The New Church
Encyclopedia
The New Church is the name for a New religious movement
developed from the writings of the Swedish
scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg
(1688–1772). Swedenborg claimed to have received a new revelation from Jesus Christ through continuous heavenly visions which he experienced over a period of at least twenty-five years. In his writings, he predicted that the Lord would establish a "New Church" following the Church of traditional Christianity, which worships God in one person, Jesus Christ. The New Church doctrine is that each person must actively cooperate in repentance, reformation and regeneration of one's life. The movement was founded on the belief that God explained the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures
to Swedenborg as a means of revealing the truth of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
. Followers believe that Swedenborg witnessed the Last Judgment
in the spiritual world, along with the inauguration of the New Church.
The New Church is seen by members of New Church organizations as something which the Lord is establishing with all those who believe that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is the one God of heaven and Earth and that obeying his commandments is necessary for salvation. Therefore, it is thought that any Christian holding these beliefs is part of this New Church movement. New Church organizations also acknowledge the universal nature of the Lord's church: all who do good from the truth of their religion will be accepted by the Lord into heaven, as God is goodness itself, and doing good conjoins oneself to God. Adherents believe that the doctrine of the New Church, which is derived from scripture, provides the benefit of further enlightenment concerning the truth, and this leads to less doubt, a recognition of personal faults, and thus a more directed and happier life.
Other names for the movement include Swedenborgian, New Christians, Neo-Christians, Church of the New Jerusalem and The Lord's New Church. Those outside of the church may refer to the movement as Swedenborgianism; however, some adherents seek to distance themselves from this title, since it implies a following of Swedenborg rather than Jesus Christ. Swedenborg published his works anonymously, and his writings promoted one Church based on love and charity, rather than multiple churches named after their founders based on belief or doctrine.
.
Early missionaries also traveled to parts of Africa as Swedenborg himself believed that the "African race" was "in greater enlightenment than others on this earth, since they are such that they think more interiorly, and so receive truths and acknowledge them." (A Treatise concerning the Last Judgment, n. 118) At the time these concepts of African enlightenment were judged highly liberal; Swedenborgians accepted freed African converts to their homes as early as 1790. Several of them were also involved in abolitionism
.
In the 19th century, occultism became increasingly popular especially in France and England. Some followers blended Swedenborg's writings with theosophy
, alchemy
and divination
. What fascinated these followers most was Swedenborg's mystical side. They concentrated on his work Heaven and Hell
. It tells of Swedenborg's visit to Heaven
and Hell
to experience and report the conditions there. In structure, it was related to Dante's The Divine Comedy
. Some continue to combine the theology of the New Church with ideas from other systems, including Jungian psychology and Spiritualism.
In the U.S., the church was organized in 1817 with the founding of the General Convention of the New Church (sometimes referred to as the Convention,) now also known as the Swedenborgian Church of North America
.
The movement in the United States grew stronger until the late 19th century. A controversy about doctrinal issues and the authority of Swedenborg's writings caused a faction to split off to form the Academy of the New Church. It later became known as the General Church of New Jerusalem (sometimes referred to as the General Church,) with headquarters in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
, a suburb of Philadelphia. Other congregations felt doctrinally compelled to join the General Church at its inception. Two Convention congregations in Canada one in Toronto and another in Kitchener, as well as two congregations from the British Conference, Michael Church in London and Colchester New Church
joined the General Church at this point.
In the 1930s, a doctrinal issue about the authority of Swedenborg's writings arose in the General Church. Members in the Hague branch of the General Church saw Swedenborg's theological writings as the Word of the Third Testament, which they wrote about extensively in their Dutch magazine De Hemelsche Leer. Faced with discipline by the leading Bishop of the General Church, those holding this new doctrinal view split off to form the Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma
.
Today, the General Church has about 5,000 members in 33 churches. The Swedenborgian Church of North America
, with headquarters in Newton
, a suburb of Boston
, now has 37 active churches with about 1,500 members in the U.S. The Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma, with headquarters in Bryn Athyn, now has about 28 active churches with about 1900 members worldwide.
the most recent membership figures for the Four Church Organizations were:
The Lord's New Church is primarily associated with South Africa
, although roughly 200 members are found in the United States
. It is noted for its concern for social justice
. The nations of Australia
and Germany
are estimated to have 504 and 200 members, respectively. When counting additional members in Asia
, Africa
, and South America
, current sources put the total of Swedenborgians as between 25,000–30,000.
Membership in the New Church has always been small, and the different organizations have been heavily involved in publishing activities. In terms of doctrine, there is a striking similarity between the New Church and the Oneness Pentecostalism
movement of the twentieth century, which developed in a manner completely independent from the writings of Swedenborg. The movement is completely separate, and some make short reference to Emanuel Swedenborg, who had preceded their church by over 150 years.
Swedenborg held that God is one person revealed in Jesus Christ, which was later independently expressed by modern day Oneness Pentecostalism
. He stated that the doctrine of a trinity of three persons originated in the fourth century with the adoption of the Nicene Creed
to combat the heresy of Arianism
, but this was unknown to the early Apostolic Church, as shown by the Apostles' Creed
which preceded the Nicene Creed.
and the Eucharist
(also Communion, or Holy Supper). These are external rituals that are symbolic of the inner spiritual life. Baptism signifies one's entry into Christianity, and signifies the reformation of the mind, where falsity is washed away by truth. The baptism ritual should be done when one has reached the age of reason to make the decision to follow Jesus Christ, and yet, Swedenborg states that infants who are baptized are assigned a guardian angel until they reach the proper age, to guide them into the Christian faith. The Holy Supper, or Communion, signifies the regeneration of one's will in accordance with God's commandments, which causes the Lord to commune closely with man in his heart. Thus everyone should examine his or her life before partaking in the Holy Supper, in order for the ritual to fulfill its purpose.
Man is a form of truth, and the woman is a form of love, and the two make one. Marriage love comes directly from the sphere of heaven into all humans, and a life of celibacy
interferes with this. Thus marriage is to be preferred to a state of remaining celibate.
(meaning Heavenly Secrets). The symbolic language, where each passage follows the other in a coherent logical series, is what Swedenborg called "correspondences." This inner meaning was kept hidden, and could only have been discovered through revelation, which was made available when mankind was ready to receive it. It is this hidden inner meaning that separates the Bible from other books, and each statement Swedenborg makes is supported through numerous quotations of Biblical passages. The books that have this inner spiritual meaning is what forms the true Biblical canon
, as follows:
, Swedenborg divides the Old Testament into three main divisions: the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. The same divisions were specified by Jesus Christ in the gospel of Luke (Luke 24:44). The books of the Bible that have an internal spiritual sense, and are thus Divinely Inspired, include the Law of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
, Deuteronomy, Joshua
, Judges
, Samuel
, and Kings
), the Prophets (Isaiah
, Jeremiah
, Lamentations
, Ezekiel
, Daniel
, Hosea
, Joel
, Amos
, Obadiah
, Jonah
, Micah
, Nahum
, Habakkuk
, Zephaniah
, Haggai
, Zechariah
, Malachi
) and the Psalms
. Swedenborg's groupings differ from Judaism, as he assigned Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings to the Law of Moses, as according to the Jewish Biblical Canon the Law of Moses (the Torah
) refers to the first five books or the Pentateuch, and these four books belong to the Prophets (Nevi'im
) in the Jewish canon. However, in other passages Swedenborg states that Moses
and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets respectively, and as Elijah appears in the book of Kings that would indicate that this book should belong among the Prophets.
