In the eighteenth century, science began slowly to move away from religion, although few scientists at the time were considered atheists, and those who were, were motivated more by influence of the philosophy of the so-called enlightenment, with Diderot as a major thinker, or the so-called determinism, driven by Laplace. But it was not for the fact that men of science, which was considered more as a source of admiration and demonstration of God's creation.
We have already considered, however, as some scientists, mathematicians or astronomers, if they had something Common, who were critical of the provisions of the Churches of his time, as the issue of land as the center of the universe, and beyond that time, but which cost the lives of more than one and also I had to do with nature of God that made them reject scientific reason to be part of a trinity as inexplicable and illogical. We saw the case of Servetus, who killed him and Newton, who could survive his ideas remained hidden because the inquisitors.
In 1688, while Newton was appointed to the Royal Society, was born in Sweden, Emmanuel Swendenborg, an astronomer, discoverer, inventor and mathematician, scientist, While not as well known by the society, in its day was a prodigious mind, but not only in science but in religion.
of religious heritage, the son of Sarah and Jesper Swedberg, Lutheran pastor and well related to Swedish royalty, his father would become Bishop of Skara.
From his earliest years, show an unusual interest in how things work, interested in everything that relates to the universe and man, watched the mechanisms, forces and influences that govern life and how they operate, they say that some of its major objectives was to understand the seat of the soul, and as you run the body, issues or los mejores teólogos podían responder.
Con el tiempo fue enviado a estudiar a las más prestigiosas escuelas y universidades de Europa, entre ellas Oxford y Cambridge, de esa manera obtuvo el doctorado en Filosofía en 1709 y se dedicó a una de sus pasiones, las ciencias puras. Algunos tratan de relacionarlo con Isaac Newton, diciendo que el influyó en el prestigioso científico, pero no hay pruebas de que hayan coincidido, ni siquiera en la universidad de Cambridge donde para el tiempo en el que Swendenborg fue estudiante, hacía años que Newton había abandonado la cátedra de matemáticas y actuaba como presidente de la Royal Society.
Al regresar a Suecia en 1715, ya era un científico reputation, the following year began publishing the magazine called The Hyperborean Daedalus, Daedalus North or in which he demonstrated his skills as a researcher and popularizer. Although personally, I had no talent for speaking eloquently, because of a marked stutter, which made him refuse the offer to be appointed Professor of Mathematics at the University of Uppsala.
di flying machines theoretically by Swendenborg Senate --->
However, since that time, had demonstrated a knowledge and an ability to explain, in writing, all discoveries and mechanical inventions, including that of a type of aircraft, more like the zeppelins of the early twentieth century and one of the artifact to investigate the deep ocean, inventions known however that did not go beyond the theoretical.
Since then turns in different sciences, first of astronomy, for it tried to convince King Charles XII, along with another inventor friend Christopher Polhem to fund an astronomical observatory in northern Sweden, which in the long dark winters were ideal for observing the stars that never were hiding. But since the king was more interested in military matters, that project was unsuccessful, but Emanuel was appointed Engineer mines in the state, given his knowledge of minerals and geology.
the death of Charles XII, the current Queen Ulrika Eleonora of Sweden, was named favorite son, which at that time meant to be admitted to the royal family, with the consequent change of name, then to be passed Emanuel Swedberg, a Emanuel Swedenborg, the royal name.
During the following years, his interest in the question that haunted him since childhood made him approach the study of anatomy and especially the functioning of vital organs, heart, lungs, and brain. As did Servet, wrote and theorized about the cardiovascular circulation and the close relationship between the lungs and heart. He also wrote on the role of the endocrine glands, brain function and cerebellum, but always in search of self, or the place where he believed the soul was staying.
But it was from 1730 at 42, when he became interested in theology, perhaps in order to understand the creative process and how the matter could be turned into life for the operator. It was at that time in 1734 when he wrote his book "Philosophical and Mineralogical Works." In the first volume called "Principia", trying to combine science and theology, to relate the geometry as a means by which they can know the internal order of the world, and the power of reason, argued that the activity is the key concept for understanding the three kingdoms of nature, animal, vegetable and mineral.
