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Swedenborg and Spiritualism and Spiritism
By Kurt Simons | January 31, 2007
One scholar has proposed that “Swedenborg presents his theology as essentially Christian, and in fact more truly Christian than either Protestantism or Catholicism, as suggested by the title of his last published work, True Christianity. Although he suggests a new direction for Christianity, his theology has much in common with mainstream denominations: He believes in the sacraments of baptism and communion, the latter of which he calls the Holy Supper. He subscribes to the divine inspiration of the Word (Christian Scripture)…. He supports the existence of heaven and hell, angels and devils, and the salvation or condemnation of the individual after death. He urges repentance and the shunning of evils as sins against God. He speaks of faith and goodwill, and recommends good works. He believes in the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and in the divinity of Jesus Christ.” (J.S. Rose, Essays for the New Century Edition, West Chester: Swedenborg Foundation 2005, p. 72). Why, then, has Swedenborg so often been perceived as a spiritist or spiritualist (e.g. see the Wikipedia summaries of spiritualism and spiritism). There appear to have been at least three reasons:
1. Spiritist and spiritualist groups and individuals have long claimed Swedenborg as one of their own. For instance, Arthur Conan Doyle devoted the first chapter of his monumental History of Spiritualism to Swedenborg and a contemporary scholar has proposed that there is some ground for seeing Swedenborg as the greatest medium in modern times and the New Church as the first spiritualist church (S.E. Ahlstrom. A Religious History of the American People New Haven: Yale 1972, p. 487). Another proposes that “The dissemination of Swedenborg’s philosophy in the 1840’s helped prepare the way for spiritualism [in the US]” (J. Buescher, The Other Side of Salvation: Spiritualism and the Nineteenth-Century Religious Experience (Boston: Skinner House 2004)., p. 71). According to the latter, Emerson “believed that all of spiritualism was derived from Emanuel Swedenborg” (ibid, p. 139). (See also Ahlstrom. op. I., pp.483ff., and M. Block, The New Church and the New World, (New York: Holt, Rinehart & Winston 1932, p. 70).) Finally, the founding father of spiritism, Hippolyte Léon Denizard Rivail (who used the pseudonym Allen Kardec), in 1865 wrote a still-popular book about spiritism that he titled Heaven and Hell, with the name apparently copied from Swedenborg.
2. There has also long been an undercurrent of interest in spiritualism or spiritism by some members of the churches based on Swedenborg’s revelation (e.g. Block, op. cit., p. 70). For instance, the Rev. John Clowes, one of the founders of that church in Great Britain, “in spite of Swedenborg’s warnings, cultivated the society of angels, by whom he said some of his works were dictated” (ibid.). And a search of the web will demonstrate that there are still today proponents of Swedenborg’s theology involved with spiritist or spiritualist activities.
3. From their beginnings two centuries ago, virtually every Swedenborg-related organization has put fundamental emphasis in their public presentations, from church services to publications and websites, on the teachings in Swedenborg’s revelation about the spiritual world. Much of this attention has been focused on Swedenborg’s Spiritual Diary (in modern translation, Spiritual Experiences), which is not even part of Swedenborg’s fully inspired work (see Which of Swedenborg’s Books are Divine Revelation? for details). There has been, by comparison, little mention of the central figure of Christianity, Jesus Christ, and what mention is made is often depersonalizing, such as referring to Him as “The Divine Providence” or “The Divine Human.”
Taking all these pieces together, it is thus hardly surprising that as, again, a web search will show, many Christians regard followers of Swedenborg’s revelation as non-Christian at best and a spiritist cult at worst.
Topics: Issues, Theology | 17 Comments »
October 7th, 2009 at 11:22 am
Recently got a sampling and some info on his life from the foundation in PA.
Having studied the Bible for the past 30 years and brought up in Bible churches prior to that for another 15 years and my mother a Bible graduate of Moody Bible Institute (with honors); I found some of his writings interesting; ………….but, like the works of Joseph Smith, or Ellen G. White……….a person must make careful comparison to Hebrew Biblical References to the works of these people and the Scriptures statements that seem to align themselves to their writings. What it boils down to is a very very careful and prayerful consideration of the authors topics and material written and the Truth of Biblical Word. A person can not say Nay or Yeah as to whether these people were not truly divinely given special privileges or information; where the nominal believer has never had such experience. Only God knows the true nature of a persons heart and their true thirst for wisdom from God. Wherein the average believer may false judge or evaluate that persons experience upon which they relay to others, in their elation of having wisdom to share, they write down to pass on to others the knowledge so as to “teach” others.