The other books of the Old Testament, which are not Divinely Inspired as they do not have an internal spiritual correspondence, include those that are generally grouped by the Jews under the "Writings" (Ketuvim
), separate from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. In the Greek Septuagint Bible, these works were mixed in with the rest of scripture, which largely determined the Biblical book order for all of Christianity. Moreover the Greek Septuagint introduced other writings among the Hebrew scripture, which Martin Luther
removed and placed them among the Apocrypha
. Among the Writings the Jews included Lamentations, Daniel, and sometimes the Psalms, which the New Church states are Divinely Inspired and are considered as primary sacred scripture. Of the other books in the Writings, Swedenborg takes special note of the Book of Job
and the Song of Songs
. These books do indeed contain symbolic representations similar to Divinely Inspired scripture, but not in a complete series.
, Mark
, Luke
, John
) and the Book of Revelation
or the Apocalypse. Only these books contain an internal symbolism in a series, and are thus Divinely Inspired. Although this leaves out the book of Acts and the letters of the apostles, the New Church holds them in similar esteem as the Jews viewed the Writings (or Ketuvim) of the Old Testament. Swedenborg stated that these books were included as an act of Divine providence, as books explaining Christian doctrine were needed for the general public. Paul did indeed speak from inspiration, but not in the same manner in which the text he wrote has an internal spiritual correspondence, as does sacred scripture.
(Num. 21:14–15) and another book similar to those in the Prophets (Num. 21:27–30). Another work that Swedenborg said belonged to the Ancient Church was the Book of Jasher, which is also quoted in the Bible (Josh. 10:12–13, 2 Sam. 1:17–18), which Swedenborg stated was still extant in Tartary. A Hebrew midrash called Jasher (see Sefer haYashar
) was published in Venice in 1625, and an English translation was published in 1840. The Hebrew text was examined by the 19th century biblical scholar George Bush
a relative of the Bush political family, who later became a Swedenborgian minister. Although the New Church has no official position on this Hebrew text, Swedenborg stated that the first portions of Genesis was taken from the Ancient Word, and these portions do happen to be found in the book of Jasher. Scholars, however, have identified late additions to this Hebrew text.
that occurs in the spiritual world. The last of these took place in the year 1757. Previous last judgments had occurred at the time of Noah's Flood, and at the passion of the cross by Jesus Christ. The purpose of these last judgments is to separate the good from the evil in the intermediate spiritual world, which lies between heaven and hell. As a result of these periodic judgments, a new age or New Church begins among the people on earth. The Second Coming of the Lord is not a coming in person as the Word incarnate, but His coming is the revelation of the spiritual symbolism in the Bible, and the formation of a New Church as a result of this revelation.
There have been four Churches or dispensations preceding the New Church on this earth: the first was the "Most Ancient Church" before the flood, where contact with heaven was direct. The second was the "Ancient Church" which followed the flood, which was destroyed by idolatry. The third was Judaism
, which began with the revelation of the Decalogue
to Moses
on Mt. Sinai. The fourth is Christianity
established by Jesus and his apostles, which over time became divided primarily into the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Protestantism
. The New Church, which is the final phase or dispensation, is a renewal of Christianity based on the Lord's Second Coming
. The New Church is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the heavenly New Jerusalem which descends out of heaven in the book of Revelation. Swedenborg stated that the establishment of the New Church would happen gradually, and not in a moment, as the false beliefs of the former Church had to first be set aside.
as taught by the apostle Paul. The Church had been accused of proclaiming a different gospel, wherein people must work their own salvation and not rely solely on the blood of Jesus to atone for their sin.
Other criticisms includes is about the pure monotheistic nature of the New Church doctrine which declares that there is one God in one person, Jesus Christ. Others reject the teachings on the basis that Swedenborg claimed to have visions.
The earliest and most well known example of this dual treatment comes from German philosopher Immanuel Kant
, who was a contemporary of Swedenborg. Swedenborg was relatively unknown until 1759 when a fire broke out in Stockholm, Sweden, which threatened to burn down his house and all his writings. At the time Swedenborg was at a dinner in Gothenburg, 480 kilometres away. He suddenly turned pale and described to the guests exactly what was happening, until the fire was put out three houses down from his house. This was investigated by Kant who wrote Dreams of a Spirit-Seer, in which he criticized Swedenborg and knowledge derived from dreams and visions. In private letters Kant stated that he clothed his views in irony, and had great admiration for Swedenborg, but did not publicly admit it for fear of ridicule.
In 1768, a heresy trial was initiated in Sweden against Swedenborg's writings and two men who promoted these ideas. It essentially concerned whether Swedenborg's theological writings were consistent with the Christian doctrines. A royal ordinance in 1770 declared that Swedenborg's writings were "clearly mistaken" and should not be taught even though his system of theological thought was never examined. Swedenborg's clerical supporters were ordered to cease using his teachings, and customs officials were directed to impound his books and stop their circulation in any district unless the nearest consistory granted permission. Swedenborg then begged the King for grace and protection in a letter from Amsterdam. A new investigation against Swedenborg stalled and was eventually dropped in 1778.
Censorship in the form of omission was claimed by Eric J. Sharpe
in the evangelical biographies of Indian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh
(1889–1929). Singh was said to have a number of gifts, including healing and having visions. It is documented that he claimed to have seen Emanuel Swedenborg in his visions. Yet Sharpe discovered that all the evangelical biographies would omit this fact, due to the fact they considered the teachings of Swedenborg as unorthodox (see "Biographical Controversies" in Sadhu Sundar Singh
).
suggests that Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism
, was influenced by the writings of Swedenborg. Like Swedenborg, Mormons believe in eternal marriage, but require that the ritual be performed in a Mormon temple (see Celestial Marriage
). Also Joseph Smith's idea of three heavens is similar to Swedenborg's view that there are three heavens (see Heaven and Hell (Swedenborg)
). Both Swedenborg and Joseph Smith refer to the highest heaven as "celestial", in concert with the usage of the apostle Paul (see 1 Corinthians 15:40–42) when he described a visit to the "third heaven". Other historians, including William J. Hamblin
, seriously doubt whether Joseph Smith, living in rural upstate New York, could have had access to Swedenborg's book and so find Quinn's assertions problematic. However, Edward Hunter, a Swedenborgian who later became a Mormon, reported that in 1839 Joseph Smith told him he was familiar with the writings of Swedenborg.
is a spiritual movement that began in the United States in the late 19th century which promotes positive thinking and healing. One of its earliest proponents was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a healer who said that illnesses in the body originated from false beliefs in the mind. One of the people he healed was Warren Felt Evans
, a Swedenborgian minister, who himself became a healer and published several books promoting New Thought and explaining it in terms of New Church doctrines. Swedenborg had stated that there was a correspondence of heaven with all things on earth, and thus there is a correspondence between the mind and the body. In general, the organized churches based on New Thought (e.g., Unity Church
, Religious Science
, Church of Divine Science) have developed their own teachings separate from those of Swedenborg and the New Church.
