As you know, the idea of spiritual free will is central to the teachings revealed to Swedenborg. One implication of that teaching, as I understand it, is that we respect each other’s freedom in deciding what we believe. This means, again as I understand it, that we do our best to view another person’s belief with charity – especially if we do not agree with them.

I was interested in your viewing the Second Advent as “silent.” I think you can consider the First Advent “silent” as well. Both advents initially appeared in obscure places as far as world history goes: The First Advent first appeared in the form of a baby in a small backwater town in a corner of the Roman empire, the second as publication of a set of books, both pretty “silent” beginnings. But we know from revelation that the spiritual forces released by both comings were anything but silent. See, for instance, the Second Advent work on the huge spiritual events involved in “The Last Judgment and Babylon Destroyed. All the Predictions in the Apocalypse are at This Day Fulfilled”

(http://swedenborgdigitallibrary.org/contets/LJ.html)

When Jesus was born in Bethlehem it was expected by everyone (including the original 12 apostles, who wished to rule on 12 thrones at his side) that He would be the next king of Israel and Judah, ascending the throne of his ancestor David and expelling Rome from its seat of imperial control. In fact, this was of so much concern to the current king and servant of Rome, Herod, that he had all children under 2 killed to insure his own line would continue uncontested. But as the Bible reveals, Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world.

The gospels spend a lot of time establishing and confirming Jesus as the Messiah, the son of God, one with the Father, the fulfillment of all scripture and every prophecy so that those who read them might come to understand how to interpret the law and the prophets as Jesus did. Throughout the Gospels we see Christ frustrated with the unbelief and inability of those around him and even those close to him to understand who he was, or what he was on earth to accomplish. But, Jesus explained that he would return and explain everything that they couldn’t yet understand. He told them that he would return in spirit, as the lightning that goes from east to west. He assured them that he would send his spirit to comfort and to teach them. And he reiterated the prophecy of Jeremiah, that a time would come when everyone would know him.

Emanuel Swedenborg only had authority to speak about the theology of the church because, just like Paul, Jesus Christ appeared to him, showed him heaven and hell, and taught him the meaning of scripture and the core of true Christian understanding and belief.

Emanuel and Paul are not at odds, they met the same God in Jesus Christ, saw the same visions of heaven, and both spent the remainder of their lives giving witness and testimony to their undivided faith in Jesus Christ. Emanuel challenges many of the traditions of both the Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches and many of the interpretations that were put on Paul by some later theologians in the church. Emanuel was a Lutheran Christian until the day he died, and he draws heavily on the epistles of Paul in his own work.

On heaven and the angels, the fact that entering heaven is joining the human body of Christ is a well established understanding of Christ’s own words. And the fact that all angels were born as men, died and rose, is well established by the fact that Jesus gave us his own example, rising 3 days after his death, and promising eternal life to all who believe in him. And for further evidence that angels were not separately created, see the conversation between John and the mighty angel in the book of Revelation, who commands John not worship him because “he is of his brethren the prophets” who came before.

And finally, the fact that all authority has been given to Jesus Christ, he himself plainly said at the end of the Gospel according to Matthew. Not some authority. Not co-equal with the Father. Not the right hand man, but ALL authority. The fact that He was the Father himself come to earth is plainly the claim and assertion of the whole Gospel according to John. And is best summarized by John in his first epistle where he asserts that Jesus Christ is true God and eternal life.

You may find, as I have, that there are many un-Christian and non-biblical claims and assertions made by those who currently call themselves Swedenborgians and “new church”. All I can say is that they do not stem from what Emanuel Swedenborg wrote in his published theology, but from the traditions of the churches that came after him. Jesus warned us not to adhere to the traditions of men, but instead to hold closely to his holy word. Jesus did not return as expected, but then again he didn’t come the first time as expected either. Jesus challenges us to step beyond our preconceptions, outside of the traditions of any church, denomination, or human creed, and follow the leadership of his own spirit in engaging the scriptures themselves on his terms, to come to understand his eternal messages and the bread of life which leads to eternal life.

To ask whether or not I believe in Swedenborg is like asking if I believe in Paul, John, Matthew, Mark, or Luke. I believe the words of their testimony regarding their witness and experience of Jesus Christ. Were they perfect in the recording of their accounts? No. Did they write things which could be and have been misinterpreted? Yes. It’s like William Tyndale said, “Scripture apart from Christ is dead”. At the heart of every true scripture is the eternal message of God, left for the believer who is lead by his holy spirit to discover. The fact that there are people who quote the Bible to support every manner of heresy, falsity, and other corruption of the gospel does not compromise the Bible as the holy Word of God. It’s like Jesus said, many people see and don’t observe, hear and don’t understand, but we are blessed when we see and hear the gospel, the message, and the purpose that Jesus Christ has for us. And we are called to stand firm in our witness and testimony to the one true God and eternal life, Jesus Christ our Lord.