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	'''THE CONSTRUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF A NEW THEOLOGY'''		'''THE CONSTRUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF A NEW THEOLOGY'''

	~~EMANUEL SWEDENBORG AS A PROTO-SPIRITUALIST: THE CONSTRUCTION AND DISSEMINATION OF A NEW THEOLOGY~~		As [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] readers are aware, [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] devoted much of his later work to spiritualist topics. Among these is his [[The History of Spiritualism]], a work which encompasses approaches as varied as historical narrative, evangelic martyr and 'miracle' stories, descriptions of scientific-style experimentation, and biography. It is with this last that he begins the book, citing as one of the forerunners of the spiritualist movement [[Emanuel Swedenborg]] [1688-1772], a Swedish scientist, theologian, scholar, and visionary. Although [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] never directly sought to form a new church, he felt, as spiritualists would later describe their own movement, that what had been revealed to him could, and should, serve as the basis for a new religion.

	~~Andrea Towle~~


	As [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] readers are aware, [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] devoted much of his later work to spiritualist topics. Among these is his The History of Spiritualism, a work which encompasses approaches as varied as historical narrative, evangelic martyr and 'miracle' stories, descriptions of scientific-style experimentation, and biography. It is with this last that he begins the book, citing as one of the forerunners of the spiritualist movement [[Emanuel Swedenborg]] [1688-1772], a Swedish scientist, theologian, scholar, and visionary. Although [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] never directly sought to form a new church, he felt, as spiritualists would later describe their own movement, that what had been revealed to him could, and should, serve as the basis for a new religion.

	[[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]]'s visions began in 1743 in the form of dreams which he carefully recorded. The early visions were primarily of heaven, hell, and divine beings, but later included prophetic knowledge and theological guidance. [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] described [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] as having been at the dawn of the spiritualist revelation, writing that 'When the first rays of the rising sun of spiritual knowledge fell upon the earth, they illuminated the greatest and highest human mind before they shed their light on lesser men. That mountain peak of mentality was this great religious reformer and clairvoyant medium...' (1)		[[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]]'s visions began in 1743 in the form of dreams which he carefully recorded. The early visions were primarily of heaven, hell, and divine beings, but later included prophetic knowledge and theological guidance. [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|ACD]] described [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] as having been at the dawn of the spiritualist revelation, writing that 'When the first rays of the rising sun of spiritual knowledge fell upon the earth, they illuminated the greatest and highest human mind before they shed their light on lesser men. That mountain peak of mentality was this great religious reformer and clairvoyant medium...' (1)
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	'''Notes'''		'''Notes'''

	1. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], The History of Spiritualism, Vol. 1. London: Psychic Press, 1926, p. 2		1. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]], [[The History of Spiritualism]], Vol. 1. London: Psychic Press, 1926, p. 2

	2. Ibid, p. 3		2. Ibid, p. 3
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	6. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord. Cambridge: Hilliard and Metcalf, 1821, p. 21.		6. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord. Cambridge: Hilliard and Metcalf, 1821, p. 21.

	7. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. The History of Spiritualism, Vol. 1. pp. 3-4.		7. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. [[The History of Spiritualism]], Vol. 1. pp. 3-4.

	8. Ibid. p. 4.		8. Ibid. p. 4.
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	17. Ibid. p. 42.		17. Ibid. p. 42.

	18. This is another instance in which Swedenborg insists that it is God who has called him to serve as a visionary and who supplies all knowledge, supporting his claim that he has no ulterior motives in presenting his visionary experiences to others.		18. This is another instance in which [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] insists that it is God who has called him to serve as a visionary and who supplies all knowledge, supporting his claim that he has no ulterior motives in presenting his visionary experiences to others.

	19. It is also interesting in this passage to note that the gender of God is unclear, or dual, for he refers to the Lord as male, but also as one who can "nurse him into knowledge', an implicitly female and very physical act. This is an indication of Swedenborg's view of the divine as very concrete and correspondent to the material world. See The Gist of Swedenborg, p. 43.		19. It is also interesting in this passage to note that the gender of God is unclear, or dual, for he refers to the Lord as male, but also as one who can "nurse him into knowledge', an implicitly female and very physical act. This is an indication of [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]]'s view of the divine as very concrete and correspondent to the material world. See ''The Gist of Swedenborg'', p. 43.