, founder of analytical psychology
and a contemporary of Sigmund Freud
, was familiar with the works of Swedenborg. He mentioned Swedenborg's clairvoyance of the fire of Stockholm in 1759 as an example of synchronicity
, writing "“When . . . the vision arose in Swedenborg’s mind of a fire in Stockholm, there was a real fire
raging there at the same time, without there being any demonstrable or
even thinkable connection between the two”"
There are 25 churches left in England and a handful of ministers. The denomination in the 19th century had over a hundred churches in the UK, often very grand churches very Anglican in style with large chancels, side pulpits and altars. Nearly all of these churches have closed or rebuilt in the late 20th century. Some remain in London.
New religious movement
A new religious movement is a religious community or ethical, spiritual, or philosophical group of modern origin, which has a peripheral place within the dominant religious culture. NRMs may be novel in origin or they may be part of a wider religion, such as Christianity, Hinduism or Buddhism, in...
developed from the writings of the Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg
Emanuel Swedenborg
was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian. He has been termed a Christian mystic by some sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica online version, and the Encyclopedia of Religion , which starts its article with the description that he was a "Swedish scientist and mystic." Others...
(1688–1772). Swedenborg claimed to have received a new revelation from Jesus Christ through continuous heavenly visions which he experienced over a period of at least twenty-five years. In his writings, he predicted that the Lord would establish a "New Church" following the Church of traditional Christianity, which worships God in one person, Jesus Christ. The New Church doctrine is that each person must actively cooperate in repentance, reformation and regeneration of one's life. The movement was founded on the belief that God explained the spiritual meaning of the Scriptures
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
to Swedenborg as a means of revealing the truth of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
. Followers believe that Swedenborg witnessed the Last Judgment
Last Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
in the spiritual world, along with the inauguration of the New Church.
The New Church is seen by members of New Church organizations as something which the Lord is establishing with all those who believe that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is the one God of heaven and Earth and that obeying his commandments is necessary for salvation. Therefore, it is thought that any Christian holding these beliefs is part of this New Church movement. New Church organizations also acknowledge the universal nature of the Lord's church: all who do good from the truth of their religion will be accepted by the Lord into heaven, as God is goodness itself, and doing good conjoins oneself to God. Adherents believe that the doctrine of the New Church, which is derived from scripture, provides the benefit of further enlightenment concerning the truth, and this leads to less doubt, a recognition of personal faults, and thus a more directed and happier life.
Other names for the movement include Swedenborgian, New Christians, Neo-Christians, Church of the New Jerusalem and The Lord's New Church. Those outside of the church may refer to the movement as Swedenborgianism; however, some adherents seek to distance themselves from this title, since it implies a following of Swedenborg rather than Jesus Christ. Swedenborg published his works anonymously, and his writings promoted one Church based on love and charity, rather than multiple churches named after their founders based on belief or doctrine.
History
Swedenborg spoke of a "New Church" that would be founded on the theology in his works, but he himself never tried to establish an organization. At the time of his death, few efforts had been made to establish an organized church, but on May 7, 1787, 15 years after Swedenborg's death, the New Church movement was founded in England. It was a country Swedenborg had often visited and where he died. By 1789 a number of Churches had sprung up around England, and in April of that year the first General Conference of the New Church was held in Great Eastcheap, London. New Church ideas were carried to United States by missionaries. One famous missionary was John Chapman, known as Johnny AppleseedJohnny Appleseed
Johnny Appleseed , born John Chapman, was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
.
Early missionaries also traveled to parts of Africa as Swedenborg himself believed that the "African race" was "in greater enlightenment than others on this earth, since they are such that they think more interiorly, and so receive truths and acknowledge them." (A Treatise concerning the Last Judgment, n. 118) At the time these concepts of African enlightenment were judged highly liberal; Swedenborgians accepted freed African converts to their homes as early as 1790. Several of them were also involved in abolitionism
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is a movement to end slavery.In western Europe and the Americas abolitionism was a movement to end the slave trade and set slaves free. At the behest of Dominican priest Bartolomé de las Casas who was shocked at the treatment of natives in the New World, Spain enacted the first...
.
In the 19th century, occultism became increasingly popular especially in France and England. Some followers blended Swedenborg's writings with theosophy
Theosophy
Theosophy, in its modern presentation, is a spiritual philosophy developed since the late 19th century. Its major themes were originally described mainly by Helena Blavatsky , co-founder of the Theosophical Society...
, alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
and divination
Divination
Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of an occultic standardized process or ritual...
. What fascinated these followers most was Swedenborg's mystical side. They concentrated on his work Heaven and Hell
Heaven and Hell (Swedenborg)
Heaven and Hell is the common English title of a book written by mystic Emanuel Swedenborg in Latin, published in 1758.The full title is Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen, or in Latin: De Caelo et Ejus Mirabilibus et de inferno, ex Auditis et Visis.This book is a detailed...
. It tells of Swedenborg's visit to Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
and Hell
Hell
In many religious traditions, a hell is a place of suffering and punishment in the afterlife. Religions with a linear divine history often depict hells as endless. Religions with a cyclic history often depict a hell as an intermediary period between incarnations...
to experience and report the conditions there. In structure, it was related to Dante's The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy
The Divine Comedy is an epic poem written by Dante Alighieri between 1308 and his death in 1321. It is widely considered the preeminent work of Italian literature, and is seen as one of the greatest works of world literature...
. Some continue to combine the theology of the New Church with ideas from other systems, including Jungian psychology and Spiritualism.
Swedenborgian Church of North America
The Swedenborgian Church in North America . The Administrative Offices of the denomination are located at 11 Highland Avenue, Newton, MA.-Beliefs:...
.
The movement in the United States grew stronger until the late 19th century. A controversy about doctrinal issues and the authority of Swedenborg's writings caused a faction to split off to form the Academy of the New Church. It later became known as the General Church of New Jerusalem (sometimes referred to as the General Church,) with headquarters in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania
Bryn Athyn is a home rule municipality, in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was formerly a borough, and its official name remains "Borough of Bryn Athyn". The population was 1,375 at the 2010 census...
, a suburb of Philadelphia. Other congregations felt doctrinally compelled to join the General Church at its inception. Two Convention congregations in Canada one in Toronto and another in Kitchener, as well as two congregations from the British Conference, Michael Church in London and Colchester New Church
Colchester New Church
Colchester New Church is located on 175-181 Maldon Road Colchester, CO3 3BLColchester New Church has as its theological basis the Old and New Testaments and the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. Colchester New Church is part of the General Church of the New Jerusalem.-Doctrine:The two...
joined the General Church at this point.
In the 1930s, a doctrinal issue about the authority of Swedenborg's writings arose in the General Church. Members in the Hague branch of the General Church saw Swedenborg's theological writings as the Word of the Third Testament, which they wrote about extensively in their Dutch magazine De Hemelsche Leer. Faced with discipline by the leading Bishop of the General Church, those holding this new doctrinal view split off to form the Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma
Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma
The Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma is an international, Christian church based on the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the theological writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, which its members view as the Third Testament...
.