In his explanation of how Newtonian mentioned that all material substances, energy fields emanating explains interact with matter around them. In their studies found this a universe always active, especially when investigated on magnetism, crystallography, phosphorescence and metallurgy, in all of these saw the moving force, which he calls energy spheres. He thought that the spiritual realm also could be explained in the same way in humans. In this treaty also presented his cosmology, which included the first presentation of a hazy sky.
In 1735 published a small manuscript called "Infinity" where he tried to explain how the finite is related to the infinite, and as the soul joins the body. This was the first manuscript which spoke out on profound theological issues. He knew this would conflict with the established theologies, since he has an idea of \u200b\u200bthe soul based on material substances.
But a radical change in your life, would take place on April 6, 1744, touching the 56-year-old when he started under, to undergo a series of extraordinary visions. On his frequent trips, he used to write a diary, and he did on that trip to the Netherlands in the spring, where he started having these strange dreams
" One day I ap Arecio a magnificent temple square, the roof of which was shaped like a crown, arched top and raised all around, the walls had a series of glass windows, their doors were of a substance like pearl. E n the inside, to south, tilted to the west, was a pulpit, on whose right side was open the Word surrounded by a blaze of light that illuminated the entire pulpit. In the center of the temple was a shrine, before which he had a veil lifted at that time, and it cherubim of gold, standing with a sword in his hand, which turned to the right and left. Then when I came, I saw this inscription over the door: "NUNC Liceta." (Now allowed), which means it is now allowed to enter, ie "understand" the mysteries of faith. After this I saw something on my head as an infant, he had in his hand a paper. When he approached me, his stature grew as a man of medium size. She was an angel of the third heaven, where all seem remote infants. When he reached me, gave me the role, but as the writing was on round letters, as was done in that sky, I returned the paper, and asked me to explain the meaning of words written on it in terms appropriate to ideas I thought. replied: "This is what is written here." Hereafter enters into the mysteries of the P WORDS, which has been closed until today, because the truths which it contains are all mirrors of the Lord '... ". (L
a True Christian Religion ". 508, paras 1.3 & 6.) very detailed description of those dreams that Swendenborg put in writing their books to which he devoted all his time since then, going beyond all prophetic vision of the biblical writers. On the other hand, the resiliency of these visions, and the fact that this is not a person of low culture, inventing stories inconsistent, full of contradictions, caused many have paid attention to their stories. Of course, in these alleged visions are reminiscent of many Bible stories and personal interpretations of the views or biblical symbols.
to Swedenborg, all those dreams and visions he had, was there evidence that been appointed by God to write a clarifying doctrine to reform Christianity, which had strayed from his true teaching. He claimed that God had opened his eyes, made him see and visit heaven and hell, in fact one of his major works was "On Heaven and its wonders and On Fire." However
did not rush to write down everything he saw in these alleged visions, because for some years after the visions and dreams, he studied Hebrew and Greek, read the Bible to the full continuum, making a detailed study verse by verse and so for several years. It was not until 1747, when he undertook the work put in writing their works exhibition. The first appeared in 1749 under the title: Celestial Arcana . Moreover, all his works appeared in the scientific and technical language of the time, Latin. In some cases, even included his name in these works, which indicated that it wanted to run as leader of a movement in search of followers, to not give importance to himself, though often
h ablaba of their experiences in surrounding environment. not wanted to organize any new religious group, but sought to reform some doctrines and polish some beliefs, giving them a more rational explanation and logic.
Regardless of whether or not actually written what he saw in his dreams or add much of his own, perhaps because of his great interest in the theological, the case is that all this inspired him to devote his life fully to publicize new spiritual light as he received.
