Max Kappeler’s Teaching Moments

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Our Divine Bill of Rights

Our divine rights and divine laws come from God, not from a human form of government.
“Human law is right only as it patterns the divine.”

Mary Baker Eddy (My. 283:26)

A Teaching Moment

Max Kappeler

The following is an edited excerpt from Max Kappeler, Christian Government—Its Scientific Evolution, pp. 5–19.
—Perfect government (and the divine rights of man) will only become apparent when Christ, God’s ideal, is understood spiritually and scientifically.
—Our understanding of true government must be based on Science.
—Mrs. Eddy writes: “The term Science, properly understood, refers only to the laws of God and to His government of the universe, inclusive of man.”

Mary Baker Eddy (S&H 128:4-6)

THE RIGHTS OF MAN

The development of the rights of man in human experience has had a long and bloody history. All down the ages mankind has fought for their birthright—for liberty. Mankind values liberty above all their possessions; when it is attacked, man is even willing to risk his life for it. But mankind had never claimed its full divinely scientific freedom and true divine birthright until Mary Baker Eddy discovered divine Science. With an understanding of Science mankind is set free not only from the bondage and slavery to other men, but also set free from myriad lies and false material beliefs. This is the great step forward of the present age of divine Science, and leads to ultimate spiritual perfection.

God’s government of mankind includes definite divine rights.

What are our divine rights?

The Bible and the Christian Science textbook teach that man is created in the image and likeness of God. Mankind, therefore, possesses and reflects the nature and essence of God as: Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love (S&H 465: 8-10). Thus we can claim the right to be governed by God alone. The relation of God and man is fixed and based on Science; it cannot be changed.

The following is an edited excerpt from Max Kappeler, A Study Aid for the Science of Christian Science, pp. 70–77.

MIND
Our divine birthright when governed by divine Mind:
• The right to think
– independently (dependent on Mind alone)
– to use logical reasoning
– to be inspired by divine ideas
• The right to learn
– to rely on spiritually scientific investigation
• The right to be law-abiding
• The right to courage of conviction
– to act boldly
• The right to know God, divine Principle
– to be free of agnosticism

SPIRIT
Our divine birthright when governed by Spirit:
• The right to have only one God, divine Principle
– to be free from polytheism
• The right to turn away from materiality, and to focus on
the supremacy of Spirit
• The right to be good and spiritually pure
– to be free from the control of evil beliefs and friction
• The right to trust in Spirit alone
– to evolve spiritually

SOUL
Our divine birthright when governed by Soul:
• The right to freedom
– to be free from slavery, bondage, sin, and sensuality
– to be free from all material limitations
• the right to joy and happiness
• The right to divine security and divine safety
• the right to pursue spiritual understanding
• the right to identify ourselves with God, divine Principle
– to be free from malpractice, egotism, and physical sense testimony

PRINCIPLE
Our divine birthright when governed by Principle:
• The right to be obedient and loyal to Principle, God alone
– to be free from obedience to personal theories,
personal authorities, and material organization
• The right to be honest
• The right to reflect spiritual power
• The right to let the divine Principle of the universe interpret the universe
• The right to be under the government of God,
divine Principle, and to be self-governed
– to be free of the belief in an anthropomorphic God
• The right to have a spiritually scientific attitude

LIFE
Our divine birthright when governed by Life:
• The right to develop and preserve our true divine individuality
– to be free from all attempts to persecute or rob us of our God-given individuality
• The right to soar above the mortal concept of life
– to be free of the belief, here and now, of the limitations of time, the cycle of birth-maturity-death
• The right to be a spiritual pioneer
• The right to go the way of Life
– to be free from persecution

TRUTH
Our divine birthright when governed by Truth:
• The right to be “the child of God”
– to claim our spiritual inheritance
• The right to be healthy
– to be free from sickness
• The right to divine consciousness
– to be free from mortal, human consciousness
(individual and collective)
• The right to adhere to the ideal standard of Truth
– to be free from the standards set by people

LOVE
Our divine birthright when governed by Love:
• The right to welcome the plan of God, Love, and universal salvation
– to be free from nihilism, and the belief in eternal damnation
• The right to accept the motherhood (womanhood) qualities of Love
– to be free from fear and hate
• The right to accept divine perfection and the goal-directed perfect design of Love