1A Universal Church
“Those outside the church who acknowledge one God and who in accordance with their religion live in some sort of charity towards the neighbor are in communion with those who belong to the church. For no one is damned who believes in God and lives a good life. From this it is plain that the Lord’s Church exists throughout the whole world, although it is especially located where the Lord is acknowledged and the Word is known.” (New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine 244, by Emanuel Swedenborg)
2A United Church
“The Lord’s Church is not in this particular location or in that, but it resides wherever people lead lives in keeping with the commandments of charity, both within the kingdoms in which the Church exists and outside them. So it is that the Lord’s Church is spread throughout the whole world, and yet is one; for when life constitutes the Church, and not doctrine separated from life, there is one Church. But when doctrine constitutes the Church there are many.” (Secrets of Heaven 8152, by Emanuel Swedenborg)
3A Global Church
“The church in specific is where the Word is and where the Lord is known because of it, so it is where divine truths from it have been revealed from heaven. The Lord’s Church exists throughout the whole world with all people who live in good according to their religions. All people who live in good according to their religions and acknowledge something divine are accepted by the Lord, wherever they are.” (Heaven and Hell 308, by Emanuel Swedenborg)
4An Essential Church
“In the Christian world it is their doctrines that cause Churches to be distinct and separate, and because of these they call themselves Roman Catholics, Lutherans, Calvinists or the Reformed, and Evangelicals, among other names. It is solely by reason of their doctrines that they are called by these names. This situation would never exist if they were to make love to the Lord and charity towards the neighbor the chief thing of faith. In this case their doctrinal differences would be no more than shades of opinion concerning the mysteries of faith which truly Christian people would leave to individual conscience, and in their hearts would say that a person is truly a Christian when he lives as a Christian, that is, as the Lord teaches. If this were so all the different Churches would become one, and all the disagreements which stem from doctrine alone would disappear. Indeed the hatred one man holds against another would be dispelled in an instant, and the Lord’s kingdom on earth would come.” (Secrets of Heaven 1799:4, by Emanuel Swedenborg)
