Editing Swedenborgianism (section)

==== Former Christian creeds ====
In the New Church, authority is based on divine revelation rather than creeds or church councils.<ref>TCR, n. 176.</ref> All doctrine should be confirmed by scripture. The interpretation of scripture is determined by doctrine, however, and enlightenment by God should be sought when reading his words.<ref>TCR, n. 225–233.</ref>

===== Apostles' Creed =====
The [[Apostles' Creed]], the creed of the [[Apostolic Age|Apostolic Church]], does not refer to a trinity: "I believe in God the Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary: also in the Holy Spirit." This creed is in agreement with the New Church, since it does not mention an eternally existing son.<ref>TCR, n. 175.</ref>

===== Nicene Creed =====
The [[Nicene Creed|Nicene]] and [[Athanasian Creed]]s introduced the trinity.<ref>TCR, n. 177.</ref> The Nicene Creed is a modified version of the Apostles' Creed; according to the New Church, a trinity of persons is a trinity of gods.<ref>TCR, n. 172–173.</ref><ref>SE, n. 34.</ref> The creed also introduces the concept of a son "begotten from eternity", which the New Church considers erroneous:<ref>TCR, n. 83, 101–102.</ref> "the Human, by which God sent Himself into the world, is the Son of God."<ref>TCR, n. 92.</ref>

===== Athanasian Creed =====
The New Church considers the [[Athanasian Creed]], like the Nicene, incorrect in defining a trinity of persons. However, the church believes that the Athanasian Creed can be corrected if a trinity of one person in God is understood when it speaks of a trinity of persons.<ref>DL, n. 55–57.</ref> The creed expresses the church's doctrine of the divine human: "That our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is both God and Man; and although He is God and Man, still there are not two, but there is one Christ. He is one, because the Divine took to itself the Human; yea, He is altogether one, for He is one Person: since as the soul and the body make one man, so God and Man is one Christ." According to the New Church, God's human nature was made divine.<ref>AC, n. 10125(3), 10824, DL, n. 29.</ref>

===== Chalcedonian Definition =====
The [[Council of Chalcedon]] declared that Jesus has two natures (divine and human), which contradicts New Church doctrine. Swedenborg said that it was revealed to him in a heavenly vision that:

{{blockquote|[T]hose who had the greatest influence in the council, and who were superior to the rest in rank and authority, came together in a dark room and there concluded that both a Divine and a human nature should be attributed to the Lord; principally for the reason, that otherwise the papal sway could not be maintained. For if they had acknowledged the Lord to be one with the Father, as He Himself says, no one could have been recognized as His vicar on earth; and schisms were arising at that time, by which the papal power might have fallen and been dissipated, if they had not made this distinction. Then to give their decision strength, they sought out confirmations from the Word, and persuaded the rest.<ref>AC, n. 4738(3).</ref>}}

Although most other churches maintain that Jesus has two natures, the New Church believes that his human nature was made divine.<ref>AC, n. 10125(4).</ref>