Is Principia a geographical space? Sure. But it is even more of a mental space — an idea, a concept. It is a concept like home, about which Mary Baker Eddy once said: “Home is the dearest spot on earth, and it should be the centre, though not the boundary, of the affections.” (S&H, p. 58) What if we broadened our definition of Principia by regarding it as a home, comprising a centre of the affections, but not the boundaries?
I am grateful that I was asked to join for a quarter the faculty of Principia College for both the Languages and the Music Departments. I find the college to be a space where Christian Science is not a spice added into the mix of academic training and development, but rather constitutes the meal itself. It is a place where I can include aspects of Mary Baker Eddy’s biography into a training session as well as refer to Mary Baker Eddy’s definition of “academics of the right sort” when appropriate. Since this is the only college in the world to base academics on the practice of Christian Science, this makes the college visible in a special way to the academic world and it brings with it a huge responsibility. For academia is the space where the knowledge is generated which shapes today’s world and the future. In a way, Principia can’t help being the face of Christian Science to academia at large.
Tying into my teaching experiences at other European and American universities and colleges and my teaching experience at Principia are my readings of two articles, published in May 2009. The first is the recent interview with Rabbi David Louis of Kiryat Gat, Israel, published in the Christian Science Sentinel (May 11, 2009). This interview is only one of the myriad signs of the times that show that Christian Science is reaching in the 21st century more and different people than ever before. Christian Science is truly universal and evidently humanity is urging us to reconsider our means and methods with which we have previously offered Christian Science to the world. Rabbi Louis uses the revealing term “a metareligion” to describe Christian Science.
Secondly, I read the same month a thoughtful column by Principia’s fine student Gameli Anumu in the Principia Pilot (May 15, 2009). He writes: “We can be an intentional community without being an exclusive one.” Doesn’t this sound like elaborating on Mary Baker Eddy’s definition of home? Intentional means defining the core — exclusive would mean to define the boundaries.
So here is my point: what might happen if the college starts working at becoming more visible and inviting to any thinker who is on a spiritual path with the help of the Bible and our textbook? I wonder what would happen if the college raised its standards by opening its doors to anyone being willing to sign the pledge and find out more about Christian Science?
The reason why I feel that this is raising the standards is an honest look at college reality, an assessment of the goodness and spiritual yearning of people world wide, and a desire to keep up with the movement of Christian Science. We all will realize that serving the Cause of Christian Science might not be the same as serving the cause of Christian Scientists. Humanity is evidently pushing us to be more inclusive, to move from cultural notions to an honest assessment of individual character, and to join with the pure in heart everywhere by raising the standard of unconditional love. Here are two immortal sentences to consider: “Give them a cup of cold water in Christ’s name, and never fear the consequences” (S&H p. 570). And this one: “We soil our garments with conservatism, and afterwards we have to wash them clean” (S&H p. 452).
With its dedicated faculty, student body and administration already in place, Principia is fit to meet the needs of the times, and I would like to see many more young people worldwide reaping what Principia sows. Helping anyone who is willing to come and be taught on a Christian Science campus is more important than discussing who shouldn’t come. Generosity and spiritual intuition will always lead the way.
As I thought about embracing Principia as an idea rather than as a geographical space, I was surprised by how few international faculty members there are on campus. I had expected Principia’s faculty to reflect the worldwide movement of Christian Science as much as international standards of teaching and training. Principia is no exception from other colleges and universities who are in the middle of very interesting process of understanding what a more global culture might ask of us. We should join them in our own way in order to courageously meet the needs of humanity. Principia has the potential of being a kind of “College for the World” while setting a standard of spiritual and academic excellence.
What might this mean for Principia College? We should all figure this out together. “The future of the world largely depends upon the people under the age of 25,” the German author Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once wrote. May they be supported in becoming world citizens who will treat their world — human beings and nature alike — with independent thought, an adventurous, honest love for God and the most crucial ingredient of any human life: compassion.
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