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CATHOLICENCYCLOPEDIA:Swedenborgians

Swedenborgians
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ThebelieversinthereligiousdoctrinestaughtbyEmanuelSwedenborg.Asanorganized
bodytheydonotcallthemselvesSwedenborgians,whichseemstoassertthehumanorigin
oftheirreligion,butwishtobeknownasthe"ChurchoftheNewJerusalem",or"New
Church",claimingforitDivineAuthorshipandpromulgationthroughhuman
instrumentality.
EmanuelSwedenborgwasb.atStockholm,29Jan.,1688d.inLondon,29March,1772.
HisfatherwasDr.JesperSwedberg,wholaterbecametheLutheranBishopofSkara.
Swedenborg'slifefallsintotwoverydistinctperiods:thefirstextendstotheyear1745
andrevealshimasanadeptinthemathematicalandphysicalsciencesinthesecondhe
appearsasawriterontheologicalsubjects.Endowedwithextraordinarytalents,he
completedhisuniversitycourseatUpsalain1710andtravelledforfouryearsinEngland,
Holland,France,andGermany.ShortlyafterhisreturntoSweden,hewasappointedby
KingCharlesXIItoanassessorshipontheBoardofMines(1716).Hegavesignalproof
ofhisengineeringabilityduringthesiegeofFrederickshall(1718)byinventingameans
totransportboatsandgalleysoverlandforadistanceoffourteenmiles.Hisfamilywas
ennobledin1719,adistinctionindicatedinthechangeofthenamefromSwedbergto
Swedenborg.Hedeclined(1724)thechairofmathematicsattheUniversityofUpsalaand
publishedatLeipzigin1743hisimportant"PhilosophicalandMineralWorks"("Opera
philosophicaetmineralia").Ayearlaterappearedhistreatise"OntheInfiniteandFinal
CauseofCreation"whichincludesadiscussionoftherelationbetweenthesoulandthe
body.AnotherscientificjourneytookhimtoDenmark,Germany,Holland,France,and
Italy,andin17401741appearedatAmsterdamoneofhislargeranatomicalworks
("Oeconomiaregnianimalis").Thetrendofhisthoughtsbecamedistinctlyreligiousin
1734andexclusivelysoin1745.HeallegedthatatthelatterdateOurLordappearedto
himinLondon,initiatedhimintothespiritualsenseoftheScriptures,andcommissioned
himtoexpoundittohisfellowmen.Withthisvisiontherebegan,hedeclared,an
intercoursewithGod,angels,andspiritswhichwastoterminateonlywithhisdeath.In
1747heresignedhisassessorshipand,athisrequest,receivedasapensionthehalfofhis
salary.HenowspenthistimebetweenLondon,Amsterdam,andStockholm,andwrotein
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Latinhisvoluminoustheologicalworks.ThesesoonattractedtheattentionoftheLutheran
clergyofSwedenacommissionwasinstitutedin1771toexaminethem,buttookno
actionagainsttheirauthor.AthisdeathSwedenborgreceivedtheLord'sSupperfroma
Protestantclergyman,towhomheaffirmedhisfinalattachmenttohisreligiousprinciples.
Hewasnevermarried,wassimpleinhishabits,workedandsleptwithoutmuchregardto
dayornight,andlayattimesinatranceforseveralconsecutivedays.In1908hisremains
weretransferredfromLondontoSwedenanddepositedinthecathedralatUpsala.

