Christian Science, founded by Mary Baker Eddy, interprets the “image of God” in Genesis 1:26 as a spiritual, metaphysical reality. This understanding is shaped by the premise that God is purely Spirit and that all creation, including humanity, is spiritual and immaterial. Eddy’s view is central to Christian Science theology and diverges significantly from traditional Biblical teaching.
Key Aspects of the Christian Science Interpretation
God as Spirit and Reality as Spiritual
Mary Baker Eddy teaches that God is the infinite Father-Mother, an indivisible spiritual being encompassing all reality. From this perspective, humanity—created in the image of God—is also wholly spiritual. As Eddy writes in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: “Man and woman—as coexistent and eternal with God—forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God” (Science and Health, p. 516).
According to Eddy, humans are spiritual ideas of God, manifesting divine qualities like love, wisdom, and purity. This interpretation denies any material aspect of human existence, claiming that the material world is an illusion arising from false beliefs.
Denial of Material Reality
Christian Science asserts that what humanity perceives as the material world is a mistaken, illusory concept. Sickness, sin, and death are similarly viewed as false beliefs rather than actual conditions. For Eddy, understanding one’s spiritual nature—being the “image of God”—is the pathway to freedom from these illusions.
- Image and Likeness: In Christian Science, being made in God’s image means humanity reflects the infinite attributes of Spirit, such as life, love, and truth, without physical limitations or imperfections.
- Illusion of the Body: The body, along with all physical forms, is not part of God’s creation and therefore holds no true reality or significance.
Practical Implications
Eddy’s interpretation shapes Christian Science’s practical approaches:
- Healing: Physical ailments are treated through prayer and spiritual understanding, aiming to correct false mental perceptions rather than seeking medical intervention.
- Sin: Sin is seen not as rebellion against a holy God but as an error of thought to be corrected through alignment with divine Mind.
- Salvation: Salvation involves realizing and affirming humanity’s spiritual perfection, rather than addressing sin through Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
Critique of the Christian Science Interpretation
While Eddy’s interpretation offers a consistent metaphysical framework, it diverges sharply from the Biblical text and traditional Christian theology. Several key errors can be identified.
Misunderstanding “Image” and “Likeness”
Eddy’s claim that humanity is coexistent and eternal with God misinterprets the Hebrew terms tzelem (“image”) and demut (“likeness”). These words indicate resemblance and representation, not identity or equivalence. For example, the Hebrew word tzelem is also used for idols, which represent but do not embody the deity (e.g., Numbers 33:52; 2 Chronicles 23:17; Ezekiel 7:20). Humans are distinct from God, resembling Him in moral, intellectual, and relational capacities without sharing His divine essence.
Misuse of the Concept of Creation
Eddy’s theology contradicts the Biblical concept of creation. The Hebrew word bara (“create”) in Genesis 1:26-27 always refers to an act of God bringing something into existence. It does not imply preexistence or eternality, as Eddy claims. Similarly, in the New Testament, create (Greek: ktizo) emphasizes God as the sovereign Creator of all things, including humanity (Colossians 1:15-16; Revelation 4:11).
Logical Fallacies in Eddy’s Reasoning
Eddy’s view that God is both male and female (the “Father-Mother God”) arises from her assumption that because humanity reflects God, God must possess human traits. This reasoning involves an illicit conversion in logic: assuming that because humans resemble God, God must resemble humans. While God created humanity male and female (Genesis 1:27), He is Spirit (John 4:24) and transcends human categories of gender.
Pantheistic Tendencies
Christian Science veers into pantheism by blurring the distinction between Creator and creation. Eddy’s theology implies that humanity shares in God’s divine nature, contradicting the Biblical view of humanity as finite creatures made by an infinite Creator. The Old Testament, written within a strict monotheistic framework, rejects such pantheistic interpretations.
Comparison of the Christian Science and Biblical Interpretations
| Aspect | Christian Science Interpretation | Biblical Interpretation |
| Reality of Creation | Material existence is an illusion. | The material world is real and created good by God. |
| Human Nature | Purely spiritual; eternal with God. | Both physical and spiritual; finite and created by God. |
| Image of God | Reflection of divine attributes in spiritual perfection. | Reflection of God’s nature in moral, spiritual, and rational aspects. |
| Sin | An illusion or false belief. | A real rebellion against God, resulting in separation from Him. |
| Salvation | Achieved through spiritual enlightenment. | Achieved through faith in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work. |
Summary of the Christian Science View
The Christian Science interpretation of Genesis 1:26 profoundly misrepresents the Biblical teaching on the “image of God.” While Christian Science emphasizes spiritual perfection and denies material reality, the Bible presents a holistic view of humanity as both physical and spiritual, reflecting God’s character and designed for relationship with Him. The Biblical narrative further underscores the need for redemption through Christ, a truth absent in Eddy’s theology. By imposing her metaphysical framework onto the text, Eddy departs from the plain meaning and theological coherence of Scripture.