In the Bible in Jude Malachi the angel darned not to bring an accusation against Satan, but said; “The Lord Rebuke You Satan!” In other words, leave the judging up to God and be careful to compare scripture to scripture and Word to Word and Truth to Truth. We are all but human and none of us perfect, yet even the most lowely and sinful can be lifted up by God to attain unto Holy Things in a Personal and devoted relationship. Who are each one of us to judge another just because we have not had the same experiences.
February 12th, 2010 at 3:18 am
if swedenborg is true in his claims why was not considered as say Martin Lauther,or a prophet specially he claims the second coming is declared by him in place of jesus himself.and what kind of judgement that is occuring in the middle of ages?if he was only declaring something about the after life ,this would be reasonable ,but he gave himself the authority to cancel the present church and initiate a new church?though so little who knows him or follow him.really many questions are arising around this man.
March 9th, 2010 at 9:28 am
there are many non biblical beliefs of Swedenborg that need careful study:
angels are humans
last judgement occured
jesus will not return in body but spiritually?
resurrection is immediate after death
planets have life so every planet needs christ and salvation
Saint Paul is misleading though he was given all authrity from Jesus and holy spirit
Swedenborg writings are a third testament though he is almost unknown
he established a new church and the present church has come to an end which Jesus said the gates of hell is unable to vanish
he describes heaven as a huge human?
the lord is the ruler of heaven and no father
those are some of the crucial nonbiblical beliefs of Swed.
March 9th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Where is your answers or you agree upon all these theological faults.
March 11th, 2010 at 12:11 pm
Hi Makram,
I would just suggest that the teachings of Jesus Christ’s first coming were regarded as false by many of the people of His time, and since. It is thus not surprising, to me at least, that there would be a similar reaction by some to the teachings of His second coming. I find that a good thing, in the sense that it shows that Jesus leaves us in spiritual free will to work these things out for ourselves.
March 21st, 2010 at 6:16 am
short and strange answer because if we are left to our believes why then swedenborg claims?please be straight forward you believe in him or not?also because its a matter of believing is all this about.and you say the 1st coming was not all agreed about but the great number changed by it far exceeding the supposed of the second?
March 22nd, 2010 at 5:57 am
waiting answer please
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:09 am
important addition to my comment,that all this hostility twards the protestant is unjustifiable because,the don t deny good works as essential for salvation but consider it coming as the fruits of faith and this is going with swedenborg especially when he says that good works are considered as if coming from us but they are from god???????
March 22nd, 2010 at 6:12 am
please give answers to my inquiries or you will be putting your head in the sand…..or try to find the truth about Swedenborg by any mean lest you will destroy christianity.
March 22nd, 2010 at 9:13 am
Makram,
When Jesus was born in Bethlehem it was expected by everyone (including the original 12 apostles, who wished to rule on 12 thrones at his side) that He would be the next king of Israel and Judah, ascending the throne of his ancestor David and expelling Rome from its seat of imperial control. In fact, this was of so much concern to the current king and servant of Rome, Herod, that he had all children under 2 killed to insure his own line would continue uncontested. But as the Bible reveals, Jesus’ kingdom was not of this world.
The gospels spend a lot of time establishing and confirming Jesus as the Messiah, the son of God, one with the Father, the fulfillment of all scripture and every prophecy so that those who read them might come to understand how to interpret the law and the prophets as Jesus did. Throughout the Gospels we see Christ frustrated with the unbelief and inability of those around him and even those close to him to understand who he was, or what he was on earth to accomplish. But, Jesus explained that he would return and explain everything that they couldn’t yet understand. He told them that he would return in spirit, as the lightning that goes from east to west. He assured them that he would send his spirit to comfort and to teach them. And he reiterated the prophecy of Jeremiah, that a time would come when everyone would know him.
Emanuel Swedenborg only had authority to speak about the theology of the church because, just like Paul, Jesus Christ appeared to him, showed him heaven and hell, and taught him the meaning of scripture and the core of true Christian understanding and belief.
Emanuel and Paul are not at odds, they met the same God in Jesus Christ, saw the same visions of heaven, and both spent the remainder of their lives giving witness and testimony to their undivided faith in Jesus Christ. Emanuel challenges many of the traditions of both the Lutheran and Roman Catholic churches and many of the interpretations that were put on Paul by some later theologians in the church. Emanuel was a Lutheran Christian until the day he died, and he draws heavily on the epistles of Paul in his own work.
