Christian Caring

Ideas about “Christian caring”

Christian caring is the broad, Christlike practice of nourishing, nurturing, comforting, and healing one another, of which Christian Science nursing is one specific, Manual-based activity.

The above image of one of the stained glass windows in the original edifice of The Mother Church shows Jesus being anointed by a woman (presumed to be Mary of Bethany). Yet, it gives us a profound impression of nursing as an integral part Christian life. The image also calls up one of Jesus prominent parables also related to nursing and caring for others (The Sheep and the Goats). What a visual for us to behold! The seated Jesus, representing mankind, being ministered to by Mary of Bethany, who represents the Christian spirit of love for mankind. It’s as if Jesus was saying, “anyone could be sitting in this seat and you would be ministering to me (caring for mankind’s highest concept of the Christ.)” We are fulfilling Jesus’ statement, “… Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me,” Jesus (Matthew 25:40)! We are opening our eyes to see God care for His dear creation expressed through each of us who are caring for one another, being used by Love.

This parable, together with the parable of the “Good Samaritan,” seems to emphasize the point that the general on-going Christian practice of loving and caring for mankind is part of the Christian’s way of life and part of the Christian Science student’s way of life. The two parables show how we are to express God’s love and care for all of His creation. We are to emulate the example of our Master, Christ Jesus, who healed and cared for mankind, yet would exclaim, “I can of mine own self do nothing.” In this kind of healing and caring work, Jesus was empowered by God. That power was bestowed on his disciples and all who followed him in “the way.” In other words, our love and care for one another does not come from our own personal efforts. We are being used by divine Love when we allow ourselves to be governed by God. God is the “great Physician” and the “great Giver.“ As Mrs. Eddy writes, “God will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by God.” (S&H 495:1–2) In this way, we are measuring “our love for God by our love for man.” (Mis 12:28)

Although Mrs. Eddy did not specifically use the phrase “Christian caring” in any of her writings, she certainly described many examples of it. She wrote, “I love mankind, and shall continue to labor and to endure.” (S&H 99:21)

We find the first uses of the phrase “Christian caring” in the Christian Science periodicals. There have been as many as 29 uses of the phrase, beginning in 1975. Here are excerpts from some of those articles:

 “A central teaching in Christ Jesus' ministry is the importance of love, expressed in devotion to God and in charity to one's fellowman. The virtues of forgiveness, patience, and selfless love are extolled in the Gospels. A wonderful example of Christian caring and love can be found in the story of the good Samaritan.” (“Forgive myself?” by David D. Creighton, From the February 1997 issue of The Christian Science Journal)

“Christian caring isn’t a matter of transferring burdens from one person to another. We bear another's burden as we see the powerlessness of error's claim to oppress or enslave him—as we see its unreality, for this supports him in his prayers to obliterate the claim.” (“Health care—whose responsibility?” LEIGH RUSSELL DAUGHERTY, from the September 1980 of The Christian Science Journal)

“So often we get involved with the routine procedures of church committees and meetings, which are necessary to the workings of a church, but we neglect the true work of the Church. Christian caring and sharing, which promote healing for each other and the community, are really our true church work.”  (“Being true Christians: the real church work!” MARTHA SAGE VANG, from the February 1986 issue of The Christian Science Journal)

“Christian Science nursing is a Christlike ministry of unselfed love. Nursing in its broader sense isn't limited to those who have hadnurses' training only; the nursing qualities are for all to practice. One motive for nursing is to glorify God through Christian caring, and in this way to promote healing for our family, friends, and fellow church members. The Christ empowers us to love each other, to nurture each other. It inspires us and enables us to overcome feelings of indifference or of being too busy to comfort and minister. 

“We need not be afraid to minister to each other. Our innate Christly qualities of patience, grace, unselfed love, and confidence in God will often provide the proper care. Spiritual sense, our demonstrated Christliness, will tell us what to do for those we comfort.” (“The Science of Christian care,” George Reed, from the June 1991 issue of The Christian Science Journal)

So, from these excerpts, we can begin to get a feel for the use of the phrase “Christian Caring” from a Christian Science perspective. It should be fair to say that the term “Christian caring” is a broad term relating to healing, nursing, and comforting, as we express our Christlikeness. Examples can range from simple kindness, compassion, a helping hand, comforting, visiting, nursing of simple needs, Christian Science nursing, and the healing practice of Christian Science (whenever and wherever it is applied).