His attempt to explain what led to scientific explanations for religious concepts such as soul, resurrection, life in heaven, hell and other religious traditions common to the Lutheran environment of their land. Attempted to reconcile the biblical resurrection with the idea of \u200b\u200ban immortal soul, and wrote:
"The spirit of man remains in the body some time after separation, but only until the cessation of heart function, which is verified cessation by state variation of the disease which killed the man because the continuous movement of the heart in some long time people in other less long, as soon as this movement ceases, the man rises again, but this is only the Lord does. For output means resurrection of the spirit 'of man from his body, and its introduction into the spiritual world, which is generally called resurrection, the reason why the spirit of man is not separated from the body until all movement has ceased heart, is that the heart corresponds to the slope which belongs to love, and life of man, for the love each have their vital heat, so long as that combination, there is correspondence and consequently to the spiritual life in the body. (Heaven and its wonders, Hell and heard things 46:447)
According
, Swedenborg, when people are resurrected and destined to live a heavenly life, they become angels, meaning that all angels really come from humans. He dared to show that no one from the time of the Gnostics, had tried on three heavens, perhaps referring and interpreting this third heaven mentioned by the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 2:12). The giving goes further amazing details about these different skies, with categories of angels in each of them, we also talk about different kinds of angels, male and female angels, even angels marriage.
Thus, on the latter tries to explain the differences between male and female angels, the same differences between men and women, concepts such as thinking men and women the will and describes the differences between angels with different inclinations:
Celestial marriage is the union of two minds to form a single mind. I will say first that the nature of this union. The mind consists of two parts, of which one called the understanding and the other will. When these two act as one, forming one mind. The husband makes it the understanding and the woman's will. When this union, which comes from the inside, fell in external things, which are the body, allowed to see and feel love. This spousal love is love and therefore clear that married love is born from the union of two minds, making them one mind. This is called cohabitation in the sky and say they are one and not two, so that spouses in the sky are called an An
gel and not two angels. (Heaven and its wonders, Hell and heard things 40:367) dare to speak to the language of angels: The angelic language has nothing in common with human languages, with the exception of some words that sound a certain inclination, but not to the words themselves but with the sound of them, on whose owners will say something in what follows. The angelic language has nothing in common with human languages \u200b\u200bis evident from this that the angels can not utter a single word of human language, have tried but have failed because they can not pronounce more than they agree with his inclination, you agree not repugnant to his own life, because life is lean, and this is his speech. I have been told that the first language of men on earth was consistent, because they had the sky, and the Hebrew language is consistent with some things. (Heaven and its wonders, Hell and Heaven heard things 27:237)
Actually the idea of \u200b\u200bSwedenborg, was that the land was part of a process whose purpose was to fill the sky creatures and the earth, or he believed it, all the planets inhabited farm served as beings who later became angels. Thus the purpose of God to the earth, and goal of all intelligent beings, was the spiritual life, the path to be followed by every man and woman that God will accept qualified. It's worth reading his theories about the vastness of the sky, life on other worlds and their purpose:
- How vast is the heaven of the Lord may also reflect the fact that all the planets we see with our eyes on our world solar, are land and besides them there in the universe countless others, all full of people, of which planets have been spoken, especially in a small work that is this land, from which I quote as follows: "In the afterlife is well known that there are several land and these men, and from these, spirits and angels, for there, to all who wish for the love of truth and therefore the utility is allowed to talk to spirits of other lands in order to convince the plurality of worlds and learn that mankind does not come from one land but many lands. I have spoken several times with the spirits of our land on this issue, and said that the man who has a good understanding can by several things, known to him, knowing that there are several lands and in them men because they can rationally conclude that such large masses such as planets, some of which exceed in size to the land, there are masses deserted, created merely for turning back and forth around the sun and shine with their low brightness for a single ground: their use and enjoyment