The True Christian Religion

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

—

Title

The True Christian Religion

Language

en

Book source

Global Grey

Description max 80 words

Emanuel Swedenborg's visionary theological work presents a practical guide to Christian doctrine, emphasizing inner faith, charity, and the promise of a renewed church. This comprehensive text challenges traditional theological divisions, offering a unified view of God as one Divine Trinity and outlining the path to salvation through love of the Lord and neighbor.

Summary up to 500 words

In 'The True Christian Religion,' Emanuel Swedenborg presents a profound theological framework that reinterprets Christian doctrine through spiritual science and inner experience. The work establishes the 'Faith of the New Heaven and New Church,' asserting that salvation depends on believing in the Lord, who descended to subjugate hell and glorify His Human. Swedenborg argues that God is one in essence, possessing a Divine Trinity, and that Holy Scripture is the fullness of God, draped in forms accessible to human perception. The text systematically addresses the nature of God, the Lord, the Holy Spirit, and Scripture, moving into a detailed catechism explaining the Decalogue in both external and internal senses. Central to Swedenborg's argument is the distinction between the 'internal man' (spiritual) and the 'external man' (natural). He posits that heaven and the church are constituted by the conjunction of Divine good and Divine truth, often described as a 'heavenly marriage.' Conversely, hell arises from the conjunction of evil and falsity. Swedenborg identifies two primary loves: love to the Lord and love towards the neighbor, which constitute heaven and the church, and the love of self and the love of the world, which constitute hell. He critiques the prevailing 'naturalism' of his time, where the unity of God is lost in thought despite being acknowledged in speech. The book details the process of regeneration, where a person is reborn from an evil state to a good one through repentance and reformation. It also explores the nature of the soul, the influx of the spiritual world into the natural, and the realities of heaven and hell, describing them as substantial spiritual realities rather than mere metaphors. Ultimately, the work serves as a preface and summary for a renewed understanding of faith and charity, inviting readers to live a life of good works done for the sake of others, thereby achieving conjunction with the Divine.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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https://www.globalgreyebooks.com/ebooks/emanuel-swedenborg_true-christian-religion.epub

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Categories

• Religion