Letter to the Editors
A ‘Garland’ of Inclusivity?
To The Editors:
A lady in Bryn Athyn has written to me in response to my letter in the
March/April 2014 New Church Life, A Crown and a Garland. She does not
agree with me, saying that a garland more accurately encompasses the way we
are supposed to live, reaching out to all regardless of their beliefs, and building
up a feeling of inclusiveness with them. This view, of course, lies behind the
idea that “crown of churches” should be changed to “garland of churches.”
To emphasise her view she quotes the following passage: “The church
of the Lord is not here, nor there, but it is everywhere … where people live
according to the precepts of charity. Hence it is, that the church of the Lord is
scattered through the whole world, and yet it is one; for when life makes the
church, and not doctrine separate from life, then the church is one; but when
doctrine makes the church, then there are many.”
I think there are two issues here. The first is whether “crown of churches”
should be translated as “garland of churches.” The second is why, which is tied
in with the quotation above. Why should the New Church take an inclusive
approach to other faiths, whether organizational or private, on the grounds of
that quotation?
As to the first, I think my letter clearly showed that we would be changing
the meaning of the Lord’s Word if we changed the translation to “garland of
churches.”
As to the second, I can quite see the emotional appeal of making all
religions inclusive to the New Church – of having a “garland” and basing the
appeal on that quotation.
Of course I agree with the quotation as it is written. However, although it
is true, the number is talking about the spiritual state of charity. If we are all in
that spiritual state then of course it is the life that makes the church, and that
where people live according to the precepts of charity the Lord is there and the
church is one. But I would ask whether we and others are living according to
the precepts of charity.
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