SERVETUS, SWEDENBORG AND THE NATURE OF GOD by ANDREW MALCOLM THOMAS DIBB submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF THEOLOGY in the subject CHURCH HISTORY atthe UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA PROMOTER: PROF L D JAFTA NOVEMBER 2001 l\11111111111\i 0001867214 Student number: 875-839-5 I declare that Servetus, Swedenborg and the nature of God is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. ~-?)>{( ·,1c)/11 /J .....'Of (Rev AMT Dibb) Date UNISA LIBRARY 2 ..1 0[; i ZUJ6 CLASS .. 231.044 DIBB Servetus, Swedenborg and the Nature of God Michael Servetus (1508 - 1553) and Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 - 1772) are both considered heretics. They share many concepts about the nature of God, especially their rejection orthodox Nicene and Chalcedonian theology. This thesis explores their respective theologies relating to the Trinity and Christology, with speculation of what sources they may have had in common. While attention is paid to Ignatius, Irenaeus and Tertullian, particular attention is paid to Tertullian, whose work Adversus Praxean lays the foundation of Servetus' ideas and has much in common with Swedenborg's theology. In light of their similarity to Tertullian, the question is asked if Servetus and Swedenborg would have been called heretics prior to Nicaea. Key Words: Servetus, Swedenborg, Trinity, Christology, Patristic Fathers, Tertullian, Ignatius of Antioch, Irenaeus, Athanasius, Nicaea, Chalcedon, Persons, Substance of God, Creed, heresy, Reformation, Enlightenment, communicatio idiomatum, Calvin. ·.\ ' : I ~I ~IZ( ~· ' Abbrieviations AC Arcana Coelestia (Swedenborg) AE Apocalypse Explained (Swedenborg) AH Adversus Haeres (Irenaeus) AK The Animal Kingdom (Swedenborg) ANF Ante Nicene Fathers Aquinas Summa Theologica (Aquinas) AR Apocalypse Revealed (Swedenborg) Ath. Cr. The Athanasian Creed (Swedenborg) BE A Brief Exposition of the Doctrine of the New Church (Swedenborg) Canons The Canons of the New Church (Swedenborg) CL Conjugial Love (Swedenborg) Coro Coronis (Swedenborg) De Verbo The Word of the Lord, from Experience (Swedenborg) Dia Dialogues on the Trinity (Servetus) DLW Divine Love and Wisdom (Swedenborg) DP Divine Providence (Swedenborg) EAK The Economy of the Animal Kingdom (Swedenborg) Ecc. Hist. Ecclesiastical History (Swedenborg) Ep. Ephesians Epistle to the Ephesians (Ignatius) Ep. Magnesians Epistle to the Magnesians (Ignatius) Ep.Philad Epistle to the Philadelphians (Ignatius) Ep. Polycarp Epistle to Polycarp (Ignatius) Ep. Romans Epistle to the Romans (Ignatius) Ep. Smyrnians Epistle to the Smyrnians (Ignatius) Ep. Trallians Epistle to the Trallians (Ignatius) Faith The Doctrine of Faith (Swedenborg) HH Heaven and Hell (Swedenborg) Hist. Cr. The History of Creation (Swedenborg) Infinite The Infinite and Final Cause of Creation (Swedenborg) Invitation Invitation to the New Church (Swedenborg) JD Journal of Dreams (Swedenborg) LJ The Last Judgement (Swedenborg) LJP The Last Judgement (Posthumous) (Swedenborg) LME Letters to the Monks of Egypt (Cyril of Alexandria) Lord The Doctrine of the Lord (Swedenborg) NCL New Church Life Notebook A Philosopher's Notebook (Swedenborg) Prax. Adversus Praxean (Tertullian) Pres. Her. Prescription Against Heretics (Tertullian) Principia The Principia (Swedenborg) RC Restitution of Christianity (Servetus) RP Rational Psychology (Swedenborg) SE Spiritual Experiences or Spiritual Diary (Swedenborg) SS Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture (Swedenborg) TCR The True Christian Religion (Swedenborg) Tr. Erroribus Trinitatus (Servetus) WE The Word Explained or Adversaria (Swedenborg) 9Q Nine Questions (Swedenborg) Table of Contents Prologue 1 Introduction iv Chapter One - Christology 1 Underlying Principles ofChristology 3 Philosophy 3 Language 5 Christology from Above and Below 7 Underlying Principles ofServetian and Swedenborgian Christology 9 Chapter Two - The History of the Trinity 12 The Earliest Christology and Concepts of the Trinity 13 The Christology ofignatius 14 The Christology ofirenaeus 18 The Christology of Tertullian 22 The Arian Controversy 33 The Nicene Creed 36 The Athanasian Creed 39 The Divine and Human in Christ 40 Nestorius 42 Cyril of Alexandria 44 The Resolution of the Council of Ephesus 45 The Council of Chalcedon 46 The Effect of Trinitarian Christology on Christian Theology 50 The Illustrative 50 The Demonstrative 51 The Fideist 52 William of Occam 53 Gregory ofRimini 54 Pierre D' Ailly 54 John Major and Erasmus 55 Chapter Three - Michael Servetus 57 Early Years 59 The Middle Years 66 The Final Years 74 Capture in Switzerland 80 Chapter Four - On the Errors of the Trinity in Seven Books 87 Book I 89 Book II 93 Book III 98 Book IV 102 BookV 106 Book VI 108 Book VII llO Chapter Five - Dialogues on the Trinity in Two Books 116 Book the First 117 Book the Second 124 Chapter Six - The Sources for Servetus' Christology 133 Servetus' Rejection