California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

California Lutheran University's Student Newspaper Since 1961

The Echo

    In Modern Political Climate, Church Finds Healing in Divine Love

    Maryl Walters speaking with a guest at the event hosted by Church of Christ, Scientist, Thousand Oaks at Cal Lutheran. Photo by Aliyah Navarro - Photojournalist
    Maryl Walters speaking with a guest at the event hosted by Church of Christ, Scientist, in Thousand Oaks at Cal Lutheran.
    Photo by Aliyah Navarro – Photojournalist

    California Lutheran University welcomed Christian Scientist and inspirational speaker Maryl Walters, who gave a speech called “Our Government: Under the Healing and Unifying Power of Divine Love” at the Lundring Events Center on Sunday, Oct. 1.

    Maryl Walters is an interfaith activist who gave a talk about using love to heal and unify under our present-day government, with the help of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Thousand Oaks.

    “We can draw on the divine principle love for all the loving, and forgiving, and healing and unifying that’s needed in our nation right now,” Walters said.

    Walters has been professionally practicing Christian Science healing for 40 years.  She became a Christian Science teacher in 1994 and in the same year was appointed to the Christian Science Board of Lectureship.  Walters also received a master’s degree from Eden Theological Seminary in theological studies in 2012.

    According to ChristianScience.com, Christian Science follows the belief that God is infinite love, and that experiencing that love through prayer has the power to heal. The main message of Walters’ speech was that with this divine love, we can confront the issues in current day politics or daily life.

    Walters mentioned that “three quarters of Americans surveyed in a poll described instability as a national crisis.”  Walters confronted the “national crisis” by saying that we can find healing and comfort because “no power can withstand divine love.”

    Walters’ message was to provide a way to look into the instability in our communities and nation, and how we should pray for healing.

    Interfaith activist Maryl Walters gives her speech on community in the current political climate.  Photo by Aliyah Navarro - Photojournalist
    Interfaith activist Maryl Walters gives her speech on community in the current political climate.
    Photo by Aliyah Navarro – Photojournalist

    Walters believes that what is happening in our country is a spiritual crisis, and we cannot rely on political parties or any group of people to fix the instability. This spiritual crisis needs spiritual healing and fixing, in which Walters pointed to God’s love as the solution.

    “We must love our enemies, including our so-called political enemies,” Walters said.

    The audience was a small group, primarily made up of an older demographic from nearby churches, some of which were of different religious beliefs.

    Churchgoer Todd Fish of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, said that he enjoyed the speech, including the Biblical examples and stories from personal experience that Walters used.

    Fish said we should “keep thoughts clear with love and not let anything get caught in fear or doubt or helplessness, because those aren’t productive.  But when you have a thought of love, your thoughts are clearer and receptive to change or possibilities.”

    Another churchgoer, Sylvia Crew-Rynski, said, “I really liked her story about the pearl, about change, starting out with adversaries and turning that into something positive.”

    One of the things Crew-Rynski took away from the message was that “one has to elevate their thought and understand who is truly in control of our government, and if we can lift up our thought and understand that God is in control, that we can make a change in our government.”

    Jack Hoy
    Reporter