The Wayfarer in Divine Science

Notes from a journey in Christian Science




There are no accidents in divine Mind




I have heard people say “there are no accidents in divine Mind” after something clearly not good had happened, either big or small. For a long time I wasn't sure what to make of it, mostly because it seemed to be claimed in direct opposition to the evidence at hand.

I now understand that quite literally “there are no accidents in divine Mind” and that this means whatever accident occurred must have happened because the individual was not demonstrating that they were in the divine Mind. The accident did not happen because God caused it, but rather because the wrong thinking or acting which brought it about needed to be corrected. It is a sign to the person who had the accident to go to God and get their thought right.

Looking back on previous events in my own history that appeared as accidents, it's clear I learned I needed more patience, to keep my spiritual armor on, and to keep listening to God no matter what, just to name a few things. This has made me more appreciative of how Mrs. Eddy says on page 66 of Science and Health that “Trials are proofs of God's care.”

That said, it does not change that many people say “there are no accidents in divine Mind” as though they are casting a spell which magically undoes what happened. This is not Christian Science, and does a major disservice to the credibility of Christian Science in the eyes of the world, and ultimately proves that these people do not truly understand Christian Science.

Mary Baker Eddy herself wrote “My life is a manifestation of divine Life from which I derive all moral and physical health. Therefore, my life should be beyond the reach of accidents as the divine Life is.” (Divinity Course and General Collectanea, the "Blue Book", by Mary Baker Eddy, page 215) Her use of the word should shows that this is something to strive for, not merely claim without demonstration.