Doctrinalprinciples
SwedenborgandhisfollowersholdthatastheChristianreligionsucceededtheJewishso
theSwedenborgianteachingsupplementedtheChristian.Thisnewdispensation
promulgatedbySwedenborgis,accordingtothem,basedonaDivinelyrevealed
interpretationoftheSacredScriptures.Someofthecharacteristicfeaturesofthisnew
religioussystemarepresentedinthefollowingoutline.
GodisLoveItselfandWisdomItself.HisPowerisfromandaccordingtotheseas
theyflowforthintocreativeact.
TheTrinitydoesnotconsistofthreedistinctDivinepersonsasCatholicsmaintain
butisunderstoodinthesensethatintheIncarnationtheFatherorJehovahis
essentiallytheDivineBeing,whiletheSonisthehuman(orsubspiritual)element
assumedbytheGodheadinordertobecomepresentamongmen.TheHolySpiritis
theDivinePresenceandPowerconsequentuponthisassumptionandresultant
transfiguration(glorificationinSwedenborgianlanguage)ofthehumanelement
whichthusbecame"aDivineHuman"withallpowerinheavenandonearth.Jesus
Christis,therefore,nottheincarnationofasecondDivineperson,butoftheDivine
asawholeheincludestheFather(Godhead),theSon(assumedhumanity),andthe
HolySpirit(Divinehumanpower).
LifedoesnotexistexceptinHimorfromHim,andcannotbecreated.Itspresencein
createdformsisaccountedforbycontinuousDivineinflux.
Onthisearthmanenjoysthehighestparticipationoflife,butheisgreatlyinferior,in
thisrespect,totheracesundoubtedlyinhabitingotherplanets,e.g.Jupiter,Mercury.
Histhreeconstituentelementsaresoul,body,andpower.
Originallygrantedfullfreedomintheuseofhisfaculties,heerroneouslyconcluded
thatheheldthemfromnoonebuthimselfandfellawayfromGod.
TheLord,afterthefall,didnotabandonthesinner,butappearedtohimintheform
ofanangelandgavehimthelawtoreclaimhimfromhisevilways.Theseefforts
wereuseless,andGodclothedHimselfwithahumanorganismandredeemedman,
openinganewhisfacultiestotheinfluxofDivinelife.
MenareadmittedintotheNewChurchthroughbaptismtheyarestrengthenedinthe
spirituallifebythereceptionoftheEucharist.
Justificationcannotbeobtainedbyfaithalonegoodworksarelikewisenecessary.
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Theseclusionofthecloisterisnotahelpbutahindrancetospiritualgrowththe
healthiestconditionforthelatterisalifeofactionintheworld.
Miraclesandvisionsproducenorealspiritualchangebecausetheydestroythe
requisiteliberty.
Thehopeofrewardisnottoberecommendedasanincentivetovirtue,forgood
actionsarevitiatedwhenpromptedbymotivesofselfinterest.
Deathisthecastingoffbymanofhismaterialbodywhichhasnoshareinthe
resurrection.
Immediatelyafterdeathallhumansoulsenterintotheintermediatestateknownas
theworldofspirits,wheretheyareinstructedandpreparedfortheirfinalabodes,
heavenorhell.
WeneednotexpecttheLastJudgmentforithasalreadytakenplaceitwasheldin
1757inSwedenborg'spresence.
Nopurespiritsexistbothangelsanddevilsareformermembersofthehumanrace,
haveorganicforms,andexperiencesensation.
TheliturgyoftheNewChurchisismodelledontheAnglicanservice.TheChurch
organizationinGreatBritainiscongregationalintheUnitedStatesmostofthevarious
religioussocietiesaregroupedinstateassociationsunderthechargeofgeneralpastors,
whilethe"GeneralChurch"(seebelow)isavowedlyepiscopalingovernment.

HistoryofthenewChurchstatisticseducationaland
publishingactivities
SwedenborgmadenoattemptatfoundingaseparateChurchhepresentedhisdoctrinal
workstouniversityandseminarylibrariesinthehopethattheymightbeofservicehow
faraheadhethoughtisuncertain,asheseemedtoholdthathisfollowersmightbe
membersofanyChristiandenomination.Buthisviewswere,inmanyrespects,soentirely
newthattheiradoptionmadethefoundationofadistinctreligiousbodyinevitable.Few
acceptedhisopinionscompletelyduringhislifetime.Theyfoundzealousadvocates,
however,intwoAnglicanclergymen,ThomasHartley,rectorofWinwickin
Northamptonshire,andJohnClowes,rectorofSt.John'satManchester.Thesedivines
renderedhisworksintoEnglishandthroughtheeffortsofClowes,whoneverseparated
fromtheChurchofEngland,LancashirebecameatanearlydatetheSwedenborgian
strongholdwhichitstillremainstoday.TheformalorganizationoftheNewChurchtook
placein1787,andJamesHindmarsh,aformerMethodistpreacher,waschosenbylotto
officiateattheinauguralmeeting.Thefirstpublicservicewasheldin1788inachapelat
GreatEastcheap,London.SwedenborgiansocietiesweresoonformedinvariousEnglish
cities,andin1789thefirstgeneralconferenceoftheNewChurchmetintheplaceof
worshipjustmentioned.Thenumberofadherentsdidnotincreaserapidly.Theconference
hasheldannualmeetingseversince1815.Itsminutesfor1909containthefollowing
statisticsforEngland:45ministers,70societies,6665registeredmembers,and7907
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Sundayscholars.
InAmericatheSwedenborgiandoctrineswerefirstintroducedin1784atpubliclectures
deliveredinPhiladelphiaandBoston.ThefirstcongregationwasorganizedatBaltimore
in1792.SincethentheprinciplesoftheNewChurchhavespreadtomanystatesofthe
Union.ThefirstgeneralconventionwasheldinPhiladelphiain1817.Itmeetsannuallyat
presentandismainlycomposedofdelegatessentbythevariousstateorganizations.In
1890theGeneralChurchofPennsylvaniasevereditsconnexionwiththeconventionand
assumedin1897thenameoftheGeneralChurchoftheNewJerusalem.Itnumbered,in
1911,24ministers,16churches,and890communicantswhereasthemainbodyhad107
ministers,130churches,and8500communicants(StatisticsofDr.H.K.Carroll,in"The
ChristianAdvocate",N.Y.,25Jan.,1912).CongregationsoftheNewChurcharetobe
foundinallcivilizedcountriesbuttheirmembershipissmall.InGermanytheProtestant
prelatettingertranslated(176586)numerouswritingsofSwedenborg,butthemost
importantnameidentifiedwiththehistoryofthedenominationinthatcountryisthatof
ImmanuelTafel(17961863),professorandlibrarianofTbingen,whodevotedhislifeto
thespreadofSwedenborgianism.Hiseffortsweremainlyliterarybuthealsoorganizeda
congregationinSouthernGermany.ThereligionwasproscribedinSwedenuntil1866,
whengreaterreligiousfreedomwasgrantedthechurchesarestillveryfew,andthe
membershipinsignificant.NewChurchmenclaim,however,thatthereaswellasinall
othercountriestheinfluenceofSwedenborgcannotbegaugedbytheenrolled
membership,becausemanycommunicantsofotherdenominationsholdSwedenborgian
views.
ThedenominationmaintainsforthetrainingofitsministrytheNewChurchCollegeat
Islington,London,andtheNewChurchTheologicalSchoolatCambridge,Mass.A
preparatoryschoolislocatedatWaltham,Massachusetts,andaninstitutionforcollegiate
anduniversitystudiesatUrbana,Ohio.TheGeneralChurchconductsaseminaryatBryn
Athyn,Pa.,andmaintainsseveralparochialschools.Thedenominationhasdisplayeda
remarkablepublishingactivity.TheSwedenborgSocietywasfoundedinLondonin1810
fortheprintingofSwedenborgianliteratureandincelebrationofitscentenarythe
InternationalSwedenborgCongressmetintheEnglishmetropolisin1910.Other
publishingagenciesaretheNewChurchUnionofBoston,theAmericanSwedenborg
PrintingandPublishingSocietyofNewYork,andapublishinghouseatStuttgart,
Germany.AmonumentaleditionofSwedenborg'sscientificworksisincourseof
publicationundertheauspicesoftheSwedishRoyalAcademyofSciences.His
theologicalworksareavailableincompleteLatinandEnglisheditionsandhavebeen
partlypublishedinnumerousmodernlanguages,includingHindu,Arabic,andJapanese.
TheNewChurchpublishestwoquarterlyreviews,somemonthlymagazines,andseveral
weeklypapers.