Today, the General Church has about 5,000 members in 33 churches. The Swedenborgian Church of North America
Swedenborgian Church of North America
The Swedenborgian Church in North America . The Administrative Offices of the denomination are located at 11 Highland Avenue, Newton, MA.-Beliefs:...
, with headquarters in Newton
Newton, Massachusetts
Newton is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States bordered to the east by Boston. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of Newton was 85,146, making it the eleventh largest city in the state.-Villages:...
, a suburb of Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, now has 37 active churches with about 1,500 members in the U.S. The Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma, with headquarters in Bryn Athyn, now has about 28 active churches with about 1900 members worldwide.
the most recent membership figures for the Four Church Organizations were:
- General Conference (Great Britain): 1,314
- General Convention (USA): 2,029
- General Church of the New Jerusalem: 5,563
- The Lord's New Church Which Is Nova Hierosolyma: 1,000
The Lord's New Church is primarily associated with South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, although roughly 200 members are found in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is noted for its concern for social justice
Social justice
Social justice generally refers to the idea of creating a society or institution that is based on the principles of equality and solidarity, that understands and values human rights, and that recognizes the dignity of every human being. The term and modern concept of "social justice" was coined by...
. The nations of Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
are estimated to have 504 and 200 members, respectively. When counting additional members in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
, and South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, current sources put the total of Swedenborgians as between 25,000–30,000.
Membership in the New Church has always been small, and the different organizations have been heavily involved in publishing activities. In terms of doctrine, there is a striking similarity between the New Church and the Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
movement of the twentieth century, which developed in a manner completely independent from the writings of Swedenborg. The movement is completely separate, and some make short reference to Emanuel Swedenborg, who had preceded their church by over 150 years.
Beliefs
The doctrines of the New Church, as summarized in The True Christian Religion, are as follows:- That there is one GodGodGod is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
and that He is the Lord Jesus ChristJesusJesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
. Within the single Person of God there is a Divine Trinity. - That a saving faith is to believe in Him and also to live a life of charity and piety as described in his writings.
- That all evilEvilEvil is the violation of, or intent to violate, some moral code. Evil is usually seen as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary along with analysis of its root motive causes, however general actions commonly considered evil include: conscious and deliberate wrongdoing,...
s originate in humanity and are to be shunned. - That good actions are of God and from God, and are therefore necessary for life and should be done.
- That these good acts are to be done by a person as if from him/herself; but that it ought to be acknowledged that they are done from the Lord with him/her and by him/her.
- That one's fate after death is according to the character one has acquired in life; specifically that those governed by the love of the Lord or the love of being useful to others are in heaven, and that those governed by love of self or the love of worldly things are in hell.
- That marriage can take place in heaven.
- That salvation is available to people from all religions, regardless if they embrace the cross of Jesus Christ to reconcile them with God or not, as long as they are prepared to live a good life.
Swedenborg held that God is one person revealed in Jesus Christ, which was later independently expressed by modern day Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism
Oneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
. He stated that the doctrine of a trinity of three persons originated in the fourth century with the adoption of the Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
to combat the heresy of Arianism
Arianism
Arianism is the theological teaching attributed to Arius , a Christian presbyter from Alexandria, Egypt, concerning the relationship of the entities of the Trinity and the precise nature of the Son of God as being a subordinate entity to God the Father...
, but this was unknown to the early Apostolic Church, as shown by the Apostles' Creed
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
which preceded the Nicene Creed.
Doctrine of the Lord
- The Lord created mankind because He is Love Itself, and Love seeks to make others outside of self happy. The purpose of creation was that God be conjoined to mankind by the reciprocation of His Love. To be in His Love is to love others, and by loving others one also loves Him. He has always provided through revelation of Himself that this end may be met. When, on account of humankind choosing evil, connection with Him was almost entirely lost He had to reveal Himself in a way that would never lose effect.
- The Infinite God of the Universe (JehovahJehovahJehovah is an anglicized representation of Hebrew , a vocalization of the Tetragrammaton , the proper name of the God of Israel in the Hebrew Bible....
) came into this world within the human form of Jesus Christ. He came in order to permanently restore mankind's ability to have conjunction with Him and by His divine human life show people the path to spiritual freedom.- Jesus was born with a purely Divine soul. From His Divine Will He struggled against every evil that humanity encounters by allowing the evils of Hell to attack Him on the battleground of His Human form. He overcame evil in every instance, and made His human form One with His uniquely Divine Soul, even as to the flesh and bones. Jesus Christ, thus, entirely became the One God through a process of removing the natural human imperfections and uniting His Divine Soul with His human form.
- The New Church has been seen as a proponent of Modalism, however, it does not see God as appearing in three sequential modes. God is seen as the One Divine Person, Jesus Christ, who has a Divine soul of love, Divine mind of truth, and Divine body of activity. Jesus, the Word made flesh, became entirely One with His Divine Soul from the Father to the point of having no distinction of personality. It is believed that this doctrine retains both the Unity of God as well as the full Divinity of Christ, and thus that it is not necessary to split God into a TrinityTrinityThe Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three divine persons : the Father, the Son , and the Holy Spirit. The three persons are distinct yet coexist in unity, and are co-equal, co-eternal and consubstantial . Put another way, the three persons of the Trinity are of one being...
of persons. The Oneness PentecostalOneness PentecostalOneness Pentecostalism refers to a grouping of denominations and believers within Pentecostal Christianity, all of whom subscribe to the nontrinitarian theological doctrine of Oneness...
view is similar.
- This earth and all of nature is part of the Lord's Kingdom, and in nature we can see the Love and Wisdom of the Lord manifested, but not apart from written revelation.
Doctrine of Life
- Following Him is seen as the only loving and rational choice one can make, since He is the One Source of all love and truth. If one is learning truth or doing good, it is from Him, whether or not one consciously knows that He is the source.
Afterlife
- Every one of us can become angels if we choose to stop doing evil actions and allow the Lord's presence to grow within us. All angels in Heaven and Devils in Hell were once people on earth.
- The Lord created us all to go to heaven, but He does not make anyone go there. We freely choose our eternal destiny.
- People of all faiths come into heaven if they have followed their beliefs sincerely and loved God and their neighbors. A person is seen as responsible for their reaction to the truth when it is made known to them. Those who love evil tend to choose to reject the truth, whereas those who love good choose to receive it openly. When good people enter heaven they all come to acknowledge Jesus Christ as the One God of Heaven and Earth.
- Those who go to Hell have chosen Hell because they enjoy Hellish delights, which in Hell are only allowed to be enjoyed as fantasy.
Baptism and Eucharist
There are two primary sacraments of the New Church: BaptismBaptism
In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...
and the Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
(also Communion, or Holy Supper). These are external rituals that are symbolic of the inner spiritual life. Baptism signifies one's entry into Christianity, and signifies the reformation of the mind, where falsity is washed away by truth. The baptism ritual should be done when one has reached the age of reason to make the decision to follow Jesus Christ, and yet, Swedenborg states that infants who are baptized are assigned a guardian angel until they reach the proper age, to guide them into the Christian faith. The Holy Supper, or Communion, signifies the regeneration of one's will in accordance with God's commandments, which causes the Lord to commune closely with man in his heart. Thus everyone should examine his or her life before partaking in the Holy Supper, in order for the ritual to fulfill its purpose.
