During the height of the human potential movement, prominent “third wave” psychologist Wilson Van Dusen visited Swedenborgian spirituality and spun an essay on usefulness that became a runaway success. Read more
Roots for the renowned American work ethic and sense of practicality that have flowered in both American Pragmatism and the nation’s passion for Zen can be traced convincingly to Swedenborg’s philosophy of usefulness. Read more
In order to create a more complete picture of Swedenborg’s relationship to kabbalah, a comparison of these two great traditions must be complemented by historical evidence of his intimacy with the Jewish esoteric teaching; and scholars have done so by taking into consideration the prevalence of kabbalistic thought during Swedenborg’s time, citing his connection with its proponents both at home and in the European intellectual community at large. Read more
From seeing a more intimate relationship between heaven and earth to recognizing a depth of meaning beyond the letter of the Bible, the parallels found between Swedenborg and the kabbalah shed some light on how these two great traditions may share a common ground in understanding the reality of the Divine. Read more
Renowned nineteenth-century American feminist and abolitionist Lydia Maria Child waged fierce battles for human rights in this world yet often turned her thoughts to spiritual justice for those who died young. Read more
A direct ancestor to two U.S. presidents, Swedenborgian George Bush emerges today as a courageous voice in the original American Black Lives Matter movement. Read more
Homeopathy as a vital alternative to traditional medicine since the late eighteenth-century has both parallels to Swedenborg’s philosophy and a vigorous history of Swedenborgian participation. Read more
Scholars have debated energetically the nature and extent of Swedenborg’s influence on Blake for a century. Rebecca Esterson argues that the most apt metaphor for Blake’s relationship to that other seer is sparring partner. Read more
Famed Zen Buddhist author and teacher D. T. Suzuki saw Emanuel Swedenborg as the key to mutual understanding between East and West. Read more
The time is right to hark back to the Swedenborgian origins of religious pluralism for some useful reflection as we contemplate where we are today and how to respond to the beast of Islamophobia. Read more