In 1988, here is how the Christian Science Board of Directors at that time described “Christian caring” in the May 1988 issue of the Christian Science Journal, in their “Important statement on Christian Science nursing.”

“True nursing, either as a concept or an activity, involves nourishing, nurturing, and cherishing. It also involves comforting, supporting, encouraging, promoting (growth, development, and progress), treating with tenderness and affection, holding as dear. It implies solicitude or care: thoughtful attentiveness to another's needs. This idea of nursing certainly embraces qualities of thought that are not exclusive to good nursing. For instance, they are also expressions of good mothering. The expression of these elements of thought is evidence of God's mothering care for His children.

“Since man is the reflection of his Maker and God is Father-Mother — the source of all spiritually inspired care —then the human manifestation of the nursing and mothering concept is (should be) an expression of God's care. Understood in this light, true nursing is evidence of the coincidence of the divine with the human. A realization of this opens the way for all God's children to claim what is inherently theirs to express—namely, the nursing or mothering qualities of God.”

How does Christian Science nursing and “Christian caring” relate to each other?

Christian Science nursing is a specific expression of Christian caring that is established in the Church Manual bylaw, “Christian Science Nurse.” Christian Science nursing activities that are based on this Manual bylaw are managed by the Christian Science Nursing Department of The Mother Church. This office works diligently to ensure that the standards of Christian Science nursing care are strictly maintained - spiritually, metaphysically, and in its skillful expression of the art of nursing in the human experience. According to the Manual bylaw, a member of The Mother Church who wishes to represent himself or herself as a Christian Science nurse, “shall be one who has a demonstrable knowledge of Christian Science practice, who thoroughly understands the practical wisdom necessary in a sick room, and who can take proper care of the sick. (Man 49:7 )

Here is another excerpt from the same article quoted above from the Christian Science Board of Directors (in the May 1988 Christian Science Journal),

“It could be said that the Christian Science nurse is an outward symbol of the Christianity of our Church, our Christian caring. Also, that a Christian Science nurse is a symbol of how Christian Science works—not only on the mountaintop but also in the marketplace where the people are. The Christian Science nurse is visible evidence of the willingness and capability of Christian Scientists to extend aid, assistance, and loving care.

“This Christian caring is available to all who radically rely on Christian Science.”

This last statement is what distinguishes the Christian caring of Christian Science nursing as its own dedicated ministry in the healing practice of Christian Science. Becoming a Christian Science nurse requires several years of training and practice in order to be able to advertise in the Christian Science Journal’s directory of Christian Science nurses. It involves the metaphysics of Christian Science and its related skills in the art of nursing human needs.

However, in Christian Science, the concept of “Christian caring” is not restricted only to the ministry of Christian Science nursing. As a broader concept, short of representing oneself as a Christian Science nurse, it includes the broader range of caring for others that can be found within the Christian Science movement. For example, the Manual of The Mother Church establishes provisions for other ministries designed for the caring our members (and all mankind) in the activities of Sunday Schools, Reading Rooms, Christian Science Lecture activities, Committees on Publication, church readership, and others. You can also find in branch churches and societies other ministries, such as, prison ministries, metaphysical committees, care committees, and more, that are dedicated to caring for the welfare of others in a scientifically Christian manner - including both “right thoughts” and “good deeds.”

Here is an interesting excerpt from an article in the November 2017 Christian Science Journal, entitled, “Christian Science Nurse” - a By-law for us all,” by Liz Butterfield Wallingford with contributions from Bonnie A. Castroman,

“Knowing about the provision for practical, proper care that our Leader, Mrs. Eddy, included within the structure of the Church helps us recognize the value of this activity in support of healing and inspires us to be more aware of caring for our fellow members. The Bible records many examples that Christ Jesus gave—illustrating the compassionate, Christian caring we owe each other. It is a fundamental activity of Christianity. Our world needs nursing. Every one of us can nurse our families, our neighbors, our communities, and our world. This may lead some to explore Christian Science nursing. But it’s something we can all be doing in our lives, every day.”

Christian caring in Christian Science, as expressed in Christian Science nursing or simple nursing and comforting in general, always involves the metaphysics of treating one’s own thought and especially treating the atmosphere of thought at the scene of need. It may also call forth simple deeds of kindness that naturally flow from prayer and listening to God’s guidance on the proper use of additional practical steps to be taken - always witnessing to the glory and power of God’s ever-presence and love for all of His creation.