should be more important than this. He who believes, as we all must believe, that the Divine created the universe for the sole purpose of enabling the existence of mankind and therefore the sky, because the human race is the seminary of heaven, can not help but believe that men exist wherever there is a land. It may be clear that the planets, we see with our eyes fall within the limits of our solar world are lands, because they are bodies terrestrial matter that reflect sunlight, and observed through a telescope like the stars do not appear , gleamed like fire, but as land composed of several dark matter, and that gravitate around the sun and tread the path of the zodiac in the same way that our land, thereby determining the years and seasons of the year, which are spring, summer, autumn and winter, and also because they turn on their axes in a similar manner to our land, and causing the days and divisions of the day, which are morning, midday, afternoon and night, also because some of them have moons which are called satellites revolve around their world in a certain time, like the moon around us, and because the planet Saturn, which is as far away the sun, has a large circle and light, which gives the land a lot of light but reflected. Who, knowing these things and thinking rationally, can ever believe that these are bodies deserts? I've also spoken to the particular spirits that men may believe that the universe has more than a land, whereas the sky of stars is so immense and so many stars are there, which each in its place or in their world is a sun like our sun, of various magnitudes. Properly reflects who comes to the conclusion that all this, so immense, can not stop being a means to some end to be the final object of creation, and that is intended in the heavenly realm in which Divinity can live with the angels and men, for the visible universe or heaven countless bright stars, which are so many suns, is simply a means of land and there in these men, which is the celestial kingdom. So the wise man can not but think that this means so great a weekend as important, has not been created for the human race in one land. What would this mean for the divinity that is infinite, and for which thousands and even myriads of land, all full of people, just be something? There are spirits whose constant effort is to acquire knowledge, as only it is pleased. To these spirits is therefore allowed to drive everywhere and moving out of other solar world to acquire knowledge. They say that not only in this world is solar lands where people live, but also outside it in the sky of stars there are huge numbers of them. These spirits are the planet Mercury. It has made the calculation that if the universe had 1,000,000 of land in each land and if the number of men were 300,000,000 or three hundred million and 200 generations in 6000 years, and if each man or spirit we grant an area of three cubic yards, the number of so many men 6 spirits comprendidos en una suma total, no ocuparía, sin embargo, el espacio que ocupa esta tierra, y apenas más que el espacio que ocupa un solo satélite, que gravita alrededor de los planetas; cuyo espacio en el universo sería pequeñísimo, casi invisible, porque los satélites aparecen difícilmente delante de la simple vista. ¿Qué sería esto para el Creador del Universo?—para el cual no sería bastante sí el universo entero fuese lleno; porque Él es infinito. De estas cosas he hablado con los ángeles, quienes han dicho que ellos tienen igual idea de la escasez del género humano comparado con la infinidad del Creador, pero que ellos, sin embargo, piensan desde el punto de vista de estados and no spaces, and according to its ideas imaginable as many myriads of land would be absolutely nothing compared to the Lord. " (Heaven and its wonders, Hell and heard things 43:415-417)
At the last meeting, but shows great conocmiento on astronomy, makes several errors, perhaps because of ignorance at the time, about life on some planets, which today has proved viable for life, but no less interesting his theory about the possibility of habitable planets circling other stars.
But that, to attribute the information to angelic inspiration, saying an angel to tell him and explain all that, throws into question the inspiration, as it was wrong or the angel, speaking inhabitants of Mercury and other planets in our system, or was it personal addition, which makes it difficult to distinguish which was inspired and no.
In any case it is interesting the arguments and logic of their explanations, although inherently part of an idea rooted in religious beliefs, like the idea of \u200b\u200ban immortal soul, or the existence of hell. Why do not expose it as other theologians, as his own? While accepting the existence of hell, in fact claims to have visited too, but unlike Christianity, which paints a place of torment and suffering inflicted by the demons, who exercise the government in this dark place, in reality everything is governed by God and put in place with a specific purpose. Broadly speaking
he explains that there are three positions or places, heaven, home in their respective categories of angels, then talks about the spirit realm, which includes land and other inhabited planets, and the lower which corresponds to the underworld, where there are categories.
