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contributed by Rev. David Roth, Pastor of The New Church of Boulder Valley - Colorado, U.S.A.

Many of us struggle to try to find the most effective way of explaining the concept of the New Church to other people who have never heard of it. I have spent the last 13 years of my ministry contemplating this problem in various way. During that period my opinion about the best way has changed several times. Here are some of the conclusions I have gravitated toward.

1. Ask people what their background is first so that I can know how to find common ground or know which subjects to bring forward first in my explanation.
2. Share the most popular themes with them; the ones that I have found to be of the most interest to those who have responded positively to the teachings.
3. Start small - don't share too much. Let their questions be my guide.
4. Tell them what I love about the New Church - the benefits to my personal life.

I think these are all good principles, but an experience I had this summer and a passage from the Writings for the New Church that I came across have changed my mind once again.

I was at a rehearsal dinner this past summer up in the mountains in Breckenridge, Colorado for a wedding I would be presiding over the next day. There was a really nice young man who was playing guitar for the ceremony. We both enjoyed the preliminary chit-chat of first meeting. He knowing I was a minister and I knowing he was a youth pastor from a Presbyterian church felt drawn to talk more deeply over the meal. We made a point of sitting together and I asked him about his work. He then asked me about the church I was a pastor of. Upon hearing the name, The New Church, he astutely asked me what kind of church it was-what does it teach? My usual mode at that time was to pick two of the more popular subjects and to explain them. I told him about the idea of the church universal-the teaching that all people who believe in a God who is one and who live in charity according to their religious beliefs will go to heaven. Then I told him that the Word or Bible has an internal meaning. I used the example of the Exodus story to illustrate what I meant. When I was done my explanation he looked at me and said, "Thank you." And ended the conversation. In fact his disposition toward me changed. I felt like he was thinking, "You are insane." I didn't pursue finding out more about his reaction.

Later, when I was driving the two hours back home it struck me: of course he thinks I am insane. I gave him no context or background about where these teachings come from. For all he knew I just made them up, or our church made them up. He had no reason to think anything else. I realized that the method I was using of sharing the church by displaying a few teachings is like trying to catch fish in a body of water without first finding out what kind of fish live in it. It also feels like trying to sell a clothing store to someone by holding up a shirt, then a pair of pants, then perhaps a coat to see if I can draw them into a deal.

A few days later I ran across a passage from the Writings from the work Coronis, paragraph 1, that says, in part:

"Without some knowledge respecting the Consummation of the Age, the Second Advent of the Lord, and the New Church, the Word is as it were shut up; nor can anything but knowledges open it: these are like keys which open the door and let one in."

It hit me like a bullet between my eyes. I got a whole new message about how to share the New Church. I felt like the Lord was saying to me, "If you are going to explain the New Church to someone else you need to begin by telling them about how the Christian church has ended, then tell them about My Second Coming, and then that I have now set up a New Church. Once you do this then you can tell them about all the good things I have revealed. It will be easy."

So that is what I have been doing. The first person I explained it to this way didn't bat an eyelash but said, "And what time are the services?" The second person said, "That is really interesting. Could you please bring me some more information? And so it goes. Here is one example of an email sent off to an inquirer who saw the sign at our church and wanted to know more. I left off the cordialities at the beginning and end.

Thanks for your inquiry. The New Church is called the New Church because it is new, so you will encounter new teachings. Let me explain it in context. As the Old Testament reads, people were in deep darkness and trouble (Isaiah 9:2, John 1:5, John 3:19) and that is why God came on earth in human form as Jesus Christ. He came to conquer the power that hell had over the human race, and to make His human Divine. He in effect restored our freedom to choose again-thus saving the human race. The Christian church was set up in response to His coming. This church has grown and also experienced throughout its history a falling away from what it was intended to be, and again spiritually people were in a type of darkness. So the Lord has come again in a new body of revelation or truth--creating a New Church. In this new revelation He describes Himself, and what true Christianity is. He teaches about the eternity of marriage. He explains how his Word (Bible) has a deeper, inner meaning. For example the seven days of creation is not about how the world was created but about how God recreates us spiritually--each day describes a new stage in our growth. He describes our salvation process and what we must do to be salvable. He describes in great detail heaven and hell and the life after death, and many more wonderful things. These teachings are contained in what are called the Heavenly Doctrines or the Writings for the New Church.

For me, both the Heavenly Doctrines and my experiences have made it evident to me that it is important to be clear and direct about the fact that the Lord has come again. It may not always be comfortable for members, but I have found it to be liberating and most people I have spoken to have had good reactions. It also makes it so much easier. I don't feel like I have to find a convincing argument-or to try and sell the teachings. It is just a fact-and I can then freely share those facts without attachment.

As a result I have begun writing answers to basic questions that come up in response to the question of, "How is this church different than the Christian Church." Here are some of my answers. (Notice I do not include references. I just wanted to write and give answers off the top of my head-same as I would have to do if I was in a conversation with someone else).

Overview

The New Church teaches that God has set forth a new Christianity, the principles of which have been set out in what are called The Heavenly Doctrines or the Writings for the New Church. These works were revealed by the Lord to set forth this new theology and the resulting church. They were written and published by Emanuel Swedenborg from 1749 - 1770.

I would like to take few moments to identify some of the errors of the Christian faith and offer a brief explanation of what the Lord reveals about the subject.

What Did Jesus Accomplish By His Death On The Cross?

