Athanasian Creed

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

Athanasian Creed

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

This text reinterprets the Athanasian Creed through the theological lens of Emanuel Swedenborg, arguing that the Trinity consists of one Divine Person rather than three separate Gods. It challenges traditional Christian dogma regarding the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, asserting that the Lord's Human is fully Divine and that salvation depends on acknowledging this unity. The work blends scriptural analysis with Swedenborgian concepts of heaven, hell, and spiritual correspondence.

Summary up to 500 words

In this theological treatise, Emanuel Swedenborg presents a radical reinterpretation of the Athanasian Creed, arguing that traditional Christian distinctions between three Persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) erroneously imply the existence of three Gods. Swedenborg asserts that there is only one Divine, which manifests in three distinct functions: the Father as the Divine Itself, the Son as the Divine Human, and the Holy Spirit as the proceeding Divine Truth. He systematically dismantles the notion that the Son was merely a human born of Mary, contending instead that the Lord's Human was Divine from eternity. According to Swedenborg, the Father is the Divine itself which assumed the Human to redeem humanity and subjugate the hells. The text explores the nature of the Trinity not as separate essences, but as a trine within one Person. Swedenborg critiques the historical church for failing to grasp the spiritual sense of Scripture, leading to a belief in three separate entities rather than a unified Divine. He explains that the attributes of creation, redemption, and enlightenment are distinct functions of the single Divine, not separate gods. A central theme is the unity of the Divine and Human in the Lord; Swedenborg argues that separating these natures creates a contradiction akin to thinking of a corpse. He posits that the Lord's incarnation was a process of the Divine clothing itself with the Human. Swedenborg further elucidates that the Lord is the sole God, often referred to as Jehovah or the Holy One of Israel. He clarifies that while the Creed speaks of the Trinity in Unity, this must be understood as one Person containing a trine. The work serves as both a theological correction and a guide to spiritual realities, emphasizing that true faith requires acknowledging the Lord's Divine Human. Without this acknowledgment, Swedenborg warns, one cannot be saved, as the hells are filled with hatred against the Lord specifically, not the abstract concept of the Father. The text concludes that the Athanasian Creed can only be harmonized when viewed through the understanding that the Trinity is a unity within the one Divine Person of the Lord.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• Religion