From the Christian Science Lesbian Connection newsletter
One thing I learned from my Sunday School teachers was how to gain new insight into Bible and Science and Health passages by substituting words. For example, whenever it says “God,” we can change it to “Mind” or “Love” or “Our Creator” or “The Almighty.” Another example: wherever it says “man,” it’s meaningful to change it to your own name.
We know in Christian Science that God is divine, incorporeal, and infinite, not a giant man in the sky, yet sometimes we do picture God as a Him, as a Father, as the Judge, as the Lord. To give equal treatment to God as our Mother, how do we picture Her? I sometimes picture Her as a large, powerful, dark-skinned mama who don’t take no guff, protective and definite about what’s good for Her beloved, darling children. Nobody messes with her. Other times I picture her as an enthusiastic, blond, cheerleader type who is crazy about her kids and adores them, gushing about the smartest, most talented, most wonderful kids there are.
If God is really Mother and loves us, Her daughters, wouldn’t it be permissible to talk to her as Mother and to identify Her as the one running the universe? I sometimes cross out all the “O Lord” references and substitute “O Mother” ones on my paper copy of the weekly Christian Science Bible Lesson Sermon or C.S. Sentinels or Journals.
Here are some citations adapted for women:
Isaiah 43:1,4,6,7,12
thus saith the Mother that created thee, O Leah, and She that formed thee, O Rachel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Since thou wast precious in my sight, though hast been honorable, and I have loved thee:
I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth; Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created her for my glory, I have formed her, yea, I have made her.
I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Mother, that I am God,
Job 33:4
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty Mother hath given me life.
Psalms 18:32, 35
It is Mother that girdeth me with strength, and maketh my way perfect. Thou hast also given me the shield of thy salvation: and thy right hand hath holden me up, and thy gentleness hath made me great.
Psalms 89:14, 15
Justice and judgement are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Mother, in the light of thy smiling face.
Psalms 17:15
As for me, I will behold my Mother’s face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with Her likeness.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, p. 475:7
The Scriptures inform us that woman is made in the image and likeness of God. Matter is not that likeness. The likeness of Spirit cannot be so unlike Spirit. Woman is spiritual and perfect; and because she is spiritual and perfect, she must be so understood in Christian Science. Woman is idea, the image of Love; she is not physique. She is the compound idea of God, including all right ideas; the generic term for all that reflects God’s image and likeness; the conscious identity of being as found in Science, in which woman is the reflection of God, or Mind, and therefore is eternal; that which has no separate mind from God; that which has not a single quality not derived from Mother; that which possesses no life, intelligence, nor creative power of her own, but reflects spiritually all that belongs to her Mother.
I John 3:1-3
Behold, what manner of love the Mother hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the Daughters of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Her not. Beloved, now are we the daughters of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when She shall appear, we shall be like Her; for we shall see her as She is. And every woman that hath this hope in Her purifyeth herself, even as She is pure.