Lending Library resource -- start from the back!

I have been able to obtain the loan of our book Stories of Healing: Jesus and his followers from our church’s Reading Room. What a fine resource it is! I started at the front and read many of Jesus’ healings. They are very familiar, though I am sure I can learn from them every time I meet them. However, I then turned to the back of the book and started to read the book from the back.

This reminds me of Irwin Canham, long-time Editor of The Christian Science Monitor. He had a wee column in the paper in which he answered questions and gave gentle advice (as I remember it from way back). One question was: Why is it easier to open a book from the back (or some-such)? Canham (as I recall) suggested it may have something to do with being right-handed. I note that the Words only version of the Christian Science Hymnal – Hymns 430-603 is very sympathetic to such handling. It is easy to riffle through the hymns. By the way, Canham connected people around the world as pen-pals.  I corresponded with a woman in America and one of my daughters chatted to a youth in Korea.

Anyway, there is much of interest at the back of the book. But first up, aren’t the maps brilliant on the inside covers?

At the very back we are introduced to the authors (p. 301). Prior to that is the invaluable alphabetical Index (pp. 297-300). I compiled one of those on a different project, so I know how much work goes into them. Then the Bibliography (pp. 294-296) which lists all the books referred to by the authors.

About this Book (pp. 292-293) includes information on the Book’s Organization and Approach and Ways to Read This Book. If you have read from the beginning you will be familiar with some of this.

On pages 283-291 is a section called The Life and Times of Jesus, with sub-headings:

·       The Jews Hope for a Messiah and Jesus’ Arrival

·       The Messiah and Jesus’ Healing Ministry

·       God’s Power to Heal—Available to Everyone

·       Resistance to Jesus and his teachings

·       The promise of the Holy Spirit and Healing

·       Jesus promise fulfilled on the day of Pentecost

·       Learn more about Jesus’ followers (Barnabas -- how good to have all about him in a nutshell, John, Peter, Philip, Saul/Paul, Stephen -- dear Stephen, saying, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge” when dying from stoning from a mob

We then come to the coloured pages specially emphasised for reference, as outlined early in the book.

·       Purple: Concepts — Ascended/Ascension, Baptism, Christ, Demon(s), Faith, Healed of Sins, Holy Spirit, Kingdom of God, Light of the World, Messiah, Unclean Spirits, Word

·       Red: Jewish Customs — Mourning, Laws of Cleanness, Laws of Cleanness – Death, Laws of Cleanness – Sin, Pentecost, Purification Rituals, Sabbath Law(s), Spit

·       Orange: Glossary — Bed, Blasphemy, Church/es, Leprosy, Lord, Master, New Testament, Old Testament, Paralysed, Peace, Sabbath, Teacher

·       Green: People — Ananias, Apostle/s, Aristarchus, Barnabas, Centurion, Christian/s, Daughter/s of Abraham, Disciple/s, Follower/s, Gentiles, Jews, John, John Mark, Luke, Lydia, Paul/Saul, Peter, Pharisee/s, Philip, Priest/s, Prophet/s, Samaritan/s, Sanhedrin, Saul/Paul, Scribes, Silas, Son/s of Abraham, Son of David, Son of God, Stephen, Tabitha, Timothy. Woman/Women

·       Blue: Places — Jericho, Jerusalem, Jordan River, Judea, Mount of Olives, Palestine, Perea, Phoenicia, Pool of Siloam, Roman Empire, Synagogue/s, Temple

Well. I am so glad I have done that. I can really appreciate what a good reference book this will be, and not just for Sunday school teachers.

Joyce Voysey

Forgiveness

It's lovely to read how tenderly Jesus treated both men and women. Our book Stories of Healing: Jesus and his followers points out that "Jesus treated women in a different way than most men did" (p. 278) -- that is, with respect, compassion, fairness, and inclusion. 

A great example is Jesus' treatment of the woman who turned up at the Pharisee Simon's dinner party (see pp. 50-55). While Simon had already pinned a label of "sinner" on this woman, Jesus saw that her loving and respectful actions towards him signified her repentance. On the other hand, Simon's blindness to his own faults was met with insight and firmness by Jesus' parable of the two borrowers who were both unable to repay their loans but were nevertheless forgiven. Readers of Science & Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy will recall that Chapter 12, Christian Science Practice, begins with an analysis of this story (pp. 362-364). 

The dark red pages about Customs (at the back of Stories of Healing) include some helpful information about Guests. For example, it was the custom for the host to wash the guest's feet, to greet them with a kiss, and to pour olive oil on the guest's head (see pp. 267-8). How lovely to be greeted in this way. Perhaps some of our readers have been in a country where this custom still applies.

Here's a poem I found in the Christian Science Sentinel, June 30, 1986.

Worship

... to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (Luke 7:47)

Simon or "sinner"?
Tiptoe, self-centered homage

Or repentant, deep affection?

KATHERINE ANNE LYDER STOFFEL

It's interesting that Merriam-Webster includes "a resolve to change" in its definition of repentance.

Julie Swannell

 

Incurable?

 The story of the healing of the centurion's servant of paralysis is recounted on pages 41-44 of Stories of healing: Jesus and his followers, Ir may have been quite a stretch for an important soldier to approach Jesus to ask for help. Yet he did so because he loved his servant very much and believed that Jesus could heal him. In those days, the Roman army was powerful and everywhere, watching everyone's movements all the time. So the centurion's humility in refusing to even allow Jesus to visit his home, especially as he was a Gentile (not Jewish) -- "I'm not good enough for you to come inside my house" (p. 42) was startling. 

As usual, Jesus turned the incident into a teaching moment for the people who were listening to this conversation and watching what was going on. He commented: "This man's faith is very great. I haven't found a faith like this among the Jews" (ibid, p. 43).

Accompanying this story is a modern-day account titled "My Victory over Childhood Paralysis" by Phyllis Woodhead from Claygate, Surrey, England. When this six-year old found herself in hospital with an "incurable" prognosis, she earnestly asked her mother if she could ask for prayerful help from a Christian Science practitioner. See page 242 for the account of her healing.

Julie Swannell

 

Beautiful book about Jesus' healings

I love our new book Stories of Healing: Jesus and his followers, revised and expanded edition published  in 2020 by the Christian Science Publishing Society. I purchased it some time ago, but have now been more disciplined in taking a couple of pages each day and investigating all that those pages have to offer, including the colour coded pages at the back. That orderly approach is very rewarding!

It is an extraordinary resource for anyone interested in the Bible, and of course, in the healings of Jesus. The writing is very direct and simple; the ideas profound (thank you Mary Jo Beebe, Olene E. Carroll and Nancy H. Fischer). The illustrations are excellent (thank you Genevieve Meek): they give a perfect feeling of what life may have looked like for Jesus and his followers. And the very simple map on the inside front cover is wonderful to refer to as one journeys along with Jesus during his astonishing three year ministry.

What's more, the book FEELS good in one's hand. I love the raised print on the cover for instance.

Jesus told us that he is "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14:6). That sounds like a pretty good reason for reading this book.

Happy reading everyone. I'm sure your local Christian Science Reading Room has copies for sale or borrowing.

Julie Swannell