Marriage
A personal sacrament of the New Church is the rite of marriage, as administration by a priest is considered more of an expediency rather than a necessity. It is not mentioned as a sacrament along with Baptism and the Holy Supper. However elsewhere Swedenborg states that marriage should be administered by a priest "because marriages, considered in themselves, are spiritual, and thence holy; for they descend from the heavenly marriage of good and truth, and things conjugial correspond to the divine marriage of the Lord and the church; and hence they are from the Lord himself." Moreover, true marriage love is founded in religion, as they both originate from God. Without a religious foundation, a marriage can turn cold. Marriage that is truly spiritual lasts forever, even in heaven after death. There, the two remain male and female as to form, and become one angel as to their soul. As a couple they live a life of useful service in the Lord's Heavenly Kingdom, which is perfected to eternity. If a person dies unmarried he or she will find a spouse in heaven.Man is a form of truth, and the woman is a form of love, and the two make one. Marriage love comes directly from the sphere of heaven into all humans, and a life of celibacy
Celibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
interferes with this. Thus marriage is to be preferred to a state of remaining celibate.
Biblical canon
The Word of God is contained in the Bible, which has a symbolic spiritual meaning hidden in its literal sense. Swedenborg's visions primarily explain how and why the Bible is Divinely Inspired, and it is methodically delineated word by word in his massive multi-volume work, the Arcana CoelestiaArcana Coelestia
The Arcana Cœlestia, quae in Scriptura Sacra seu Verbo Domini sunt, detecta, usually abbreviated as Arcana Coelestia or under its Latin variant, Arcana Caelestia, is the first and largest work published by Emanuel Swedenborg in his theological period...
(meaning Heavenly Secrets). The symbolic language, where each passage follows the other in a coherent logical series, is what Swedenborg called "correspondences." This inner meaning was kept hidden, and could only have been discovered through revelation, which was made available when mankind was ready to receive it. It is this hidden inner meaning that separates the Bible from other books, and each statement Swedenborg makes is supported through numerous quotations of Biblical passages. The books that have this inner spiritual meaning is what forms the true Biblical canon
Biblical canon
A biblical canon, or canon of scripture, is a list of books considered to be authoritative as scripture by a particular religious community. The term itself was first coined by Christians, but the idea is found in Jewish sources. The internal wording of the text can also be specified, for example...
, as follows:
Old Testament
According to Swedenborg, the original text of the Old Testament is preserved in the Hebrew Masoretic edition, where letters were counted by the Masorites to ensure that the scripture remained accurate and free from corruption. Similar to JudaismJudaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, Swedenborg divides the Old Testament into three main divisions: the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms. The same divisions were specified by Jesus Christ in the gospel of Luke (Luke 24:44). The books of the Bible that have an internal spiritual sense, and are thus Divinely Inspired, include the Law of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers
Book of Numbers
The Book of Numbers is the fourth book of the Hebrew Bible, and the fourth of five books of the Jewish Torah/Pentateuch....
, Deuteronomy, Joshua
Book of Joshua
The Book of Joshua is the sixth book in the Hebrew Bible and of the Old Testament. Its 24 chapters tell of the entry of the Israelites into Canaan, their conquest and division of the land under the leadership of Joshua, and of serving God in the land....
, Judges
Book of Judges
The Book of Judges is the seventh book of the Hebrew bible and the Christian Old Testament. Its title describes its contents: it contains the history of Biblical judges, divinely inspired prophets whose direct knowledge of Yahweh allows them to act as decision-makers for the Israelites, as...
, Samuel
Books of Samuel
The Books of Samuel in the Jewish bible are part of the Former Prophets, , a theological history of the Israelites affirming and explaining the Torah under the guidance of the prophets.Samuel begins by telling how the prophet Samuel is chosen by...
, and Kings
Books of Kings
The Book of Kings presents a narrative history of ancient Israel and Judah from the death of David to the release of his successor Jehoiachin from imprisonment in Babylon, a period of some 400 years...
), the Prophets (Isaiah
Book of Isaiah
The Book of Isaiah is the first of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, preceding the books of Ezekiel, Jeremiah and the Book of the Twelve...
, Jeremiah
Book of Jeremiah
The Book of Jeremiah is the second of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the book of Isaiah and preceding Ezekiel and the Book of the Twelve....
, Lamentations
Book of Lamentations
The Book of Lamentations ) is a poetic book of the Hebrew Bible composed by the Jewish prophet Jeremiah. It mourns the destruction of Jerusalem and the Holy Temple in the 6th Century BCE....
, Ezekiel
Book of Ezekiel
The Book of Ezekiel is the third of the Latter Prophets in the Hebrew Bible, following the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah and preceding the Book of the Twelve....
, Daniel
Book of Daniel
The Book of Daniel is a book in the Hebrew Bible. The book tells of how Daniel, and his Judean companions, were inducted into Babylon during Jewish exile, and how their positions elevated in the court of Nebuchadnezzar. The court tales span events that occur during the reigns of Nebuchadnezzar,...
, Hosea
Book of Hosea
The Book of Hosea is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It stands first in order among what are known as the twelve Minor Prophets.-Background and Content:...
, Joel
Book of Joel
The Book of Joel is part of the Hebrew Bible. Joel is part of a group of twelve prophetic books known as the Minor Prophets or simply as The Twelve; the distinction 'minor' indicates the short length of the text in relation to the larger prophetic texts known as the "Major Prophets".-Content:After...
, Amos
Book of Amos
The Book of Amos is a prophetic book of the Hebrew Bible, one of the Twelve Minor Prophets. Amos, an older contemporary of Hosea and Isaiah, was active c. 750 BCE during the reign of Jeroboam II, making the Book of Amos the first biblical prophetic book written. Amos lived in the kingdom of Judah...
, Obadiah
Book of Obadiah
The canonical Book of Obadiah is an oracle concerning the divine judgment of Edom and the restoration of Israel. The text consists of a single chapter, divided into 21 verses, making it the shortest book in the Hebrew Bible....
, Jonah
Book of Jonah
The Book of Jonah is a book in the Hebrew Bible. It tells the story of a Hebrew prophet named Jonah ben Amittai who is sent by God to prophesy the destruction of Nineveh but tries to escape the divine mission...
, Micah
Book of Micah
The Book of Micah is one of fifteen prophetic books in the Hebrew bible/Old Testament, and the sixth of the twelve minor prophets. It records the sayings of Mikayahu, meaning "Who is like Yahweh?", an 8th century prophet from the village of Moresheth in Judah...
, Nahum
Book of Nahum
The book of Nahum is the seventh book of the 12 minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible. It is attributed to the prophet Nahum, and was probably written in Jerusalem in the 8th century BC.-Background:...
, Habakkuk
Book of Habakkuk
The Book of Habakkuk is the eighth book of the 12 minor prophets of the Hebrew Bible. It is attributed to the prophet Habakkuk, and was probably composed in the late 7th century BC. A copy of chapters 1 and 2 is included in the Habakkuk Commentary, found among the Dead Sea Scrolls.Chapters 1-2...
, Zephaniah
Book of Zephaniah
The superscription of the Book of Zephaniah attributes its authorship to “Zephaniah son of Cushi son of Gedaliah son of Amariah son of Hezekiah, in the days of King Josiah son of Amon of Judah” . All that is known of Zephaniah comes from the text. The superscription of the book is lengthier than...
