Individual thoughts

For one thing, Christian Science is all about thinking! A student organization centered on, focused on, and motivated about meeting, sharing ideas, reaching new people and thinking is one mighty powerful thing. College is a chance for a bunch of 20-year-olds to be curious, to ask questions, to hear each others’ answers and study. Whether its biology, Latin American literature or differential equations, college is about the study of our world; an active CSO is an alive bunch of people interested in studying what governs this world. Truth! Life! Love! Learning and learning and learning!

With papers, exams and problem sets, rehearsals, practices and class-time, a chance to sit in a room once a week with other spiritual thinkers is a blessing. It’s fresh air, it’s a fist squeezing with excitement about an idea realized, it’s quietly listening to a testimony of healing or a sincere question. Our weekly discussions, which include mini- hymn sings, readings and oftentimes some fresh-baked cookies, feel more productive than the rest of the busy college week; you just realize that what’s discussed in that room is more substantial than anything else offered on campus. I meet thinkers around school and get to extend an invitation to join a serious group of thinkers—who also happen to be all about fun—and that’s a cool thing!

Julie Furbush, Tufts University CSO, USA

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Universities view themselves as places devoted to the search for Truth. The CSO is the only organization on campus that understands “Truth” to be a synonym for God, and that knowledge gained without God won’t answer the fundamental questions we all have about the purpose and meaning of our lives. CSO activity offers friendship and support in that discovery of what God is and a forum for exploring those ideas together. Those meetings become the oases in your schedule because they provide the inspiration, comfort, and strength to think through the tough issues in college and beyond.

Robin Hoagland, CSB, Massachusetts, USA Alum, Williams College and U. of Edinburgh CSOs

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For me, CSOs are important because they bring a healing presence on the campus. They give their members the opportunity to let their light shine by embodying the spirit of the good Samaritan, to express a universal love.

Patrick Essobo, University of Douala CSO, Cameroon

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CSOs are an organization unlike any other on college campuses. Religious organizations tend to focus on ministering to members of their faith and organizing worship services. Service organizations only provide temporary human relief (which is important, too). There are healing institutions on campus—but they admit to the limitations of their own abilities. The CSO is an all-in-one spiritual service and healing organization. It’s the ultimate one-stop shopping experience, and it serves the whole community.

Inevitably CSO work blesses the Christian Scientists on campus, too. For me, it’s been an opportunity to reach out beyond myself and include the whole community in my prayers. In answering hard questions from others, I’ve become more confident in what I’ve learned in Christian Science. It’s prepared me for serving in my branch church—preparing readings for meetings, organizing lectures, responding to false information about Christian Science, and most importantly, metaphysically supporting the healing impact of Christian Science on the community.

Inge Schmidt, Yale University CSO, USA

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Why did Mrs. Eddy place a distinct activity of her church in the heart of academe—perhaps the human mind’s most probing and inquisitive institution? Because clearly, she saw a mission for that church in evangelizing, shaping, and redeeming scholarship and thereby culture as a whole. Christian Scientists have the potential of bringing a revolutionary dimension to their intellectual activity; Mrs. Eddy explains “Academics of the right sort are requisite. Observation, invention, study, and original thought are expansive and should promote the growth of mortal mind out of itself, out of all that is mortal” (Science and Health, p.195). CSO members are in the vanguard of all this—and what more exciting place could there ever be!

Elaine Follis, CS, Massachusetts, USA Alum, Tufts U. and Principia College CSOs

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I can’t over-emphasize the importance of what’s happening in the university classrooms regarding their teaching of Christian Science. Look at it this way: think of all the things happening on university classrooms around the world. Ideas are shared, textbooks studied, and knowledge gained. People are taught how to think about and analyze the world
In many classrooms, students are taught that Christian Science is a cult that undermines true Christianity. Or that Christian Science is a mind-game that promises to make you comfortable and wealthy. Or that it isn’t Christian at all. These incorrect teachings about Christian Science are taking place on almost every campus at least in the United States. Check out the religion textbooks on your campus, and you’ll see this is no exaggeration. Put yourself in those students’ shoes—you may well carry very negative concepts of Christian Science—until maybe you bumped into a real Christian Scientist on campus, or you went to a class where a lecturer explained it correctly.

CSOs have the ability to sponsor a Christian Science lecture for those classrooms. These lectures are urgent right now, as the predominant teaching about Christian Science is incorrect. When you realize, as you do, what an extraordinary blessing Christian Science is to the whole world, then you are eager to rise to the occasion and bring an end to this incorrect teaching in universities. Your willingness to bring a lecture to the classroom is of great importance for everyone’s sake. Even if you don’t have any idea how to start, you can contact a lecturer or TMC Youth for help. We’re there for you! As Mary Baker Eddy says, this is a privilege!

Shirley Paulson, CS, Illinois, USA Alum, Principia College CSO

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A CSO is an opportunity to get Christian Science known and respected in the academic community. This can have quite a big impact on society in the long run. CSOs can heal problems that people are facing on campus when members are prepared to pray about them. CSO members have firsthand experience with university life and can help bless and support each other. CSOs provide a space where people can learn more about Christian Science, and share ideas about demonstrating it.
Katie Marr, University of Plymouth CSO, England I was introduced to Christian Science at the CSO at Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana in 1981. It changed my life and helped me find my life’s calling.

Lyle Young, CSB, Ontario, Canada Alum, Ball State U. CSO

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For me, CSOs are very important because they promote unity between Christian Science students. This enables them to work together to better serve the greater student community by sharing with them how to heal spiritually. CSO work reinforces our own ability to heal ourselves and our peers through prayer.

Furthermore, CSOs are the best equipped to show people that the challenges they face in their academic lives are actually opportunities for success.

Kelly Mfumu, University of Kinshasa CSO, Democratic Republic of Congo

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Campus life is totally different from what I experienced in high school; the freedom that comes with being far away from home brings with it a lot of confusion, especially in terms of your own spiritual identity. One thing that a CSO community helps one do is come to terms with, and to realize, God’s guidance and loving care throughout the university education period.
CSOs provide platforms for discussing issues university students are facing. They enable people to learn more about their identity, which doesn’t just benefit the CSO members, but the whole campus community.

Adedeh Malachi, University of Nairobi CSO, Kenya

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Spiritual growing is all about gaining new views. So is all of education. “As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation which before were invisible, will become visible.” (Science and Health, p. 264) CSOs are all about gaining more correct views of God and man, so then you have to deal with those “objects” which before were invisible—and then the fun begins!

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, California, USA Alum, Harvard U. and Principia College CSOs