Dear Editor,
It has been so fun working to prayerfully support Principia while in the Middle East this past winter! One of my favorite ways to do so is through drawing inspiration from Education at the Principia. Each day here, I’ve read one article and have been so inspired by the fresh ideas on both education and Principle. On many occasions, the articles I’ve read have directly correlated with what I’ve been …

Dear Editor,
I was delighted to have stumbled upon your article on my first visit to the Pilot online. I had no idea that current students raised these kinds of issues and were at least tolerated by the administration when they did. I graduated in the sixties, and any discussion of racism, sexism or homophobia was taboo except by the “powers that were” behind closed doors. Even raising one of those issues …

Dear editor,
While there is an aspect of the social life for students at Principia that is not living up to the standards set forth and agreed to by the members of our community, there is also an aspect of the educational environment that is lacking in meeting the standards needed for this institution to fulfill its purpose. Mrs. Morgan made it very clear that her expectation was that the level of standards …

Dear Editors,
The May 1, 2010 Principia Pilot contained several letters responding to the recent article regarding the use of medicine by Christian Scientists. I appreciate the ideas shared in all of the letters as well as the original article and the efforts of the authors to share their inspiration. I thought it would be helpful to our community’s consideration of this important issue to note that some of the letters made statements about Christian Science and medicine that are, upon closer examination, not as clear-cut as the writers present them to be.

As a Principian I cherish my experiences with healing through prayer, without medical means, as sacred to my spiritual growth. My Christian Science practice has included raising four children, all of whom have attended Principia, and a public practice as a military chaplain representing The Mother Church where instances of healing through prayer alone were very much under the scrutiny of the military medical establishment. As Dean of Students at the College I saw numerous Principia individuals and families wrestle with the issues most recently discussed in The Pilot as to whether or not God could be felt at work through a range of healthcare choices. For me, I have found great clarity on page 444 of Science and Health.

The article “Health Care Issues at Prin” recommends that Christian Scientists pray to God for guidance, listen for “the still small voice,” and then be obedient to God’s direction when faced with a claim of disease that does not respond to C.S. treatment. The article is at odds with the widespread belief in the C.S. movement that if one just sticks with C.S., one will eventually get a healing.

I want to express my appreciation for Michael Booth’s article in the last issue of the Pilot. I feel that the issues addressed in this article reflect the feelings of many individuals of the community. For me, the greatest learning occurs when I encounter different thoughts.

I was not just saddened but horrified to read in the Pilot about the deaccession/sale of the beautiful Pierre Soulages painting (“So Long Soulages” by Kayleigh Kavanagh, April 16). For three years, whilst teaching art history at Principia College, this painting was in my office, and later it found its way to the library. I served for a couple of years on the Cultural Properties Committee and cannot imagine what rationale or debate might have taken place which could have allowed for this painting to be let go.

Responding to the recent article regarding the practice of Christian Science and how it relates to the use of material medicine, one is reminded that the principles and practices outlined in Education at the Principia charge Principia with holding to the purest standard of Christian Science healing practice. With that charge in mind, let us ask those same questions implied or articulated in the aforementioned article, with the goal of eliminating any confusion regarding Christian Science and healthcare:

The article “Healthcare reform at Principia” published in the April 16, 2010 edition of the Pilot raised some very important subjects to any Christian Scientist. The author, as I understood the article, discussed two separate issues that often seem to collide: judgment of the choices made by Christian Scientists and the validity of medical treatment. I believe it is a mistake to combine these two issues. Mary Baker Eddy, the discoverer and founder of Christian Science, was very clear on how both of these topics ought to be handled, and as Christian Scientists, it makes sense that we should follow the advice of scripture and her counsel if we seek to advance in our understanding of Truth.