n e w c h u r c h l i f e : j u ly / au g u s t 2 0 1 7
of the Word. We can see why the Lord
so often associated Himself with sheep,
for example, because sheep represent
our willingness to be led by the Lord,
an affection He wanted to foster in us.
The theological Writings of
Emanuel Swedenborg contain many
volumes of information about what
various passages in Scripture mean,
using this scientific system which can
be applied to any text from Genesis
to Revelation and throughout. This
system shows that every word and verse
actually carries within it truths that
pertain to the history of the church,
our own states of spiritual growth and
rebirth, the doctrine of the spiritual
world, and the nature of God Himself. The science of correspondences unifies
the whole of Scripture so that it makes sense and has relevance to our lives and
our situations here, now, today.
This new system shows that science and religion are not enemies, but rather
two different ways that the Divine Wisdom shows itself. We turn to science for
a description of how things work, and we turn to the Word to find out why.
The Doctrines of the New Church combine solid Christian traditions with
our own experience of life, reason, common sense, science and psychology to
create a religion that makes sense.
The Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg – some 30 volumes,
written over a period of 25 years – form a comprehensive system free of
inconsistencies and contradictions which opens Scripture up in a new way,
allowing the Divine truths that have always been there to shine forth and to
bring new light into the lives of men on earth, provided that they seek to put
them to use in their lives.
The one question that each of us will face in our lives, when trying to
answer our own questions about religious belief and faith is: “How do I know
that this teaching is true?” All of us will ask that question no matter what faith
we were born into.
In the final analysis, we each decide for ourselves what is true by living
according to it, and asking ourselves if it leads to what is good, to what we,
from conscience, believe that God wants us to do. We in the New Church
believe that the Theological Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg constitute a
new revelation because that is what they themselves claim, and when we live
The Doctrines of the
New Church combine
solid Christian
traditions with our
own experience of life,
reason, common sense,
science and psychology
to create a religion
that makes sense.
288