, Haggai
Book of Haggai
The Book of Haggai is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Tanak, and has its place as the antepenultimate of the Minor Prophets or the "Book of the Twelve." It is a short book, consisting of only two chapters. The historical setting dates around 520 BCE before the Temple has been rebuilt...
, Zechariah
Book of Zechariah
The Book of Zechariah is the penultimate book of the twelve minor prophets in the Hebrew and Christian Bible, attributed to the prophet Zechariah.-Historical context:...
, Malachi
Book of Malachi
Malachi is a book of the Hebrew Bible, the last of the twelve minor prophets and the final book of the Neviim...
) and the Psalms
Psalms
The Book of Psalms , commonly referred to simply as Psalms, is a book of the Hebrew Bible and the Christian Bible...
. Swedenborg's groupings differ from Judaism, as he assigned Joshua, Judges, Samuel and Kings to the Law of Moses, as according to the Jewish Biblical Canon the Law of Moses (the Torah
Torah
Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five books of the bible—Genesis , Exodus , Leviticus , Numbers and Deuteronomy Torah- A scroll containing the first five books of the BibleThe Torah , is name given by Jews to the first five...
) refers to the first five books or the Pentateuch, and these four books belong to the Prophets (Nevi'im
Nevi'im
Nevi'im is the second of the three major sections in the Hebrew Bible, the Tanakh. It falls between the Torah and Ketuvim .Nevi'im is traditionally divided into two parts:...
) in the Jewish canon. However, in other passages Swedenborg states that Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
and Elijah represent the Law and the Prophets respectively, and as Elijah appears in the book of Kings that would indicate that this book should belong among the Prophets.
The other books of the Old Testament, which are not Divinely Inspired as they do not have an internal spiritual correspondence, include those that are generally grouped by the Jews under the "Writings" (Ketuvim
Ketuvim
Ketuvim or Kəṯûḇîm in actual Biblical Hebrew is the third and final section of the Tanak , after Torah and Nevi'im . In English translations of the Hebrew Bible, this section is usually entitled "Writings" or "Hagiographa"...
), separate from the Law of Moses and the Prophets. In the Greek Septuagint Bible, these works were mixed in with the rest of scripture, which largely determined the Biblical book order for all of Christianity. Moreover the Greek Septuagint introduced other writings among the Hebrew scripture, which Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
removed and placed them among the Apocrypha
Apocrypha
The term apocrypha is used with various meanings, including "hidden", "esoteric", "spurious", "of questionable authenticity", ancient Chinese "revealed texts and objects" and "Christian texts that are not canonical"....
. Among the Writings the Jews included Lamentations, Daniel, and sometimes the Psalms, which the New Church states are Divinely Inspired and are considered as primary sacred scripture. Of the other books in the Writings, Swedenborg takes special note of the Book of Job
Book of Job
The Book of Job , commonly referred to simply as Job, is one of the books of the Hebrew Bible. It relates the story of Job, his trials at the hands of Satan, his discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, his challenge to God, and finally a response from God. The book is a...
and the Song of Songs
Song of songs
Song of Songs, also known as the Song of Solomon, is a book of the Hebrew Bible or Old Testament. It may also refer to:In music:* Song of songs , the debut album by David and the Giants* A generic term for medleysPlays...
. These books do indeed contain symbolic representations similar to Divinely Inspired scripture, but not in a complete series.
New Testament
Among the books of the New Testament, the New Church regards the words of Jesus as Divinely Inspired, and thus the canon of sacred scripture includes only the four Gospels (MatthewGospel of Matthew
The Gospel According to Matthew is one of the four canonical gospels, one of the three synoptic gospels, and the first book of the New Testament. It tells of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth...
, Mark
Gospel of Mark
The Gospel According to Mark , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Mark or simply Mark, is the second book of the New Testament. This canonical account of the life of Jesus of Nazareth is one of the three synoptic gospels. It was thought to be an epitome, which accounts for its place as the second...
, Luke
Gospel of Luke
The Gospel According to Luke , commonly shortened to the Gospel of Luke or simply Luke, is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels. This synoptic gospel is an account of the life and ministry of Jesus of Nazareth. It details his story from the events of his birth to his Ascension.The...
, John
Gospel of John
The Gospel According to John , commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, and often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel, is an account of the public ministry of Jesus...
) and the Book of Revelation
Book of Revelation
The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament. The title came into usage from the first word of the book in Koine Greek: apokalupsis, meaning "unveiling" or "revelation"...
or the Apocalypse. Only these books contain an internal symbolism in a series, and are thus Divinely Inspired. Although this leaves out the book of Acts and the letters of the apostles, the New Church holds them in similar esteem as the Jews viewed the Writings (or Ketuvim) of the Old Testament. Swedenborg stated that these books were included as an act of Divine providence, as books explaining Christian doctrine were needed for the general public. Paul did indeed speak from inspiration, but not in the same manner in which the text he wrote has an internal spiritual correspondence, as does sacred scripture.
Pre-Biblical texts
Swedenborg stated that there were a set of sacred texts among an "Ancient Church" in the Middle East which preceded Judaism, which he called the Ancient Word. These were divinely inspired, but they were falsified by many, until the texts became lost over time. Some of these are quoted in the Bible, such as The Wars of JehovahBook of the Wars of the Lord
The Book of the Wars of the is one of several non-canonical books referenced in the Bible which have now been completely lost. It is mentioned in , which reads: "From there they set out and camped on the other side of the Arnon, which is in the desert and bounding the Amorite territory. For Arnon...
(Num. 21:14–15) and another book similar to those in the Prophets (Num. 21:27–30). Another work that Swedenborg said belonged to the Ancient Church was the Book of Jasher, which is also quoted in the Bible (Josh. 10:12–13, 2 Sam. 1:17–18), which Swedenborg stated was still extant in Tartary. A Hebrew midrash called Jasher (see Sefer haYashar
Sefer haYashar
Sefer haYashar . In English Jashar was traditionally, perhaps mistaken as a name and left untranslated, rendered Book of Jasher.There are a number of works with this name:...
) was published in Venice in 1625, and an English translation was published in 1840. The Hebrew text was examined by the 19th century biblical scholar George Bush
George Bush (Biblical scholar)
George Bush was an American biblical scholar, pastor, abolitionist and Christian Restorationist academic. He is distantly related to the Bush political family.-Biography:...
a relative of the Bush political family, who later became a Swedenborgian minister. Although the New Church has no official position on this Hebrew text, Swedenborg stated that the first portions of Genesis was taken from the Ancient Word, and these portions do happen to be found in the book of Jasher. Scholars, however, have identified late additions to this Hebrew text.
