Editing Swedenborgianism (section)

==== {{anchor|Roman Catholic Church}}Catholicism ====
According to Swedenborgianism, the [[Catholic Church]] has perverted scripture to obtain primacy and dominion in spiritual matters. The Council of Chalcedon declared that Jesus has a divine and human nature so that the pope could claim to be the vicar of Christ and appropriate spiritual powers to the priesthood that belong to God alone. Authority is claimed by the pope and the priesthood over that of scripture.<ref>Swedenborg, Emanuel. ''New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine'', 1758. Rotch Edition. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1907, in ''The Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem'' (2012), n. 8.</ref> The desire to spiritually rule others or appear pious for honour and reputation originates from self-love, which is opposite the love of God and others.<ref>HH, n. 508, 535, 562, 587.</ref>

Papal primacy is claimed by the Catholic Church from an interpretation of Matthew 16:18–19,<ref>{{bibleverse|Matthew|16:18–19}}</ref> where the apostle Peter is appointed the rock on which the church will be built and given the keys to heaven. In the New Church, this passage is understood spiritually; the "rock" signifies the truth that Jesus is God, "Peter" signifies faith in God, and the "keys of the kingdom of heaven" signify the faith that allows one to enter heaven.<ref>AC, n. 3769(4), 9410(2)-9410(3).</ref> Divine providence gave the Catholic Church spiritual dominion, since it helped spread [[the gospel]] and prevented the Christian church from being destroyed by Arianism or Socinianism.<ref>DP, n. 257.</ref>

Catholics who do not read scripture worship externally only, to prevent the scriptures from being profaned.<ref>AC, 10040(2).</ref> New Church adherents believe that Catholics who have avoided idolatry, worshiped God alone and done good works can receive spiritual truth from scripture more easily.<ref>FJC, n. 58.</ref>