On heaven and the angels, the fact that entering heaven is joining the human body of Christ is a well established understanding of Christ’s own words. And the fact that all angels were born as men, died and rose, is well established by the fact that Jesus gave us his own example, rising 3 days after his death, and promising eternal life to all who believe in him. And for further evidence that angels were not separately created, see the conversation between John and the mighty angel in the book of Revelation, who commands John not worship him because “he is of his brethren the prophets” who came before.
And finally, the fact that all authority has been given to Jesus Christ, he himself plainly said at the end of the Gospel according to Matthew. Not some authority. Not co-equal with the Father. Not the right hand man, but ALL authority. The fact that He was the Father himself come to earth is plainly the claim and assertion of the whole Gospel according to John. And is best summarized by John in his first epistle where he asserts that Jesus Christ is true God and eternal life.
You may find, as I have, that there are many un-Christian and non-biblical claims and assertions made by those who currently call themselves Swedenborgians and “new church”. All I can say is that they do not stem from what Emanuel Swedenborg wrote in his published theology, but from the traditions of the churches that came after him. Jesus warned us not to adhere to the traditions of men, but instead to hold closely to his holy word. Jesus did not return as expected, but then again he didn’t come the first time as expected either. Jesus challenges us to step beyond our preconceptions, outside of the traditions of any church, denomination, or human creed, and follow the leadership of his own spirit in engaging the scriptures themselves on his terms, to come to understand his eternal messages and the bread of life which leads to eternal life.
To ask whether or not I believe in Swedenborg is like asking if I believe in Paul, John, Matthew, Mark, or Luke. I believe the words of their testimony regarding their witness and experience of Jesus Christ. Were they perfect in the recording of their accounts? No. Did they write things which could be and have been misinterpreted? Yes. It’s like William Tyndale said, “Scripture apart from Christ is dead”. At the heart of every true scripture is the eternal message of God, left for the believer who is lead by his holy spirit to discover. The fact that there are people who quote the Bible to support every manner of heresy, falsity, and other corruption of the gospel does not compromise the Bible as the holy Word of God. It’s like Jesus said, many people see and don’t observe, hear and don’t understand, but we are blessed when we see and hear the gospel, the message, and the purpose that Jesus Christ has for us. And we are called to stand firm in our witness and testimony to the one true God and eternal life, Jesus Christ our Lord.
March 22nd, 2010 at 3:24 pm
1st coming after 200 years made kigdoms to be raised and failed,how could the second coming be that calm?
March 22nd, 2010 at 3:29 pm
its now not the problem of our beliefs but Jesus position in his creation,how he comes to us again so silently?unless the problem of the chosen people is right/please answer every point separately that we may be able to reach a conclusion.
March 23rd, 2010 at 12:23 pm
Swedenborgiabs are silent ?
March 24th, 2010 at 12:38 pm
Makram
I was interested in your viewing the Second Advent as “silent.” I think you can consider the First Advent “silent” as well. Both advents initially appeared in obscure places as far as world history goes: The First Advent first appeared in the form of a baby in a small backwater town in a corner of the Roman empire, the second as publication of a set of books, both pretty “silent” beginnings. But we know from revelation that the spiritual forces released by both comings were anything but silent. See, for instance, the Second Advent work on the huge spiritual events involved in “The Last Judgment and Babylon Destroyed. All the Predictions in the Apocalypse are at This Day Fulfilled”
(http://swedenborgdigitallibrary.org/contets/LJ.html)
May 2nd, 2010 at 11:05 am
after careful investigations and studying many opinions ,it seems to me that Swedenborg was right.
May 4th, 2010 at 3:45 pm
WHATEVER YOU CLAIM ABOUT SWEDENORG ,TILL HE IS PUT BETWEEN THE COVERS OF THE BIBLE ,ITS NONSENSE ,AS JESUS SAID ANY ONE ADDS TO THE WORDS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT WILL BE EXCLUDED FROM THE BOOK OF LIFE,AND SWEDENBORG ,DEFINITELY ADDED TO THE PROPHESIES THINGS ABOUT HEAVEN NOT MENTIONED IN THE PROPHESY ,WHICH WAS MAINLY ABOUT HEAVEN.
May 7th, 2010 at 7:30 am
Makram
As you know, the idea of spiritual free will is central to the teachings revealed to Swedenborg. One implication of that teaching, as I understand it, is that we respect each other’s freedom in deciding what we believe. This means, again as I understand it, that we do our best to view another person’s belief with charity – especially if we do not agree with them.