of Scholasticism 136 The Illustrative 138 The Demonstrative 143 The Fideist 144 William of Occam 144 Gregory of Rimini 145 Pierre D'Ailly 146 John Major and Erasmus 146 Servetus and the Church Fathers 148 The Christology ofTertullian 149 The Christology oflrenaeus 152 The Christology ofignatius 154 Islamic and Jewish Sources in Servetus 156 Chapter Seven - Emanuel Swedenborg 158 The Early Years 160 Uppsala University 163 Travel Abroad 164 Back in Sweden 167 The Middle Years 170 Early Philosophy 171 Assessor on the Board of Mines 172 Mature Philosophy 173 The Search for the Soul 174 Spiritual Experiences 176 Transition 179 The Journal of Dreams 180 Swedenborg's Visions of God 182 Biblical Studies 186 Full Contact with the Spiritual World 191 'Proofu' of Swedenborg's Clairvoyance 193 The Gothenburg Fire 194 Madam De Marteville's Desk 195 The Queen's Secret 196 Last Journey 197 What does one make of Swedenborg? 198 Chapter Eight - Swedenborg's Rejection of the Traditional Trinity 202 Swedenborg's Early Theological Stage 208 Swedenborg's Reflections on the Traditional Trinity 214 The First Epoch - the Apostolic Church 215 The Second Epoch - the Trinitarian Church 217 The Athanasian Creed 219 Swedenborg's Rejection of Scholasticism 223 The Destruction of the Church 225 There is a Divine Trinity 227 Chapter Nine -Swedenborg's Concept of God 229 God is One 231 The Nature of the One God 235 The Esse and Existere 236 Essence and Existence 240 The Successive Revelation of God 244 The Most Ancient Church 245 The Ancient Church 249 The Israelitish Church 252 Jesus Christ 253 The Son from Eternity 254 Who is Jesus Christ? 256 Christ's Conception and Birth 258 The Process of Glorification 264 The Holy Spirit 270 Chapter Ten- Swedenborg's Concept of the Trinity 275 Soul, Body, Operation 277 Discrete Degrees 282 The Trinity before Christ 285 Reworking the Athanasian Creed 288 One God 289 Three Persons 292 The Acceptable Athanasian Creed 294 Christ allowed himself to be born 295 The Divine of the Father took on a Human 296 The Rational Soul and Human Body 297 Christ's Soul 299 One Christ 301 The Two Natures are not Co-Mingled 302 The Soul and the Body 303 Chapter Eleven - Servetus, Swedenborg and the Nature of God 306 Historical Similarities 307 Concept of the Bible 313 Nicaea 319 The Idea of God 321 God the Creator 322 The Word prior to the Advent 326 The Incarnation 329 The Holy Spirit 336 The Trinity 339 The Consequences of this Belief 341 Rejection of Faith Alone 343 Chapter Twelve - Common Sources and Roots 347 Tertullian 352 The Rule of Faith 356 Tertullian and Swedenborg 359 Substance 362 Person 363 Could Tertullian have influenced Swedenborg? 366 Census 367 Status 369 Gradus 370 The Testimony of the Soul 372 Chapter Thirteen - Conclusion 379 Servetus the Heretic 386 Swedenborg the Heretic 388 Were they Heretics? 399 Appendix A 401 Appendix B 404 Appendix C 407 Bibliography 409 Prologue or some people researching and writing history is the height of joy and fulfilment. If that history is about the most sublime subjects, it becomes F also a quest for personal growth and understanding. It is humbling to come into close contact, across the centuries, with great minds, with people who have dedicated their lives to understanding the nature of God. It is reassuring to know that learned scholars can go off the rails as easily as any one else. It is less gratifying to witness the intolerance so often engendered by heterodox beliefs, and the extremes to which anger and self-righteousness often carry people. Yet reflection on these things reminds one of one's own short-comings and one's own intolerance. In many respects this thesis has been a personal spiritual journey, an examination of the labyrinthine concepts surrounding the nature of God. Who is the God we worship, and why do Christians understand him to be the God they think he is? How do we know that our own personal, denominational interpretation of the Bible is accurate and true? A study of the history of theology down the ages gives many insights and answers to these questions. It should not surprise us if we find a firm friend in someone who died centuries ago, or perhaps discordance with a theologian, a scholar, who until a close examination of his work showed us a different side of him. The study of history has convinced me of one thing: no one individual, church, era or movement has ever had the definitive understanding of who God is, of how he manifests himself or affects the people of this world, be they believers or unbelievers. The subject of God is too vast, too infinite, to be encapsulated by one person. History marks the changes of the understanding of God down the ages, from the simplicity of the Apostles to the complexities of the Schoolmen, to our modern ecumenical relativism. At any given time, who was right? Who was wrong? The simple solution of backing one's argument with the phrase 'the Bible says', doesn't answer these questions.