What is God?

God as understood in Christian Science can be described in many ways and is known by many terms. Father-Mother is one of our favorite terms for God because it includes all the qualities sometimes associated more with the masculine gender -- intelligence, strength, courage, stability, logic, etc. -- and those sometimes associated more with the feminine gender -- gentleness, compassion, patience, nurturing, creativity, and so forth. God is far more than the old theological view of an old man with a long white beard up in the clouds somewhere looking down on us. Your Heavenly Father-Mother is right here, right now, always wanting to bless you. As Jesus said, "Fear not little flock, for it is the Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Here's what Mary Baker Eddy--who discovered Christian Science over 100 years ago--says in her book Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures (p.465):

Question. — What is God?
Answer. — God is incorporeal, divine, supreme, infinite Mind, Spirit, Soul, Principle, Life, Truth, Love.

Question. — Are these terms synonymous?
Answer. — They are. They refer to one absolute God.  They are also intended to express the nature, essence, and wholeness of Deity. The attributes of God are justice, mercy, wisdom, goodness, and so on.

Question. — Is there more than one God or Principle?
Answer. — There is not. Principle and its idea is one, and this one is God, omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Being, and His reflection is man and the universe.

So we can think of God as the Soul of the Universe!  And being Mind, God is the source of all intelligence.  And the source and sustaining power of all Life.  And being Love, God cares for His creation in the most tender way.

God to a student of Christian Science is Universal Good expressed in a way that is unique to each one so that we can grasp His goodness as practical day-to-day blessings. God's goodness comes to each of us as we need it, in a way that makes sense to us, always loving, always near, never to punish, never to harm -- even when our lives seem to be in turmoil or pain. God is as close to you as your thoughts. The Bible tells us God is Love and He is Almighty. So His power is only beneficial. All mighty means the all and only power. He doesn't share His power with anyone or anything else. Whatever appears to have power in our lives -- hurricanes, peer pressure, complex computer technology, cholesterol, disease, economic trends, your boss, the price of gas, or even time itself -- are all counterfeit powers compared to God's divine power.  The counterfeits can only appear to govern our lives if we give them power.  But God's power is the only real and lasting power which overrules all the counterfeits to bless His children--you and me.