Eschatology
There is no "end of the world" where the visible heaven and earth will disappear. Instead, the church has passed through different ages or dispensations, each ending with a Last JudgmentLast Judgment
The Last Judgment, Final Judgment, Day of Judgment, Judgment Day, or The Day of the Lord in Christian theology, is the final and eternal judgment by God of every nation. The concept is found in all the Canonical gospels, particularly the Gospel of Matthew. It will purportedly take place after the...
that occurs in the spiritual world. The last of these took place in the year 1757. Previous last judgments had occurred at the time of Noah's Flood, and at the passion of the cross by Jesus Christ. The purpose of these last judgments is to separate the good from the evil in the intermediate spiritual world, which lies between heaven and hell. As a result of these periodic judgments, a new age or New Church begins among the people on earth. The Second Coming of the Lord is not a coming in person as the Word incarnate, but His coming is the revelation of the spiritual symbolism in the Bible, and the formation of a New Church as a result of this revelation.
There have been four Churches or dispensations preceding the New Church on this earth: the first was the "Most Ancient Church" before the flood, where contact with heaven was direct. The second was the "Ancient Church" which followed the flood, which was destroyed by idolatry. The third was Judaism
Judaism
Judaism ) is the "religion, philosophy, and way of life" of the Jewish people...
, which began with the revelation of the Decalogue
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
to Moses
Moses
Moses was, according to the Hebrew Bible and Qur'an, a religious leader, lawgiver and prophet, to whom the authorship of the Torah is traditionally attributed...
on Mt. Sinai. The fourth is Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
established by Jesus and his apostles, which over time became divided primarily into the Orthodox Church, the Catholic Church, and Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
. The New Church, which is the final phase or dispensation, is a renewal of Christianity based on the Lord's Second Coming
Second Coming
In Christian doctrine, the Second Coming of Christ, the Second Advent, or the Parousia, is the anticipated return of Jesus Christ from Heaven, where he sits at the Right Hand of God, to Earth. This prophecy is found in the canonical gospels and in most Christian and Islamic eschatologies...
. The New Church is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the heavenly New Jerusalem which descends out of heaven in the book of Revelation. Swedenborg stated that the establishment of the New Church would happen gradually, and not in a moment, as the false beliefs of the former Church had to first be set aside.
Criticism
Christians have criticised the church's beliefs, largely due to what they see as a deviation from the gospel of divine graceDivine grace
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
as taught by the apostle Paul. The Church had been accused of proclaiming a different gospel, wherein people must work their own salvation and not rely solely on the blood of Jesus to atone for their sin.
Other criticisms includes is about the pure monotheistic nature of the New Church doctrine which declares that there is one God in one person, Jesus Christ. Others reject the teachings on the basis that Swedenborg claimed to have visions.
The earliest and most well known example of this dual treatment comes from German philosopher Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant
Immanuel Kant was a German philosopher from Königsberg , researching, lecturing and writing on philosophy and anthropology at the end of the 18th Century Enlightenment....
, who was a contemporary of Swedenborg. Swedenborg was relatively unknown until 1759 when a fire broke out in Stockholm, Sweden, which threatened to burn down his house and all his writings. At the time Swedenborg was at a dinner in Gothenburg, 480 kilometres away. He suddenly turned pale and described to the guests exactly what was happening, until the fire was put out three houses down from his house. This was investigated by Kant who wrote Dreams of a Spirit-Seer, in which he criticized Swedenborg and knowledge derived from dreams and visions. In private letters Kant stated that he clothed his views in irony, and had great admiration for Swedenborg, but did not publicly admit it for fear of ridicule.
In 1768, a heresy trial was initiated in Sweden against Swedenborg's writings and two men who promoted these ideas. It essentially concerned whether Swedenborg's theological writings were consistent with the Christian doctrines. A royal ordinance in 1770 declared that Swedenborg's writings were "clearly mistaken" and should not be taught even though his system of theological thought was never examined. Swedenborg's clerical supporters were ordered to cease using his teachings, and customs officials were directed to impound his books and stop their circulation in any district unless the nearest consistory granted permission. Swedenborg then begged the King for grace and protection in a letter from Amsterdam. A new investigation against Swedenborg stalled and was eventually dropped in 1778.
Censorship in the form of omission was claimed by Eric J. Sharpe
Eric J. Sharpe
Eric John Sharpe was the founding Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Sydney, Australia...
in the evangelical biographies of Indian missionary Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sundar Singh was an Indian Christian missionary. He is believed to have died in the foothills of the Himalayas in 1929.-Early years:...
(1889–1929). Singh was said to have a number of gifts, including healing and having visions. It is documented that he claimed to have seen Emanuel Swedenborg in his visions. Yet Sharpe discovered that all the evangelical biographies would omit this fact, due to the fact they considered the teachings of Swedenborg as unorthodox (see "Biographical Controversies" in Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sundar Singh
Sadhu Sundar Singh was an Indian Christian missionary. He is believed to have died in the foothills of the Himalayas in 1929.-Early years:...
).
Influence
The writings of Swedenborg cover a wide area of subjects. Thus Swedenborg and the New Church have had influence in a number of other areas.Mormonism
Researcher D. Michael QuinnD. Michael Quinn
Dennis Michael Quinn is a historian who has focused on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was a professor at Brigham Young University from 1976 until his resignation in 1988. At the time, his work concerned church involvement with plural marriage after the 1890 Manifesto, in which...
suggests that Joseph Smith, Jr., the founder of Mormonism
Mormonism
Mormonism is the religion practiced by Mormons, and is the predominant religious tradition of the Latter Day Saint movement. This movement was founded by Joseph Smith, Jr. beginning in the 1820s as a form of Christian primitivism. During the 1830s and 1840s, Mormonism gradually distinguished itself...
, was influenced by the writings of Swedenborg. Like Swedenborg, Mormons believe in eternal marriage, but require that the ritual be performed in a Mormon temple (see Celestial Marriage
Celestial marriage
Celestial marriage is a doctrine of Mormonism, particularly The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and branches of Mormon fundamentalism.Within Mormonism, celestial marriage is an ordinance associated with a covenant that always...
). Also Joseph Smith's idea of three heavens is similar to Swedenborg's view that there are three heavens (see Heaven and Hell (Swedenborg)
Heaven and Hell (Swedenborg)
Heaven and Hell is the common English title of a book written by mystic Emanuel Swedenborg in Latin, published in 1758.The full title is Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen, or in Latin: De Caelo et Ejus Mirabilibus et de inferno, ex Auditis et Visis.This book is a detailed...
). Both Swedenborg and Joseph Smith refer to the highest heaven as "celestial", in concert with the usage of the apostle Paul (see 1 Corinthians 15:40–42) when he described a visit to the "third heaven". Other historians, including William J. Hamblin
William J. Hamblin
William James Hamblin is a Mormon apologist and associate professor of history at Brigham Young University . He is a former board member of the Foundation for Ancient Research and Mormon Studies at BYU.- Biography :...
, seriously doubt whether Joseph Smith, living in rural upstate New York, could have had access to Swedenborg's book and so find Quinn's assertions problematic. However, Edward Hunter, a Swedenborgian who later became a Mormon, reported that in 1839 Joseph Smith told him he was familiar with the writings of Swedenborg.
New Thought movement
New ThoughtNew Thought
New Thought promotes the ideas that "Infinite Intelligence" or "God" is ubiquitous, spirit is the totality of real things, true human selfhood is divine, divine thought is a force for good, sickness originates in the mind, and "right thinking" has a healing effect.Although New Thought is neither...
is a spiritual movement that began in the United States in the late 19th century which promotes positive thinking and healing. One of its earliest proponents was Phineas Parkhurst Quimby, a healer who said that illnesses in the body originated from false beliefs in the mind. One of the people he healed was Warren Felt Evans
Warren Felt Evans
Warren Felt Evans was an American author of the New Thought movement. He became a student of the movement in 1863, after seeking healing from its founder, Phineas P. Quimby...
