WHAT IS A CSO?
“Millions of unprejudiced minds — simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert — are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ’s name, and never fear the consequences.”
(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.570)
Students and faculty at colleges and universities worldwide are responding to the desire for spiritual answers on their campuses through the activities of Christian Science Organizations (also know as CSOs or “orgs”). To get a better understanding of what a CSO is, you’ll want to study the Manual of The Mother Church’s provision for this activity. You can find it on page 73 of the Manual or in the Getting Started section of this handbook.
Each CSO is unique. But they all are connected by their desire to share Christian Science with their campuses. There are no limits to what CSOs can do to meet the needs of their college community and each CSO accomplishes this in its own way. To give you an idea of the scope and diversity of CSO work, here is a list of some of the activities CSOs are currently organizing:
- Informational tables at wellness fairs sharing copies of Science and Health and articles of healing
- Informal meetings with discussions, idea sharing, and testimonies
- Lecture events
- Regional CSO conferences
- Interfaith panel discussions with Christian Science lecturers and leaders from other religions
» Inge Schmidt, a PhD student at Yale University, discusses a medical school lecture and an inter-faith panel she organized. - Lectures on Christian Science in women’s history, religion, physics classes and at medical schools
» Lecturer Shirley Paulson, CS shares the importance of classroom lectures
There’s more about these and other activities in the CSO Activities section, but for now, let’s explore the question of the importance and benefits of CSO activity.
Why Are CSOs Important?
In answering this question, it’s important to understand Mrs. Eddy’s vision for CSOs and Christian Science in academia. A natural place to look would be her writings, especially the By-Law for CSOs in the Manual of The Mother Church.
Want to learn more about the historical context of this by-law? Click here.
Mary Baker Eddy also comments in No and Yes that “If the Bible and Science and Health had the place in schools of learning that physiology occupies, they would revolutionize and reform the world, through the power of Christ. It is true that it requires more study to understand and demonstrate what these works teach, than to learn theology, physiology, or physics; because they teach divine Science, with fixed Principle, given rule, and unmistakable proof.” (p. 11)
So how are CSOs revolutionizing and reforming thought on their campuses today? To answer this, we asked current CSO members and Christian Science lecturers to weigh in on what they see as the importance and benefits of this work.
Here are their responses:
“…it’s been an opportunity to reach out beyond myself and include the whole community in my prayers.”
Inge Schmidt, Yale University CSO, read more
“…evangelizing, shaping, and redeeming scholarship and thereby culture as a whole.”
Elaine Follis, CS, Tufts U. and Principia College CSOs, read more
“…ability to sponsor a Christian Science lectures… As Mary Baker Eddy says, this is a privilege!”
Shirley Paulson, CS, Principia College CSO, read more
“…It changed my life and helped me find my life’s calling.”
Lyle Young, CSB, Ball State U. CSO, read more
“Where else on campus can people come and find themselves identified with pure good, no matter what? Where else are science, religion, medicine seen as having common ground? Where else are students and faculty on exactly the same level? Where else can you meet with people who are using the very best tools available to learn to pray effectively? You can keep this list going….”
Dave Stevens, CSB, Harvard U. and Principia College CSOs, read more
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