THE ESSENTIAL SWEDENBORG: BASIC RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS OF EMANUEL SWEDENBORG

Swdenborg wrote so much that most readers are put off. Who has the inclination or the time to read his 25 volumes of biblical commentary, visions, and theology? This small volume digests most of his teachings. The result is unimpressive because much of what Swedenborg taught was trite, ex., good people are rewarded and bad people are punished, we all make our own heaven and hell, true charity is doing your job in society as well as you can. Yawn.

The Essential Swedenborg summarizes in modern terms the basic features of the theology propounded by Emanuel Swedenborg, scientist, inventor, statesman, philosopher, and theologian. The startling concepts of the "Northern Plato" caused the orthodox clergy of his day to consider him a heretic. For over 200 years, however, Swedenborg's works have appealed to many of the world's greatest intellects and contributors to modern culture--Balzac, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Blake, Emerson, Henry James, Sr., Strindberg, and Yates--to name a few. "Swedenborg was an eye among the blind, an ear among the deaf . . . one of the noblest champions true Christianity has ever known." --Helen Keller