About the Conference
The first-ever international conference dedicated to examining the influence of Emanuel Swedenborg’s writings on the arts will be held June 6-9, 2017, at Bryn Athyn College in Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania. The Swedenborg Foundation is proud to be co-sponsoring this event, where more than twenty-five scholars from ten different countries will explore and discuss Swedenborg’s substantial influence on literature, painting, architecture, music, and other forms of art.
- Massimo Introvigne of the Center for Studies on New Religions (CESNUR) at the University of Torino, on the “Concentric Circles” of artistic influence
- Linda Dalrymple Henderson, Ph.D., of the University of Texas Austin will present on “Swedenborg and the Arts in Later 19th / Early 20th Century Contexts”
- Wouter Hanegraaff, Ph.D., of the University of Amsterdam will explore the topic of “Imagining Swedenborg’s Heaven”
- Homero Aridjis, widely regarded as one of Mexico’s greatest living poets and writers, will explore Swedenborg’s influence on poetics.
While historical figures like William Blake, George Inness, Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Jorge Luis Borges, and Daniel Burnham were all readers of Swedenborg, artists inspired by Swedenborg’s thought are still painting, still writing, and still designing today. Some of them will also be at the conference to discuss what they are currently working on and what they hope to do in the future.
Register and Learn More
For a full list of speakers and topics, download the conference program. Please note that speakers, session chairs, and paper topics are subject to change.
Online registration is now closed, but if you would like to attend you can still register on-site at the Brickman Center of Bryn Athyn College, 2945 College Drive, Bryn Athyn, Pennsylvania, 19009. Registration is open 2 to 5 p.m. on Monday, June 5 and in the morning before 9 a.m. on June 6-9.
Visit the official conference site to learn more, or follow the conference on Facebook for the latest news and updates.