Description

Swedenborg’s theological publications fall into two roughly equal periods. In the first period he published thirteen volumes over ten years (1749-1758). After a four year gap, he published twelve volumes over nine years (1763-1771). The four works above (published only later in one volume) break the four year hiatus, and set a tone for the second period of Swedenborg’s work. He now takes a somewhat different approach, addressing individual doctrines in greater depth than he had previously. (In the previous period The New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine, drawing from the Arcana, treated of many doctrines but gave each just a few pages.) In his first work in this second period, Doctrine of the New Jerusalem regarding the Lord, he addresses the theology of the church of his day more directly than before, contrasting its understanding of the Lord in Scripture and in the Athanasian creed with that of the New Church. This more direct approach will surface increasingly in this second period. He also begins to use chapter headings and sub-headings in a more consistent way in unfolding his ideas. Finally, he begins to include accounts of his spiritual experiences (SS 90, Faith 42, DP 340), though these do not appear in great number until Apocalypse Revealed. The present translation has been done by the Rev. N. Bruce Rogers. This makes the seventh volume of Swedenborg’s theological writings for which he has prepared new Latin editions and made fresh translations. He tells us that this will be his last. We are grateful for his large contribution to bring the Heavenly Doctrine to people’s minds and hearts!