Is Scientology Compatible with Christianity?

By Bobby Conway

I’m often surprised to hear some of the beliefs that Christians contend are compatible with Christianity. One such belief is Scientology. As Christians we are expected to remain discerning about the various beliefs that come our way. That’s why it’s worth asking, “Is Scientology compatible with Christianity?” To all those Christians who’d say, “yes”, I’d respectfully disagree, and here’s why.

First, the Auditing Process Contradicts Scripture

Unlike scientologists, Christians don’t believe they existed as immaterial souls before their bodily existence on earth. Auditors hook adherents up to an E-meter, leading them through a process called auditing, which is supposed to connect them to their pre-existent lives by addressing the traumas they accumulated, which are now apparently blocking them from being CLEAR of these traumas called engrams. A Christian can’t go through auditing to come to terms with a life he never had to discover freedom. Scientologists assume the narrative the E-meter confirms through the auditing process reflect the reality of one’s past lives.

Second, Scientologists Require You to Purchase Your Salvation

Why pay potentially tens of thousands of dollars to get CLEAR from an existence you never had when grace awaits you for free at the table of Christianity?

Third, Scientologists Teach Reincarnation

Scientologists deny heaven and hell, rather teaching reincarnation, a concept foreign to the Bible. As Hebrews 9:27-28a says, “Just as people are destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many” (NIV).

Fourth, Scientology Reveres L. Ron Hubbard Over the Biblical Jesus

The Church of Scientology denies the Bible and magnifies its founders works as the be all end all guide to truth. As Christians we can’t put the works of a science-fiction writer on par with Scripture unless we’re willing compromise the truth of God’s Word.

Fifth, Scientology rejects the Trinity and the Biblical Jesus

Scientologists deny the Triune God and reduce Jesus to a good moral teacher. For that reason alone, why would we want to tinker with an auditor on an E-meter to the tune of L. Ron Hubbard’s teachings?

Sixth, Scientologists Misrepresent Our Sin Nature

Scientologists deny human depravity, contending our real issue is we’re not clear of past traumas (engrams). While we may have trauma it’s not trauma collected from some past life. And our ultimate issue is not that we need to be saved from the trauma of a pre-existent life we never had, but from the trauma of sin.

Seventh, Scientologists Deny that Jesus Is the Only Way to Salvation

They reject John. 14:6 where Jesus says he is “the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” For Scientologists, freedom comes through being freed from the cycle of reincarnation. Jesus as the only way can be circumvented the L. Ron Hubbard way, so they think. Therefore, comparing the teachings of Scientology with the Bible, we see that the two have very little, if anything, in common. Scientology is a sure path to lead one away from the Gospel of Christ. Scientology, while sometimes disguising its beliefs in Christian-sounding language, is diametrically opposed to Christianity on every core doctrine. The only thing we need to be CLEAR about is this. Scientology is not Christian.

Recommended Resources Related to This Topic

How Can Jesus Be the Only Way? (mp4 Download) by Frank Turek
Is Original Sin Unfair? (DVD Set), (mp4 Download Set), and (MP3 Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Jesus, You and the Essentials of Christianity by Frank Turek (INSTRUCTOR Study Guide), (STUDENT Study Guide), and (DVD)
Person of Interest: Why Jesus Still Matters in a World that Rejects the Bible by J. Warner Wallace (Paperback), (Investigator’s Guide).
Macro Evolution? I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be a Darwinist (DVD Set), (MP3 Set) and (mp4 Download Set) by Dr. Frank Turek
Early Evidence for the Resurrection by Dr. Gary Habermas (DVD), (Mp3) and (Mp4)

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Bobby serves as lead pastor of Image Church in Charlotte, North Carolina, and is well known for his YouTube ministry called, One Minute Apologist, which now goes by the name Christianity Still Makes Sense. He also serves as the Co-Host of Pastors’ Perspective, a nationally syndicated call-in radio show on KWVE in Southern California. Bobby earned his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary, his Doctor of Ministry in Apologetics from Southern Evangelical Seminary, and his Ph.D. in Philosophy of Religion from the University of Birmingham (England) where he was supervised under David Cheetham and Yujin Nagasawa. Bobby’s also written several books including: The Fifth Gospel, Doubting Toward Faith, Does God Exist, and Fifty-One other Questions About God and the Bible and the forthcoming Christianity Still Makes Sense to be published by Tyndale in April 2024. He’s married to his lovely wife Heather and together they have two grown kids: Haley and Dawson.