The Heavenly City

A Spiritual Guidebook

By Emanuel Swedenborg
Translated by Lee Woofenden

A new translation of Emanuel Swedenborg’s short work The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine. In it, Swedenborg discusses our inner natures, how we can develop as spiritual people, and the true meaning of observances like baptism and the Holy Supper (Eucharist).

Paperback and e-book, 112 pages

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Category: E-Books, Swedenborg in Paperback

Description

In Emanuel Swedenborg’s short work The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine, Swedenborg transforms many conventional religious ideas into vital new concepts, exploring the stages of spiritual growth, examining the deeper structure of the human mind, and giving new meaning to many Christian beliefs and practices. This modern translation by Lee Woofenden puts Swedenborg’s timeless ideas in simple, readable English.

About the Author

Emanuel Swedenborg(1688-1772) was a Swedish scientist, nobleman, and theologian who spent his life investigating the mysteries of the soul. Born in Stockholm to a staunchly Lutheran family, he graduated from the University of Uppsala and then traveled to England, Holland, France, and Germany to study the leading scientists of the time. He gained favor with Sweden’s King Charles XII, who gave him the position of overseer of the Swedish mining industry. Later, he was given a seat on the Swedish House of Nobles by Charles XII’s successor, Queen Ulrika Eleonora. Between 1743 and 1745 he began to have visions of heaven, hell, and Jesus Christ which resulted in a stream of books about the nature of God, the afterlife, and the inner meaning of the Bible. He devoted the last decades of his life to studying Scripture and presenting his own unique theology to the world.

Reviews

“In an age of ecumenism, this readable translation makes available a spiritual vision that was in principle ecumenical and saw no incompatibility between science and religion. Swedenborg’s teachings on kindness and his critique of materialism are especially relevant today in the midst of the complex dynamics drawing us toward a global community. At the same time, his teachings on personal immortality can inspire hope in an age when many are entrapped in exclusive temporal concerns.”

—Ewart Cousins, editor of Classics of Western Spirituality

“This felicitous translation makes Swedenborg’s little gem, The Heavenly City, accessible to the general reader. Like our dreams and creative productions, the sacred scriptures for Swedenborg carry deep psycho-spiritual truths about their source, the Creative Mind at the heart of the universe. Swedenborg moves from the visionary image of the Holy City in the Revelation of John into a compelling essay on the growth and development of the soul.”

—Stephen Larsen, author, A Fire in the Mind: The Life of Joseph Campbell

Additional information

Author	Emanuel Swedenborg
Translator	Lee Woofenden
Format	paperback, e-book
ISBN	978-0-87785-144-8 pb, 978-087785-659-7 e-book
Length	112 pages