a garland.
Arcana Coelestia 9931 says “and grave upon it with the engraving of a
signet.” Can’t do that on a garland!
In Apocalypse Revealed 300, “A crown was given him … In ancient times
kings wore crowns in battle.” This is in the context of overcoming temptations
and going forth to conquer. Is this not what the crown of churches is all about?
Conjugial Love 786: The New Church is the crown of all churches.
It is clear from all the references that none but a king’s golden crown is
meant, not a garland. But what is also most important is the spiritual meaning
of a crown.
It is clear that we would be falsifying the New Word if we changed the
translation from “crown” to “garland.” From the meaning of “crown” the New
Church has to be the crown of churches, not the garland of churches.
It is all too easy for us in our unregenerate states to try to make the New
Word fit our natural inclinations and perceptions rather than try to make them
coincide with the Word.
There is the thought in the idea of substituting “garland” for “crown” that
we should be inclusive and practice charity, embracing all.
Charity is not a matter of living in a nice warm environment with all other
religions. Charity is our own spiritual state, and the spin-off from that is that
we live amicably with everyone. But we must love only the spiritual good in
others; that does not mean accepting their religious beliefs. It is a wonderful
idea that we can live on earth as if we are one universal church, but that is not
the reality of our unregenerate world. This is earth, not heaven.
Yes, if we all lived in true charity the doctrinal differences would only be
of degree. Yes, there is the number that says if we all live in love to the Lord we
will all be of His universal church, but these statements refer to heaven.
Those who have confirmed themselves in falsehoods will be in hell. Those
who have believed falsely from ignorance are shown the ways of the new
heaven, and if they accept them they live in heaven