EMANUEL SWEDENBORG (1688–1772)
— philosopher, scientist, inventor, astronomer, mathematician, parliamentary figure and visionary.
For the first fifty years of his life, Emanuel Swedenborg was renowned for his scientific work and inventions. He published numerous books on anatomy, psychology, science, chemistry and cosmology. At the age of fifty-six however, he underwent a spiritual awakening in which he claimed to have had his eyes opened by the Lord. This continued until his death in 1772. In 1758 he published his most famous and influential book Heaven and Hell in which he outlined his journeys in the next world and his encounters with angels, demons and spirits. Other key works of this period include Arcana Caelestia (1749-56), The New Jerusalem (1758), Divine Love and Wisdom (1763), Divine Providence (1764), Conjugial Love (1768), and The True Christian Religion (1771). Since his death in 1772, his works have since had a profound influence on philosophy, science, religion, literature, and all areas of the humanities.