	20. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. Swedenborg's Journal of Dreams 1743-1744, p. 46-48.		20. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. Swedenborg's Journal of Dreams 1743-1744, p. 46-48.
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	24. Jorge Luis Borges. 'Testimony to the Invisible', translated by Catherine Rodriguez-Nieto, in [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]: A Continuing Vision; A Pictorial Biography and Anthology of Essays and Poetry. New York: Swedenborg Foundation, 1988, p. 351.		24. Jorge Luis Borges. 'Testimony to the Invisible', translated by Catherine Rodriguez-Nieto, in [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]: A Continuing Vision; A Pictorial Biography and Anthology of Essays and Poetry. New York: Swedenborg Foundation, 1988, p. 351.

	25. Swedenborg as quoted in R.L. Tafel, Documents Concerning the Life of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. Vol. II. London: Swedenborg Society, 1875-7, pp. 557-8, as quoted in Synnestvedt 32.		25. [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] as quoted in R.L. Tafel, Documents Concerning the Life of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. Vol. II. London: Swedenborg Society, 1875-7, pp. 557-8, as quoted in Synnestvedt 32.

	26. Cyriel Odhner Sigstedt. The Swedenborg Epic: The Life and Works of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]], pp. 321-4.		26. Cyriel Odhner Sigstedt. The Swedenborg Epic: The Life and Works of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]], pp. 321-4.

	27. William F. Wunsch. 'Biographical Note' in The Gist of Swedenborg, p. vi.		27. William F. Wunsch. 'Biographical Note' in ''The Gist of Swedenborg'', p. vi.

	28. Jorge Luis Borges. "Testimony to the Invisible'. pp. 350-1.		28. Jorge Luis Borges. "Testimony to the Invisible'. pp. 350-1.

	29. Borges did not mention Swedenborg's writings having been in Latin. Evidently he did not feel that their being in Latin and therefore inaccessible to the general population precluded his characterization of them as 'clear, unequivocal prose".		29. Borges did not mention [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]]'s writings having been in Latin. Evidently he did not feel that their being in Latin and therefore inaccessible to the general population precluded his characterization of them as 'clear, unequivocal prose".

	30. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Gist of Swedenborg, p. 43.		30. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Gist of Swedenborg, p. 43.
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	34. Ibid. p. 21		34. Ibid. p. 21

	35. 'Swedenborgian' is the common way to refer to the church based on Swedenborg's writings and theology, but Swedenborg himself called it 'The Church of the New Jerusalem', which is the official name of the movement.		35. 'Swedenborgian' is the common way to refer to the church based on Swedenborg's writings and theology, but [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]] himself called it 'The Church of the New Jerusalem', which is the official name of the movement.

	36. Sig Synnestvedt. The Essential Swedenborg: Basic Teachings of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]], Scientist Philosopher, and Theologian; Selected and Edited with an Introduction by Sig Synnestvedt. Twayne Publishers/The Swedenborg Foundation, 1970, pp. 34-5.		36. Sig Synnestvedt. The Essential Swedenborg: Basic Teachings of [[Emanuel Swedenborg]], Scientist Philosopher, and Theologian; Selected and Edited with an Introduction by Sig Synnestvedt. Twayne Publishers/The Swedenborg Foundation, 1970, pp. 34-5.
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	41. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Gist of Swedenborg, p. xi.		41. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Gist of Swedenborg, p. xi.

	42. It is interesting to note that Raine here refers to a Pauline rather than a Petrine (catholic) church. I do not know if this reflects Swedenborg's own biases, or whether it is Raine's own concept.		42. It is interesting to note that Raine here refers to a Pauline rather than a Petrine (catholic) church. I do not know if this reflects [[Emanuel Swedenborg\|Swedenborg]]'s own biases, or whether it is Raine's own concept.

	43. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord. Cambridge: Hilliard and Metcalf, 1821, p. 22.		43. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord. Cambridge: Hilliard and Metcalf, 1821, p. 22.
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	46. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord, p. xvii.		46. [[Emanuel Swedenborg]]. The Doctrine of the New Jerusalem Concerning the Lord, p. xvii.

	47. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. The New Revelation. New York: G.H. Doran, 1918, p. 98.		47. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. [[The New Revelation]]. New York: G.H. Doran, 1918, p. 98.

	48. Ibid. pp. 70-1.		48. Ibid. pp. 70-1.
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	54. Ibid. p. 189		54. Ibid. p. 189

	55. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. The History of Spiritualism. Vol. 1, p. 3.		55. [[Arthur Conan Doyle]]. [[The History of Spiritualism]]. Vol. 1, p. 3.

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TCDE-Team at 14:28, 7 March 2026