SynopsisWhat happens to us when we die? Are heaven and hell real? If so, what are they like? Heaven and Hell contains the answers to these questions as seen by Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772). This new translation of Swedenborg's most popular work paints a detailed picture of life in the spiritual realms. A Swedish Enlightenment scientist of extraordinary accomplishment, Swedenborg underwent a spiritual crisis that led to an unparalleled series of paranormal experiences. He spent his last twenty-seven years in almost daily experience of heaven and hell, recording his observations and conversations, many of which are reported in Heaven and Hell. This sustained and detailed description of the nonphysical realms has left its impression on the minds of many great thinkers, including Goethe, Blake, Coleridge, Emerson, Borges, and Milosz. This deluxe edition contains an introduction by religious historian Bernhard Lang setting the volume in the context of its time. The New Century Edition of the Works of Emanuel Swedenborg is a modern-language, scholarly translation of Swedenborg's theological works. The series' easy-to-read style retains the dignity, variety, clarity, and gender-inclusive language of Swedenborg's original Latin, bringing his thought to life. Introductions and annotations by eminent, international scholars place Swedenborg's writings in their historical context and illuminate obscure references within the text, enabling readers to understand and trace Swedenborg's influence as never before., In his most popular and influential work, Swedenborg describes his journeys through the afterlife--the soul's experience of dying and then being resurrected in heaven, how each of us finds a community there in which to live, and how we can ultimately become angels. Heaven and Hell is a powerful affirmation that we are all born for heaven, regardless of background or religion, and that the choices we make in this world shape our destiny in the next.
LC Classification NumberBX8712.H513 2000