also there are talks given exclusively to members of the Church.

However, the most important source for advanced teaching has come from the teachers’ association addresses that were a vital part of Christian Science Class Instruction. During the early years of the Church, Mrs. Eddy’s revelation was very controversial and often her teaching was too advanced for the general public and even for some Church members. And so an aura of secrecy kept this deeper teaching mainly confined to a special two week course known as Class Instruction. This was intended to fill the void between the elementary writings and Mrs. Eddy’s profound works. A select number of teachers are authorized by the Church to hold classes and to form an association of their students. Each year, they are permitted to teach one class of thirty students and to hold an association day when they address their students. Many of the books and transcripts for the advanced study come from association addresses by early teachers in the Church.

The Christian Science movement today is vastly different from what it was during the first half of the twentieth century, when this new religion was sweeping through the world. Earnest students of this Science had a steadfast loyalty and devotion to their Church during those dynamic years. Most of them had experienced impressive healings, and they were dedicated to serving a religion that blessed them beyond measure. Churches were filled to capacity, teachers addressed a large association of their students, church services and lectures were inspiring, healing work was phenomenal, and the movement was growing — much of it due to the early teaching that originated with Mrs. Eddy and was passed on to students through Class Instruction.

The early teachers played an important role in the development of the movement. They taught to some degree how to handle animal magnetism, aggressive mental suggestion, and malicious malpractice. They explained the subjective nature of prayer and how our lives are our thoughts objectified. They taught how to give a healing treatment and how to handle specific problems.

Although these early teachers have gone on, their association addresses have become a primary source for the study of Christian Science. It is doubtful that anyone could have foreseen the essential role that these addresses would come to play in the future of the movement. They are like handbooks of instruction on how to understand and demonstrate the whole of this Science.

Because it seemed the world and even some Church members were not ready for these advanced metaphysics, teachers were not allowed by the Church to publish or freely circulate their addresses. Some teachers, however, gave a synopsis of their annual address or copies of the entire address to their students with the understanding that it was not to be shared with others. These addresses are a rich legacy that cannot be replaced. They are to the Christian Science movement what the letters of Peter, Paul and John were to early Christianity. They represent a period when students were learning Christian Science as Mrs. Eddy taught it.

Fortunately many addresses by some of the finest teachers of the past have come down to us. Some of them are simple but inspiring in their explanation of Christian Science, while others are astonishing works that open up Science and Health in ways that no one has previously explored.

In addition to the addresses, we have the few transcripts of notes taken during the two weeks of class instruction. Most teachers did not allow notes to be taken, so there is little record of the teaching that took place. According to the notes we have, class teaching focused on:

1) God defined through the seven synonyms.
2) the spiritual nature of man and his relationship to God.
3) the illusion of matter and mortal man.
4) the unreality of animal magnetism.
5) the need to handle aggressive mental suggestion and malicious malpractice.
6) the Christian Science treatment or prayer of affirmation and denial, and how to treat
specific problems.

The aura of secrecy was deep and strong during those early years in the Church. Perhaps this was once necessary, but it is no longer needed. In today’s world we need a spiritual and scientific way of protecting the mind from hypnotic control and mental manipulation. We need a more reliable way of healing than through drugs and surgery. We need a renewed faith in God. The advanced writings are the answer to these needs. They explain how to understand God and your relationship to Him, how to give a healing treatment, how to handle secret hypnotic attacks and malicious malpractice.

Although many of the papers by the early workers in the Church have been selected for their spiritual depth and clarity, even the best teachers could only touch lightly on the handling of animal magnetism and malicious malpractice in the brief two weeks allowed for class instruction. Nor could they define in depth how to give a Christian Science treatment. Many other important subjects were discussed briefly. Many of these subjects are explained at length in the writings published independently of the Church.

Only in recent years have such advanced and complete works been freely available to those who want to understand the more profound concepts of Christian Science. These independent publications have survived the passing years and continue to enlighten those seeking the Truth. Some were written when the Church was at its peak of prosperity, while others are more contemporary and address subjects that were too sensitive to discuss openly in the past.

All of these works have been carefully selected to bring you Christian Science as Mrs. Eddy gave it to the early students. As you work with it, you will find it renovates consciousness and enables you to find the health, happiness, peace, and prosperity that true spirituality alone can give you.