Swedenborg speaks of hell in almost symbolic terms, while recognizing this as a place in a position away spiritual light and knowledge about the highest parts of heaven, suffering or punishment cases, like fire, the gnashing of teeth, but rather explains how the fire of anger, hatred, envy and other qualities of those who live there. But dare to make a vivid description of that place:
-also has been allowed me to look into hell and see how they are inside, because when the Lord pleases, a spirit or an angel who is above can with the view to penetrate into the lowest, and see distinctly as they are, despite the tightness of confinement. In this way I have been permitted to me too look into them. Some of hell had the appearance of caverns and caves in rocks, extending inland, and from there down also obliquely or perpendicularly. Other hell had the appearance of caves and dens like wild beasts in the jungle, some seemed to underground vaults, like those in the mines, ending in caves at the bottom. Most of Hell are triple superiors alike in black inner darkness, and found those who are there at the falseness of evil, the lower, however, seem embraced by fire, found those who live there in same evils, is that the black darkness correspond to the lies of evil, and fire the evils themselves, because in the deepest hell are those who have worked for the poor on the inside, in the shallower, on the other hand, are those who have done well as abroad, that is, by the falsehoods evil. In some of the underworld are similarities with the ruins of homes and cities destroyed by fire in the ruins of the infernal spirits lurk. Less severe in hell are appearances of sheds, some as a village adjacent to walkways and plazas, in the interior of the houses are the infernal spirits, and there are continuing disputes, fighting, fights and tears, for the corridors and squares are committed theft and looting. In some hells no more than brothels, which are disgusting looking, full of all manner of filth and excrement. There are also deep forests where the infernal spirits around like wild beasts, and in them underground into which escape those who are persecuted by others. There are also deserts which is no more than barren and sandy, and parts rugged mountains, where there are caves, and in some places sheds. These sites are lying desolate, from the underworld, those who have suffered so released, particularly those in the world were sharper than others and develop delusions locking devices in order to deceive. Further state is such an existence. ( Heaven and its wonders, hell and things heard, 61:586, the apparent location and number of hells)
In some cases, similar to what happens on earth, according Swendenborg is because experience the life they have been here, although he explains, is the human will, which leads people to hell and not as punishment of divine how this takes place it will say. When a man enters the afterlife is first received by angels, who will provide all possible services, and talk with him about the Lord, the sky, the life of angels, and instruct him truths and goods, but if the man - then a spirit - is one that in the world have been aware of such things, having got, however, denied or rejected in its heart, is withdrawn, after some conversation, and seeks away, watching the angels which are removed. After some dealings with others, eventually joining with those who are in a bad like yours and when this takes place is away from the Lord, and turns his face toward the inferno with which he was joined in the world, and there are those who are in a love of evil, like (the spirit). Therefore it is clear that the Lord leads to himself every spirit, by angels, and also by an influx from heaven, but the spirits are in the wrong are totally opposed, as it were, emerging from the Lord, being attracted by her evil as a league, therefore to hell, and since they are attracted to and love the evil they wish to continue, obviously put in a hell of his own free will. In the world you can not believe that this is so, because of the idea we have of hell and the afterlife in the eyes of those who are out of hell even seems as if they were thrown, but not to abusers of themselves there because they come free, and those who enter a burning love of evil seem to rush back, head down and feet in the air. On this occasion it seems as if they are precipitated by the Divine force. So may the Lord finds that one puts into hell, but each one (bursts) to itself, not only while living in the world, but also after death, when it comes in the midst of the spirits. ( Heaven and its wonders, hell and things heard, 57:548, Hell)
With regard to evil in the land says that precisely because of the influence of the spirits that live there, many humans come love evil and want to join those in the afterlife. Free will therefore according to the absolute, no there is a divine predetermination, but a selection after death, which being chosen destination.