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Sources
I.TAFEL,DocumentsconcerningtheLifeandCharacterofSwedenborg(London,1875
77).NumerousBiographiesofSwedenborghavebeenwritten:inEnglishbyDOUGHTY
(London,1857)FLETCHER(ibid.,1859)HYDE(ibid.,1863)WHITE(ibid.,1867)
WORCESTER(Boston,1883)WILKINSON(London,1886)ODHNER(Philadelphia,
1893)TROBRIDGE(London,s.d.)inFrenchbyBALLET(Paris,1899)BYSE(Paris,
1901)inGermanbyRANZ(SchwbischHall,1851).
II.ThesebiographiesusuallycontainanexpositionofSwedenborg'sdoctrineamore
completepresentationwillbefoundinhisownworks,particularlyin:TheTrueChristian
ReligionArcanaCoelestiaTheApocalypseRevealedTheApocalypseExplainedDivine
LoveandWisdom,DivineProvidenceHeavenandHell.PARSONS,Outlinesofthe
ReligionandPhilosophyofSwedenborg(Boston,1894)TransactionsoftheInternational
SwedenborgCongress(London,1910).
III.HINDMARSH,RiseandProgressoftheNewChurch(London,1861)DOLE,The
NewChurch,What,How,Why?(NewYork,1906).
ForfurtherbibliographicaldetailsconsultHYDE,BibliographicalIndextothePublished
WritingsofEmanuelSwedenborg(London,1897).CatholicwritersonSwedenborgand
hisdoctrine:GRRES,EmanuelSwedenborg,seineVisionenu.seinVerhltnisszur
Kirche(Speyer,1827)MHLER,tr.ROBERTSON,Symbolism(3rded.,NewYork,s.
d.),353,43667.

Aboutthispage
APAcitation.Weber,N.(1912).Swedenborgians.InTheCatholicEncyclopedia.New
York:RobertAppletonCompany.RetrievedJune6,2015fromNewAdvent:
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14355a.htm
MLAcitation.Weber,Nicholas."Swedenborgians."TheCatholicEncyclopedia.Vol.14.
NewYork:RobertAppletonCompany,1912.6Jun.2015
<http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14355a.htm>.
Transcription.ThisarticlewastranscribedforNewAdventbyThomasJ.Bress.
Ecclesiasticalapprobation.NihilObstat.July1,1912.RemyLafort,S.T.D.,Censor.
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