Christian Science Practice
by Scientific and Spiritual Development.

The practitioner of Christian Science must be aware, among other things, of the four development domains that the four columns of the matrix represent, as defined by Mary Baker Eddy in the chapter the Apocalypse. (see figure 1) Scientific development in thought unfolds like the flow of a river. The practitioner must recognize that there are indeed, four rivers defined by Mary Baker Eddy in the Glossary, that match the four developmental flows outlined in figure 1. The sequence of the rivers, of course, is defined in Genesis 2. (see figure 2)

Mary Baker Eddy has been totally thorough and consistent in her work. She has predefined every aspect of her structure for scientific and spiritual development that is rudimental and is essential for the task of healing. She has even predefined the matrix foursquare, when it is seen as a structure of sixteen elements, by dividing her textbook into sixteen parts, as well as the Lord's Prayer, and her metaphoric work, Christ and Christmas. Since the sequence of these structures is fixed, and they all pertain to the logical flow of scientific and spiritual development, they can all be sequentially applied to the matrix foursquare in a manner consistent with progressive development. (see figure 3)

A practitioner of Christian Science requires this correlation as a source of strength and inspiration for the daily work. In fact, Mary Baker Eddy has formalized this requirement when she set up the daily lesson sermon which brings biblical texts into the sphere of the presentations of truth found in the textbook. The resulting 'lesson' then becomes further defined by the relationship of the selected textbook chapter to the matrix foursquare. (see figure 4 and figure 5) This interrelating process brings the lesson citations into into a direct context with the main cardinal points and developmental flows that Mary Baker Eddy has defined for the matrix. It brings the textbook citations also into context with the corresponding element of the Lord's Prayer and the corresponding metaphor in Christ and Christmas. (see figure 6 and figure 6a)

This correlation that is shown in figure 6 is automatically indicated throughout the 600 early Christian Science Bible lessons that are available on this Web site. A practitioner of Christian Science needs this kind of grounding on a daily basis to be able to stand up in the storm of trying situations and command the winds to cease by the strength of the acquired certain knowledge of the truth.

Mary Baker Eddy has also set up a system of formal teaching by which an accredited teacher conducts a class once a year, evidently to convey to students the more advanced elements of Mary Baker Eddy's structure for scientific and spiritual development. The teaching in the Primary class is required in the Church Manual to be focused on the chapter Recapitulation in the textbook. This chapter has 24 elements and is arranged in the manner of a platform statement that begins with the most important aspect to which everything below is subordinated.  (see detail presentation) The detailed presentation shows to a small degree the complexities that are involved at the higher level explorations, such as relating a complex platform to an already complex matrix structure. One can also perceive the 24 elements to be mapped only into the upper three rows (two per element) since ultimately, "there shall be no night there," which obsoletes the lower row.

The chapter Recapitulation raises the entire matrix foursquare to a higher level of scientific investigation. It also does something else. It provides a link to the Bible lesson topics, of which there are 26. There are 26 topics, because there are 52 weeks in a year. Still, Mary Baker Eddy found a way to bring the lesson topics into the context of the matrix foursquare by assigning two topics to two of the elements of the chapter Recapitulation. That is, two questions in the chapter Recapitulation cover two topics instead of just one. Mary Baker Eddy did something else, too. She did provide the first part of the definition of the term Adam as a structure of 26 parts. This means that the definition of the name ADAM contains the specific denials that counteract the respective statements of truth in the chapter, Recapitulation. (see figure 8) The 600 early Christian Science Bible lessons that are available on this Web site have that correlation automatically included.

This, then, is the focus of teaching in the Primary classes. But who teaches the teacher?