Afterlife

What happens when we die? What is heaven like? How do angels live? In his classic work, Swedish visionary Emanuel Swedenborg gives readers a detailed road map to the afterlife, describing the process that our soul goes through after death, the nature of heaven and hell, angels and demons, all in meticulous detail. He posits that the love of self or of the world drives one towards hell, and love of God and fellow men towards heaven. Here is the most influential and important book ever written on the subject!

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, theologian, inventor, and mystic whose remarkable intellectual journey made him one of the most distinctive thinkers of the eighteenth century. During the first half of his life, Swedenborg earned international recognition for his contributions to science and engineering. In his later years, he devoted himself almost entirely to exploring spiritual questions, producing an extensive body of theological writings that profoundly influenced religious thought, literature, and philosophy. His ideas gave rise to the Swedenborgian movement and continue to inspire readers interested in spirituality and the relationship between the natural and spiritual worlds.

Swedenborg was born on January 29, 1688, in Stockholm, Sweden. His father, Jesper Swedberg, was a respected Lutheran bishop who encouraged intellectual curiosity and religious devotion. Emanuel studied at Uppsala University, where he excelled in mathematics, astronomy, mechanics, and natural philosophy. After completing his education, he traveled widely across Europe, studying with leading scientists and engineers. Upon returning to Sweden, he served on the Swedish Board of Mines for many years, conducting research and publishing important works on metallurgy, anatomy, geology, mathematics, and engineering. His scientific achievements earned him a respected place among the leading scholars of his time.

Around the mid-1740s, Swedenborg experienced a series of profound spiritual visions that transformed the direction of his life. He came to believe that he had been called to reveal deeper spiritual meanings within the Bible and to describe the nature of heaven, hell, and the human soul. He claimed to have experienced visions of the spiritual world and recorded these experiences in influential works such as Heaven and Hell, Divine Love and Wisdom, Divine Providence, Arcana Coelestia, and True Christian Religion. His writings emphasized God's love, human freedom, moral responsibility, and the symbolic interpretation of Scripture.

Swedenborg's spiritual experiences and theological claims have been received in different ways. His followers regard his writings as profound spiritual revelations, while many scholars and religious traditions view them as the personal religious experiences of a gifted and original thinker. Regardless of these differing perspectives, his influence on theology, literature, psychology, and philosophy has been substantial.

Emanuel Swedenborg passed away in London in 1772. Today, he is remembered as a remarkable polymath whose lifelong pursuit of knowledge united scientific inquiry with spiritual exploration. His enduring legacy continues to encourage thoughtful reflection on faith, human nature, and the mysteries of existence.