Excerpts from Swedenborg’s Writings

Entry into Eternal Life (Heaven and Hell #445-52): Swedenborg describes the experience of dying in this world and being reawakened in the next.

We Are Still Human After Death (Heaven and Hell #456): Humanity is preserved in the afterlife.

Children in Heaven (Heaven and Hell #329-45): What happens to children when they cross over?

Evils are Permitted for a Purpose: Salvation (Divine Providence #275-84): Why would an all-powerful God allow evil and suffering in the world?

Secrets of Heaven chapter 1 (Secrets of Heaven #1-66): This chapter, formatted as a PDF download, takes the reader verse by verse through the story of creation, explaining how it relates to our growth and development as spiritual people.

Love My Neighbor? Do I Have To? (True Christianity #392-458): This chapter, formatted as a PDF download, explores the concept of “Good Works.”

All of Heaven is in a Human Form (Heaven and Hell #29-77): Explores the structure and community of Heaven.

Communities in Heaven (Heaven and Hell #41-50): A shorter look at how communities are formed in Heaven.

No One Enters Heaven on the Basis of Mercy Alone (Heaven and Hell #521-27): Definition of divine mercy and explanation of how we choose our own heaven or hell.

Our Nature after Death Depends on the Kind of Life We Led in the World (Heaven and Hell #474-79): Our dominant love stays with us through eternity.

Amazing Sights in Heaven (Secrets of Heaven #1620-30):  Descriptions of the beautiful atmospheres in heaven.

How Heaven is Connected to Us (Heaven and Hell #303-6): Heaven and earth are connected through spiritual correspondences.

The Lord’s Nature is Love (Heaven and Hell #17-19): The nature of the Lord and the angels in heaven is love.

The Wisdom of Heaven’s Angels (Heaven and Hell #268-69 and #272-74): Explores communication in heaven.

The Power of Heaven’s Angels (Heaven and Hell #229-33): Describes the power of angels over evil spirits.

The Inner Self and the Outer Self (New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine #36-46): How our spiritual inner self influences our earthly outer self.

True Repentance Is Examining Not Only Our Actions But Our Intentions (True Christianity vol. 2): Spiritual growth comes from understanding what motivates us.

The Inner Meaning of the Last Judgment Symbolism in Matthew 24 and 25 (Secrets of Heaven): A substantial excerpt, formatted as a PDF download, from not-yet-published Secrets of Heaven volumes covering the inner meaning of Jesus’s words on the Last Judgment from Matthew chapters 24 and 25.

The following four short excerpts talk about being useful and our purpose in this world:

Worship of the Lord is Being Useful (Secrets of Heaven #7038)
Charity Consists of Being Useful (Secrets of Heaven #997)
Joy in Heaven (Secrets of Heaven #452-54)
Whatever We Aim at Is Our Life (Secrets of Heaven #1317)

Downloads

Usefulness: This booklet by psychologist Wilson Van Dusen looks at Swedenborg’s concept of use or useful activity from a practical perspective

Chance, Good Fortune, Divine Providence: Donald L. Rose compiled this booklet about luck and God’s work in our life.

What Happens to Children in Heaven: Booklet featuring an from Heaven and Hell about how children who have crossed over live and grow in heaven.

Guide to the Theological Works of Emanuel Swedenborg: A list of Swedenborg’s published theological writings with descriptions of each volume.

Eyewitnesses to Heaven: A study guide that highlights key themes, offers questions for discussion, and gives some examples of parallels between Proof of Heaven author Eben Alexander’s experiences and Swedenborg’s.