Survey / Soul-Body Interaction: New Century Edition

Front cover of Survey/Soul-Body Interaction

By Emanuel Swedenborg
Translated by Jonathan S. Rose and George F. Dole

These short works by Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772), originally published separately, offer his summaries of two very different areas of his thought. In Survey, he discusses some key tenets of Christian doctrines, both Catholic and Protestant, and describes how his own theology differs from them. The more philosophically centered work Soul-Body Interaction weighs in on the contemporary debate about the relationship between the soul and the body—a debate that continues to our time in the form of the mind-body question, the exploration of the action of mind on body and of the nature of consciousness. In Swedenborg’s treatment, this topic leads to an exposition of the way that life flows from the transcendent God into all living things.

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Description

These two shorter works by Swedish theologian Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772), originally published separately and very different in content, both represent Swedenborg’s own effort to summarize complex areas of his thought.

Published toward the end of Swedenborg’s life, Survey of Teachings of the New Church was a forerunner to his final theological work, True Christianity. In Survey, Swedenborg discusses some key tenets of Christian doctrine, both Catholic and Protestant, and describes how his own theology differs from them. He focuses on key concepts such as the Trinity, the nature of faith and charity, and the spiritual nature of the Last Judgment described in the book of Revelation. Taken as a whole, the piece is a brief summation of the doctrines that Swedenborg felt were critical for the coming spiritual age.

Soul-Body Interaction addresses a crucial area of Swedenborg’s thought: the way that life flows from the transcendent God into all living things. Swedenborg describes the nature and structure of the spiritual world, including heaven, hell, and the intermediate world of spirits, and describes how the higher levels of being reflect a more perfect conjunction with God. He also traces the flow of the Lord’s love and wisdom into the soul of all living people, showing how it gives life regardless of their current spiritual state.

About the Author

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) was a Swedish nobleman widely known as a scientist, engineer, inventor, and (in later life) visionary theologian. A graduate of Uppsala University, he spent most of his career as an overseer on Sweden’s Board of Mines, and he was also a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences and an active member of the Swedish parliament. He is best known for his prolific theological writings, which he produced and published following a spiritual awakening in his mid-fifties, and for the substantial influence those works have had on philosophical thought and spiritual/religious movements in the centuries since his death.

Jonathan S. Rose is the holder of a BA and an MDiv in religion and an MA and a PhD in Latin. He was a professor of religion and sacred languages at Bryn Athyn College before taking on his current position as series editor of the New Century Edition.

George F. Dole earned a BA from Yale, an MA from Oxford, and a PhD from Harvard. He taught ancient languages, the Bible, and theology at the Swedenborg School of Religion and the Pacific School of Religion.

About the New Century Edition

The New Century Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg presents a modern-language, scholarly translation of Swedenborg’s theological works. The series’ easy-to-read style retains the dignity, variety, clarity, and gender-inclusive language of Swedenborg’s original Latin, bringing his thought to life. Introductions and annotations by eminent, international scholars place Swedenborg’s writings in their historical context and illuminate obscure references within the text, enabling readers to understand and trace Swedenborg’s influence as never before.

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Additional information

Author	Emanuel Swedenborg
Translator	George F. Dole, Jonathan S. Rose
Format	portable e-book, portable paperback
ISBN	978-0-87785-434-0, 978-0-87785-716-7
Length	158 pages
Series	New Century Edition