new church life: september/october 2017
Christians and Jews
are the only population
groups that receive
harsh criticism in the
Writings, for the simple
fact that these are the
people of the church,
the ones who have had
the Word and who have
failed to live by it. If this
had not been the case
there would have been
no need for the Lord
to be born on earth.
The criticisms are aimed at the people
of the church
Christians and Jews are the only
population groups that receive harsh
criticism in the Writings, for the
simple fact that these are the people
of the church, the ones who have had
the Word and who have failed to live
by it. If this had not been the case there
would have been no need for the Lord
to be born on earth.
Although the harsh criticisms
leveled at Christianity have not been
surprising to many people, the similar
statements about Judaism have struck
many readers as anti-Semitic. They
are problematic, especially given the
Writings’ warnings against contempt
for others. The Reader’s Guide in the
New Century Edition of Secrets of
Heaven has this to say about these
statements:
They cannot be simply eradicated or excised
from the text, because from Swedenborg’s
theological point of view the corrupt nature of the Jewish religion before Jesus’ birth
is integral to the spiritual history of the churches. It serves to explain both the need
for that birth as a new dawn and the intensity of Jesus’ ensuing spiritual struggle.
(Secrets of Heaven, vol. 1, Readers Guide, p. 53)
Both Christians and Jews are described as being devoid of love and charit y
and as having falsified the Word, and are therefore held responsible for the
need for the Lord’s Advent. (cf. True Christianity 121, Arcana Coelestia 3479)
A number of passages say negative things about the Jews, sometimes repeating
classic anti-Semitic accusations of avarice and materialism, even calling them
the “worst” of all nations in the Ancient world. (Arcana Coelestia 9320, True
Christianity 801)
But other passages specifically say that the Christian peoples are significantly
worse (Spiritual Experiences 480, 5978), especially with respect to their cruelty
and persecution of others (Spiritual Experiences 3598, Arcana Coelestia 824),
their tendency to adultery (Apocalypse Explained 1008.2), their hatred for the
Lord (Arcana Coelestia 1886.4 pref.), and sometimes praising Jews in comparison
with Christians (Arcana Coelestia 3479). This contrast should also be clear from
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