The vision of the General Church in Canada is that we will inspire, nurture and support all in this nation who share a commitment to the disciplines of spiritual life revealed in the Christian Scriptures and the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, which we accept as the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and to share the good news of this revelation throughout the nation with all who are willing to consider it.
Our mission is to establish and strengthen a national network of individuals, groups and societies dedicated to the humble worship of the Lord, the rational understanding of His Word, actual repentance, and the life of genuine charity as taught in the heavenly doctrines of the New Jerusalem. We will do this by engaging and equipping ministers, other staff members, and volunteers trained in these doctrines, by giving organizational, administrative and financial support to them, by providing, or providing for a variety of worship and educational opportunities based on these teachings, by encouraging mutual support among those seeking to live according to them, and by advertising and reaching out to welcome new members, drawing attention to all these uses.
This planning process is continuing and will be ongoing, looking to the refinement of existing programs and the introduction of new ones - not least being the establishment and development of this website. Your comments are most welcome. Please see the Contact page to get in touch with us.
Today there are individual members, families and groups scattered widely all over Canada who subscribe to the principles of the New Church. Our ministry to these people and groups is provided by pastors who typically serve in the major congregations of Ontario and BC but who also travel regularly to visit those without a resident pastor. In addition we offer the following "uses" to sustain and promote the faith in Canada: -
this website, which as time goes on will grow and provide increasing benefits to visitors of all kinds
The New Church Canadian , a bimonthly newsletter featuring thought provoking articles and announcements
personal contact with pastors who can respond to spiritual needs anywhere in the country by e-mail or telephone
financial, professional and spiritual support for New Church schools in Canada
an annual summer family camp in Ontario
an annual summer camp experience in Ontario for youth of high school age (please refer to the "other resources" page in the tabs above)
discussion groups across time zones via teleconferencing and occasional e-mail correspondence courses
sermon mailings (and before long, podcasts) on request from two of our major centres
grants and bursaries for advanced students attending New Church schools in the United States
quick links to all major centres and sources of information about the New Church world-wide
easy access to a wide range of publications and other services related to the New Church world-wide
a safe and responsible national repository for your tax-deductible contributions to the work of the New Church.
In addition to our organization there are other groups and congregations in Canada who take various degrees of inspiration from the works of Swedenborg. In some cases we work co-operatively together, though there are major spiritual and philosophical differences in our views on a variety of topics. See Other Resources for more information.
We invite your questions and involvement in the church. Membership is not required for participation in any of our worship services (including communion) or classes, and there is hardly ever a fee for any regular program. We also welcome inquiries about the potential for starting NEW GROUPS and arranging for lectures or pastoral visits in new locations.
Thank you for checking us out!
Here are a few recent comments from people around Canada who have found what they were looking for in Swedenborg and/or the New Church.
"For me, Swedenborg's teachings have made the Bible accessible and relevant in an ever-changing world. As the pace of change in the world increases exponentially it is often difficult to find meaning in ancient scripture, especially in the Old Testament. Swedenborg's writings bring the Bible to life and give me hope that despite the changes I see going on around me, there is a path to love (ie, heaven) for all humanity that will remain unchanged throughout the ages." -- Mark F., Vancouver
"I find that Swedenborg answers questions - all I can come up with and many more! From beginning to end, the truth becomes brighter in a beautiful and harmonious way. Take the time to consider what he has to say." – DLP, North Vancouver.
"My first introduction to "The Writings" was reading Divine Love and Wisdom. I was deeply impressed with the truths that I read in every single line! I have since re-read this book a number of times and each time it seems as if I'm reading it for the first time – there is so much new wisdom to be found!" -- Fran R., Mississauga, ON
I've come to learn a profound teaching regarding marriage from the New Church. (It) teaches that the loving union of one man to one woman doesn't end at death but continues and is even perfected to eternity as one angel. -- John R, Toronto
Would you like to add YOUR testimony? Visit the Contact page of this website and share a few thoughts with us! Who knows, maybe YOUR experience will encourage someone else to consider the marvelous things that are now revealed "for the healing of the nations" (Rev. 22:2).
"When I discovered the New Church I was amazed to find a church that, in its doctrines, believed the very same things I had come to believe on my own after many years of searching. I have come to believe in the existence of universal truths which can be found in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg.
"In the existential crises of my youth I came to two basic conclusions on my own, one being that "No man (or woman) is an island", meaning that we are not meant to live lives in isolation but must interact with positively one another. Imagine my surprise when I read quotes from Swedenborg such as:
'We are not born for the sake of ourselves, but for the sake of others.'
