Emanuel Swedenborg (
listen (help·info); born Emanuel Swedberg; 29 January 1688[1] – 29 March 1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, theologian, revelator, and, in the eyes of some, Christian mystic.[2] He termed himself a "Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" in True Christian Religion,[3] a work he published himself.[4] He is best known for his book on the afterlife, Heaven and Hell (1758).[5][6]
listen (help·info); born Emanuel Swedberg; 29 January 1688[1] – 29 March 1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, theologian, revelator, and, in the eyes of some, Christian mystic.[2] He termed himself a "Servant of the Lord Jesus Christ" in True Christian Religion,[3] a work he published himself.[4] He is best known for his book on the afterlife, Heaven and Hell (1758).[5][6]
Swedenborg had a prolific career as an inventor and scientist. In 1741, at age 53, he entered into a spiritual phase in which he began to experience dreams and visions, beginning on Easter weekend of April 6, 1744. This culminated in a 'spiritual awakening', in which he received revelation that he was appointed by the Lord to write the The Heavenly Doctrine to reform Christianity.[7] According to The Heavenly Doctrine the Lord had opened Swedenborg's spiritual eyes, so that from then on he could freely visitheaven and hell and talk with angels, demons and other spirits; and the Last Judgement had already occurred, in 1757.[8] However, he tells us that at this day it is very dangerous to talk with spirits, unless a person is in true faith, and is led by the Lord.[9][10]
For the remaining 28 years of his life, Swedenborg wrote 18 published theological works, and several more which were unpublished. Some followers of The Heavenly Doctrinebelieve that, of his theological works, only those which Swedenborg published himself are fully divinely inspired.[11]
Emanuel Swedenborg, original name (until 1719) Emanuel Swedberg, or Svedberg (born January 29, 1688, Stockholm, Sweden—died March 29, 1772, London, England), Swedish scientist, Christian mystic, philosopher, and theologian who wrote voluminously in interpreting the Scriptures as the immediate word of God. Soon after his death, devoted followers created Swedenborgian societies dedicated to the study of his thought. These societies formed the nucleus of the Church of the New Jerusalem, or New Church, also called the Swedenborgians.
Early life and works
Swedenborg was born at Stockholm. His father, Jesper Swedberg, was a prominent member of the Swedish clergy, court chaplain, professor of theology in the University of Uppsala, and later bishop of Skara. When the family was ennobled in 1719, it took the name Swedenborg. After graduating from the University of Uppsala in 1709, the young Swedenborg spent five years abroad. He had become fascinated by mathematics and the natural sciences, and to study them he visited England, Holland, France, and Germany, meeting some of the representatives of the new sciences there and learning practical mechanical skills. Swedenborg’s inventive and mechanical genius flowered at this time, and his speculations ranged from a method of finding terrestrial longitude by the Moon to new methods of constructing docks and even to tentative suggestions for the submarine and the airplane.