also somewhat contradictory was his explanation of other complex doctrine, the Trinity. Swedenborg some accuse of anti-Trinitarian, because of his commentary on the origin of this doctrine, saying: "That
the Trinity, taught by the Nicene Creed or the Athanasian, is a Trinity of Persons, or either Gods, as has been said before with respect to these beliefs. Thus originated the faith of the church today in God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit in God the Father, that the imputed righteousness of His Son, the Savior, attributing man, in God the Son, that He intercedes and reconciliation, in the Holy Spirit that He inscribed or printed on the man the imputed righteousness of the Son, sealing, when set, to justify, sanctify and regenerate man. This faith is present and shows itself, a belief in three Gods, recognized and adored. From faith comes not only all the worship of the church, but also all its dogmas, and we say, such faith, such a doctrine. Follow himself, indicated that the faith as a belief in three Gods, has perverted all things of the church because faith is the beginning, and things are doctrinal leads, taking the essence of the principle. If one examines the Current church doctrine with respect to its essentials, I mean with regard to God, to the Person of Christ, charity, repentance, to regeneration, to free will, choice and use of the two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper, it will become clear, that they contain a Trinity of Gods, or if it is not clear, at least will emanate from them as to their source ( The Nicene Creed, caused a false faith, True Christian Religion, Chapter 3, The Divine Trinity, VI, 135 )
also recognized that the very doctrine of the Trinity was unknown to the apostles, including to Christianity before the fourth century, rejecting the system of choice in Nicea, to understand it as a mistake to want to see equality and independence of both beings. However, was the unit rather directly think God is just joined, just presented in different ways.
Using his scientific logic, tried to explain God, in the same way that the man according to his understanding. So said the same way that man is soul, body and activity, said that God, the soul would be incarnated in Jesus, who was the body and that in fact the Holy Spirit was not a person, but an energy or operation that emanates from God.
So that way he understood the idea of \u200b\u200btrinity, in the manner of the unit, but adding the explanation of the Holy Spirit, not as a person but as a divine emanation. It is actually the common idea was extended in many branches of Protestantism, until today. But does not explain the situation of God, when Jesus died on the torture stake, or to whom Jesus prayed when he was on earth, or who said Father why have you forsaken me?.
In any case, the choice of Swendenborg, is not accepted by Trinitarians, who accused him of Anti-Trinitarianism, for his refusal to accept the Holy Spirit as a person and Nicea manifest complaint, the pure Antitrinitarians not accept him to preach God Jesus equalization, and the unit, to use the term Holy Trinity, as used, including the Holy Spirit.
His vision of the Biblical prophecies that speak of an end, the destruction of the wicked and a new world, is also novel in the sense that it gives a more symbolic biblical expressions. That explains in his book True Christian Religion ", actually, what's to come at the end of the gathering of hidden wheat, will be the elimination of the Church, being contaminated false teachings, creating in the sky, so called "New Heaven" new provisions, then take them to the earth, to be called "New Earth", through a renewed church clean of pollution of the past.
can be summed up in this future hope, somehow understood that this had happened before in ancient times, implying that God has already removed several churches malfunction. His concept of time is actually infinite and cyclical, with no beginning or end, ie a process of change, the end of civilizations, but all of them a church, which is what makes the call to heaven, against another that makes for the hell. This continual process will continue according to eternity, it is part of God's purpose.
But the interpretation of issues as he wrote Swendenborg contain many gaps and contradictions against the scriptures. This solves the issues referring to an interpretive system, in which virtually the entire Bible is a symbolic language to be interpreted, he does not naive to fixed line, simply to suit your way of seeing things. For example, when explaining what the marriage of angels, which he defends, is in the words of Jesus himself, who spoke about the resurrection and heaven, said: For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30 )
What Swedenborg explanation given to these words that contradict each other? Both in the corresponding chapter in Heaven and its wonders "as in" Concerning Marriage "another pamphlet appeared in 1767, seems to give more details on this. His explanation of the matter is that marriage from the point of view human, human desire not exist in heaven, and that's what he meant the man, but a marriage than a union of mind, from a divine arrangement, and it's more of a mental connection, so be like the angels. So that way it does with many other issues that they encounter biblical confrontation simply reinterprets it to your liking.
In the allegorical exposition of the fall of man, which gives us Swedenborg is another contradiction with respect to what explains the biblical record. Because according to this, death is a liberation of the soul to real life that is spiritual in heaven or hell. While the written record in Genesis tells us that the punishment for disobedience was death, then of course, death does not appear as a liberation but as a punishment. Never promise angel a heavenly life as the first man, rather the Genesis gives the alternative of life or death.