, a Swedenborgian minister, who himself became a healer and published several books promoting New Thought and explaining it in terms of New Church doctrines. Swedenborg had stated that there was a correspondence of heaven with all things on earth, and thus there is a correspondence between the mind and the body. In general, the organized churches based on New Thought (e.g., Unity Church
Unity Church
Unity, known informally as Unity Church, is a religious movement within the wider New Thought movement and is best known to many through its Daily Word devotional publication...
, Religious Science
Religious Science
Religious Science, also known as Science of Mind, was established in 1927 by Ernest Holmes and is a spiritual, philosophical and metaphysical religious movement within the New Thought movement. In general, the term "Science of Mind" applies to the teachings, while the term "Religious Science"...
, Church of Divine Science) have developed their own teachings separate from those of Swedenborg and the New Church.
Psychology
Carl JungCarl Jung
Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychiatrist and the founder of Analytical Psychology. Jung is considered the first modern psychiatrist to view the human psyche as "by nature religious" and make it the focus of exploration. Jung is one of the best known researchers in the field of dream analysis and...
, founder of analytical psychology
Analytical psychology
Analytical psychology is the school of psychology originating from the ideas of Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung. His theoretical orientation has been advanced by his students and other thinkers who followed in his tradition. Though they share similarities, analytical psychology is distinct from...
and a contemporary of Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud , born Sigismund Schlomo Freud , was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of psychoanalysis...
, was familiar with the works of Swedenborg. He mentioned Swedenborg's clairvoyance of the fire of Stockholm in 1759 as an example of synchronicity
Synchronicity
Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events that are apparently causally unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance and that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner...
, writing "“When . . . the vision arose in Swedenborg’s mind of a fire in Stockholm, there was a real fire
raging there at the same time, without there being any demonstrable or
even thinkable connection between the two”"
Other notable adherents
Notable persons influenced either by Swedenborg's writing or by the New Church include:- Daniel BurnhamDaniel BurnhamDaniel Hudson Burnham, FAIA was an American architect and urban planner. He was the Director of Works for the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. He took a leading role in the creation of master plans for the development of a number of cities, including Chicago and downtown Washington DC...
– His parents were Swedenborgians. - Robert Carter III – Became a Swedenborgian in 1787 after his wife died and stayed with it.http://www.siouxcityuu.org/frost.htm, but he left it as an adult.
- Leonard GyllenhaalLeonard GyllenhaalLeonard Gyllenhaal was a Swedish military officer and entomologist.Born on the Ribbingsberg manor in Västergötland in west Sweden, Leonard Gyllenhaal was son of an army officer and belonged to a family of the lower nobility...
– Entomologist and dedicated Swedenborgian. - Stephen GyllenhaalStephen Gyllenhaal-Personal life:Gyllenhaal was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Virginia Lowrie and Hugh Anders Gyllenhaal. The Gyllenhaal family is a descendant of the cavalry officer Nils Gunnesson Haal, who was ennobled in 1652 when Queen Christina of Sweden conferred upon him the crest and family name,...
– Descendant of Leonard who was raised Swedenborgian. - Helen KellerHelen KellerHelen Adams Keller was an American author, political activist, and lecturer. She was the first deafblind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree....
– Wrote Light in my DarknessLight in my DarknessLight in My Darkness is a book, originally published in 1927 as My Religion, written by Helen Keller when she was 47 years old. The book was written as a tribute to Emanuel Swedenborg whom Helen regarded as "one of the noblest champions true Christianity has ever known." This book is regarded as...
which advocated the ideals of Emanuel SwedenborgEmanuel Swedenborgwas a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian. He has been termed a Christian mystic by some sources, including the Encyclopædia Britannica online version, and the Encyclopedia of Religion , which starts its article with the description that he was a "Swedish scientist and mystic." Others...
. - Lucius LyonLucius LyonLucius Lyon was a U.S. statesman from the state of Michigan. He was born in Shelburne, Vermont, where he received a common school education and studied engineering and surveying...
– "In politics he was DemocratDemocratic Party (United States)The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
, in religion a Swedenborgian." - William Rainey Marshall – Fifth governorGovernorA governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of MinnesotaMinnesotaMinnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
and advocate for black suffrageSuffrageSuffrage, political franchise, or simply the franchise, distinct from mere voting rights, is the civil right to vote gained through the democratic process...
.http://politicalgraveyard.com/group/swedenborgian.html - Lois WilsonLois Wilson (activist)Lois Wilson was the co-founder of Al-Anon, a support group for the friends and family of alcoholics. She was the wife of Alcoholics Anonymous co-founder Bill W....
– Founder of Al-Anon, raised Swedenborgian.http://www.mental-health-matters.com/articles/print.php?artID=245 (Her husband Bill W, of A.A.Alcoholics AnonymousAlcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
fame, married her at her family's Swedenborgian chapel. Still the influence of the faith on him is disputed.) - Sir Isaac PitmanIsaac PitmanSir Isaac Pitman , knighted in 1894, developed the most widely used system of shorthand, known now as Pitman shorthand. He first proposed this in Stenographic Soundhand in 1837. Pitman was a qualified teacher and taught at a private school he founded in Wotton-under-Edge...
– inventor of Shorthand was a prominent member of the Greek styled New Jerusalem church in Bath which closed in 2005. - William HarbuttWilliam HarbuttWilliam Harbutt was a painter and the inventor of Plasticine.Born in North Shields, England, Harbutt studied at the National Art Training School in London, and eventually became an associate of the Royal College of Art...
– (Inventor of Plasticine) was a member at Bath too. - John "Johnny AppleseedJohnny AppleseedJohnny Appleseed , born John Chapman, was an American pioneer nurseryman who introduced apple trees to large parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois...
" Chapman – was an American folk hero, missionary and pioneer who planted apple trees throughout the Midwest of America
There are 25 churches left in England and a handful of ministers. The denomination in the 19th century had over a hundred churches in the UK, often very grand churches very Anglican in style with large chancels, side pulpits and altars. Nearly all of these churches have closed or rebuilt in the late 20th century. Some remain in London.
External links
- The Swedenborgian Church – Library Indexed access to Swedenborg-related books, periodicals, and websites
- NewChurchHistory.org Large collection of articles on Swedenborgian history, by Swedenborgians; a collaboration of:
- HeavenlyDoctrines.org Complete Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg online
- The Bayside Swedenborgian Church Scans of the First Editions of many of Swedenborg's books
- Swedenborg Digital Library Contains electronic copies of many books by and about Swedenborg and the New Church
- Swedenborg Foundation Publisher of books by and on Swedenborg
- Swedenborg Society UK based publisher of books by and of Swedenborg
- Swedenborg Open Learning Centre (SOLC), UK
- The Academy of the New Church An educational institution of the General Church of the New Jerusalem
- History of the Swedenborgian Church of North America According to the Church itself
- Maine Lodge of Research: Swedenborg – The Church A well-written historical article