New Church Life January/February 2016 | Page 56

new church life: jan uary/february 2016 As elsewhere in the development of the New Church, we see beginnings and strive to nurture those precious seeds and seedlings for the future. (See photos of the Brazil visit, by Gretchen Keith, on pages 86-87.) The Rt. Rev. Brian W. Keith is Executive Bishop of the General Church, General Pastor of the General Church and Chancellor of the Academy of the New Church. He is also President of the General Church in Canada, the General Church in South Africa, and the General Church International, Incorporated. He lives with his wife Gretchen (Umberger) in Bryn Athyn. Contact: [email protected] O U R N E W C H U RC H V O C A B U L A R Y Part of a continuing series developed by the Rev. W. Cairns Henderson, 1961-1966. EQUILIBRIUM If two forces exert opposite and equal pressures upon a third thing, each cancels the other; and the third, if endowed with the power of action, is free to yield to one or the other as it chooses. Therefore it is sa id to be in equilibrium. As used in the Writings, the term refers to man’s state as being so placed between heaven and hell, and also to the equal balance between heaven and hell which has its plane in the world of spirits. Angels and evil spirits are in the equilibrium they have made their own on earth. (See Heaven and Hell 537, 589, 591) 52