Swedenborg's explanation to this contradiction against the supposed explanation of angelic inspiration, is again somewhat superficial. Simply argues that the Fall described in Genesis is an allegory of man's internal struggle to decide the choice of good or evil love, and interprets some of the issues described in the book of Genesis:
- The Garden of Eden in the Word does not mean a garden, but intelligence, and the tree does not mean tree but man ...... Eat from the tree of life means the man by his free will look to the Lord is near to him, is guided by Him and live according to His will, which receives from the light of heaven that is intelligence and wisdom from the Lord, and is the man in the Lord and the Lord in man, but eating the tree of knowledge of good and evil means, the man by his free will away from the Lord, let's follow him and to receive and guide the light conduct his life on the path of good, and instead of looking at the Lord looks at himself and is worldly and selfish inclinations, which are their own nature, and they involve the mind in darkness and spiritual darkness, instead of introducing in her intelligence and wisdom are the light of heaven from the Lord. (True Christian Religion CAP8 II, 341)
As for the origin of the evil that man chose Swedenborg tells us little and talk elsewhere that in fact the story of Adam and Eve, referred to first church, he fell and was replaced, as will soon your time, giving way to another and possibly that of another, until eternity. On the way
leaves many things unexplained, perhaps because they did not fit with their ideas or because they were given due importance, as was the case that rejected the use of many of the books of the Bible, especially the letters apostolic. It passes from the Gospels to Revelation, but in any case his texts, his writings, it remains indifferent and can be considered, works very well developed, but with an interpretation that while it was personal, the source explained as visional or spiritual, to give more weight or importance. If
emphasizes his prolific works, which is practically all possible theological subjects, besides highlighting his two major works mentioned above and discussed, his famous great work published in 12 volumes: Arcana Coelestia in this voluminous work establishes his famous theory of correspondences between the earthly and heavenly life, delving particularly in the books of Genesis and Exodus receiving detailed attention, verse by verse, but also made extensive references to other books of the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. Swedenborg
is to reveal the inner meaning of the biblical accounts, according to every verse of the Bible has a correspondence or spiritual explanation. The well-known stories about the origin and early development of mankind revealed through what Swendenborg called the language of correspondences, fundamental divine teachings on topics such as life after death, relations between the spiritual and material human nature, marriage, regeneration and religion. Even the historical stories of the Old Testament have lit a match under Swendenborg. Later in another work: Doctrine of the Sacred Scripture , delves deeper into the symbolic and spiritual meaning of scripture.
wrote in 1757 New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine (The New Jerusalem and the heavenly doctrine), where together with True Christianity, lays the groundwork for a new faith, who in life was never intended to establish, but after his death, served Based on his followers to form a new religious movement. Some accuse
Swedenborg spiritualist, to show off talking to spirits or angels, which according to him were the souls of the dead. Seen this way, it seems easy to argue against the charges of practicing spiritualism, but in reality he never said it was in session specific to voluntarily communicate with them, but simply in their visions and dreams themselves invited to do so, since according says it was God who chooses who wants to communicate with the spirit world.
Of course, if true the alleged disclosures, should be more consistent with Scripture or the teachings of Christianity's oldest, but is not the case. If the revelations that came from another source that denies the existence then it was sadly deceived the other person on earth.
But if in fact part of his entire explanation came from his own intellect and some dreams with origins in pre-existing ideas in his mind, perhaps by reading texts of other scientist-theologians (see Newton, Bacon, Servet) speak of one of the most important ideologues and theologians of Christianity, surpassing inspiration and originality to Origen, Augustine and Thomas Aquinas, together.
Some try to relate to the Masons, simply because some Masonic lodges in his books were inspired, but never had any relationship these lodges.
Emmanuel Swedenborg's contribution to the world of Christianity did not take effect until some years after his death in 1772 in London, where he spent the last years of his life.
's transformation from rational scientific visionary spiritualism, earned him some enemies especially among some rationalists as Immanuel Kant, who attacked his writings. On the other hand was a source of inspiration for some groups of so-called spiritualism, and theosophy. But above all gave rise to the movement called New Jerusalem, not to be confused with a minority group of evangelists recently created took the name, on swendenborgianos also known as discussed in the next chapter.