(True Christian Religion 406, Emanuel Swedenborg)
or
'Worship does not consist in prayers and in external devotion, but in a life of charity.'
(Apocalypse Explained 325, Emanuel Swedenborg)
"Over the years, as I have become even further attuned to the writings of Swedenborg, I have only become more convinced of the universality of the truths he wrote. I see this in the arts (movies, novels) and I read it in the spiritual (sometimes "new-age") forwards I receive from a surprising variety of friends on email. I love to watch movies, for example, and find new Church teachings evident there. Have you seen "The Butterfly Effect"? Swedenborg could have been a consultant on the film. He wrote:
'Every smallest moment of a person‘s life entails a chain of consequences into eternity.
Indeed every one is like a new beginning to those that follow.'
(Arcana Coelestia 3854 Emanuel Swedenborg)
"This, of course is the very premise of the movie. The forwards I receive from my email friends often speak of the presence of angels as if this concept was just invented, yet back in the mid 1700’s, Swedenborg wrote:
'Perception is nothing but the speech or thought of the angels who are with a person.'
(Arcana Coelestia 5228, Emanuel Swedenborg)
And,
'A person is totally unaware of the fact that the Lord is governing him by means of angels and spirits.'
(Arcana Coelestia 50 Emanuel Swedenborg)
"Again, I would suggest the emergence of a universal truth concerning the angels and spirits which surround us." -- GP, Toronto
"It is through the constant, inspiring, intuitive emails of Rev. Gladish, and reading the words of Swedenborg - that a tangible feeling of peaceful calm, understanding, and a realisation that there is 'reason' for everything settles in with me. That although the world seems to be whirling increasingly towards chaotic confusion - imminent danger - desperate global and individual situations, that ultimately - all will be well. I am also reminded to be more kind, understanding, helpful, respectful - to not be 'overwhelmed' by the negativity and incomprehensible evil broadcast daily through the media, and then become fearful or negative myself. Life is a wonderful journey, giving us a chance to grow, experience, learn and regenerate. It is not a fearful destination - determined to undermine, criticise, confuse and ultimately destroy hope, confidence, the 'joy' of life. And finally -to 'share' the positive in everything I do with everyone - it's contagious. :-) -- Linda M., Kelowna, BC
The "New Church" is not a Protestant, Catholic, or Eastern Orthodox denomination, but is a new and different kind of Christian faith. It is different because of its teaching about the Divinity of the Lord, the holiness of His Word (the Bible) and the nature of spiritual life. As far as we know, we have more detailed and extensive teachings about the life after death than any other Christian church in the history of the world.
Our whole theology is based the Bible, and on revelations given in the dozens of inspired and carefully reasoned books written by Emanuel Swedenborg between 1748 and 1772. Yet we do not venerate Swedenborg any more than other Christians venerate Matthew or Luke. Rather we see in his work the hand of the Lord Himself in His Second Coming to an intellectually advanced but spiritually compromised human race.
The word, salvation, comes from the Latin, salveo, which refers to healing or health. We use the same root word to describe an ointment, or salve. So spiritual salvation is a state of spiritual health and well-being, which cannot be conferred on anybody by a single act or event. Of course it can begin with a special event, but just as physical health requires our co-operation with the laws of good nutrition and exercise, so our spiritual health depends upon our co-operation in faith and charity with God according to the laws of spiritual life. Salvation is a gift granted by God - but we have to open ourselves up to receiving that gift by repenting of evils as sins against Him, that is, as impediments to His love. We are saved when we act as if of ourselves to stop doing evil and to do good - but to acknowledge that any ability we have to do this is actually from Him, that it is His love acting in us and through us. We are saved when we love God and our neighbour more than we love ourselves (as Jesus Himself states plainly in Luke 10:28) - and it is the Lord alone who gives us the ability to do that.
We believe salvation is available to all people, whether they know Jesus by name and are baptized or not, provided they love God as they understand Him and live in charity toward other people - because those who have this attitude will willingly accept Jesus as God after death. "He who does the truth comes to the light" (John 3:21) - the person who sincerely seeks to do God's will will recognize Jesus as Lord. (Note: we do not believe in universal salvation, that is, that everyone is eventually saved because of the irresistible love of God. We feel that concept ultimately negates human freedom, which is the apple of the Lord's eye. There is a hell, and it's real, and there is punishment in hell, but the purpose of hell is not punishment; it is simply the containment of determined evil.)