New Christianity does teach that God saved the human race by coming on earth. He didn't come to die. He came to restore freedom to human beings so we could again be free to choose. Before the Lord came on earth the influence of hell had risen up to such a level that it was essentially choking off the life from God with the human race. It was like a completely cloudy and polluted atmosphere which needed to be scrubbed clean. The Lord cleared the way by taking on the attacks of the hells into His vulnerable humanity and by His own strength putting them under lock and key so that they didn't over extend their influence and cause an imbalance. The final battle was the one on the cross-it was not the only battle. When Jesus proclaimed on the cross "It is finished" He was declaring that all the work He came to do against the hells was over. Then He breathed His last. On Easter morning His body was no longer in the tomb because all that was human was unified with the Divine and made Divine.

Salvation & Are We Judged by God?

The Lord by His life on earth made the way clear so that we may do the work, with Him, of changing our character from one that is selfish, self centered, inconsiderate and fearful (living in a hellish way) to one that is kind, giving, generous and confident in the Lord (living in a heavenly way). This is a process and it takes time. As we make choices to turn away from selfish and merely worldly gratification and in turn make choices that are based on the truth, and inspired by generosity and kindness we develop a desire or will for what is good. It is that will or dominant love within us that determines our place after the death of this body. If we primarily love what is kind, good, and true we take ourselves to heaven where we can continue to live this way with others of a like mind and heart. If we primarily love what is selfish, hateful and deceitful we take ourselves to hell where we can continue to live this way with others of like mind and heart. We therefore judge ourselves - or choose our own eternity.

Who Goes To Heaven?

It is this truth which leads to another truth of this New Christianity-the teaching that all people of all faiths will go to heaven if they believe in one God and live in charity and kindness according to the principles of their religious persuasion. It is because it is what is in your heart, not what is in your mind only or the words on your tongue or the membership card in your wallet that determines your eternal condition. When people arrive in the spiritual world after the death of the physical body they are not asked "what is your religion?" but rather, "what is your life?"

What do you Believe About the Devil/Satan?

There is no one devil or satan that strives in opposition to God. Devil is a term reserved for those who in this life have chosen a life of hate and hurt towards others. The Devil in the aggregate sense, can mean all those in this particular hell working together for ill. Satan is a term reserved for those who in this life have chosen a life delighting in lies and deceit-they love what is false. Satan in the aggregate sense can mean all those in this particular hell working together to deceive or persuade others of what is false.

The Bible Is Not To Be Taken Only Literally

The Lord's Word is not to be taken only literally. There are several layers of meaning within the Word.

1. There is the literal meaning-the meaning that you get from reading the Word at face value.
2. There is the historical meaning-the meaning you get that describes the relationship between God and His people and the history of the different churches on earth.
3. There is the Spiritual Meaning -the inner meaning- that contains the lessons of spiritual growth within them. For example, the Children of Israel being in bondage in Egypt pictures how we can become enslaved to bad habits or evil desires. The pain and oppression they endure pictures how living that kind of life is really a type of slavery and full of pain and sorrow. The Lord, by means of Moses, pictures how the Lord can lead us out of this condition and set us free-leading us to the promised land of spiritual life.
4. There is also a celestial meaning of the Word which explains the path that Jesus had to endure to make His human Divine.

Can you Contribute To Your Own Salvation?

Yes. In fact without your participation you are not going to experience spiritual growth. The Lord can only approach us with His love and wisdom and mercy if prepare ourselves to receive Him. We are taught that the Lord can only be present with us in what is His own. So we must acquire truth from the Word and attempt to live by it-shunning evils as sins. When we do this we create a place where the Lord can dwell. The power to do this of course is not ours, but comes from the Lord when we ask for it, and live in the light of the Word.

Forgiveness Of Sins

The Lord immediately forgives us of everything thing that we ever do that is wrong because He is love and mercy itself. We have to stop doing the behavior in question in order for the forgiveness to mean anything because until we stop the Lord's love and mercy can not enter in and find a place with us. It is never that the Lord is not willing to forgive us, but that we are unwilling to change our behavior and so have His forgiveness have effect in our life.

Why are we Here?

We are created to be of use. All things that have been created by the Lord are for the sake of some use. The point of truth is to show us the things we must stop doing and the things we must begin doing to be of use. When we do things that are useful to others with no thought of reward or recognition the Lord gives us a delight far surpassing any external reward. This is the same delight that the angels of heaven experience from the joy of use in heaven. The greatest delight of angels is doing good with no thought of reward.

The Laws of Divine Providence -- Why are bad things permitted to happen?

The Lord's governance of all people is called His Divine Providence. There is nothing that happens outside of the care of the Lord and His providence. This does not mean that the Lord wills evil things to happen. The Lord is continually providing for all that is good and true and useful to effect us and inspire us. His will is only that good happen. However, He also created people to be free. Therefore people make choices that are merely somewhat good, or partially good and sometimes downright evil and wrong. The Lord is present with people in these choices trying to bend them to a lesser evil or even to what is good. He will never exert His influence to the point where someone's will is broken or pushed beyond their own free choice. We are also told that the Lord will only permit evil to happen if good may come from it. For example, we can see in the death of an individual how often it will impact people for good; by either inspiring others to change their lives, or live more spiritually, or some such thing. When evil things happen the Lord is permitting it (not willing or desiring it to happen), providing that good might come from the choice.

When, therefore, it is said that God permits, this does not mean that He wills, but that He cannot avert on account of the end, which is salvation. Whatever is done for the sake of the end, namely, salvation, is according to the laws of the Divine Providence. [DP 234]