EMANUEL SWEDENBORG: VISIONARY SCIENTIST AND SCIENTIFIC VISIONARY

2010 sees the bicentenary of the Swedenborg Society, which has been celebrating this anniversary with a number of special events over the year. In 1910 the Society held a major congress lasting a week and which resulted in the publication of extensive proceedings—still in print. Sir William Barrett, FRS was a Vice-President of this congress and was President of the Swedenborg Society in 1913-14, as well as President of the Society for Psychical Research. This anniversary conference is a more modest affair, but will provide a contemporary overview of Swedenborg and his enduring significance as a major influence on Western culture. Two books will be launched at the conference.

Programme

9.00  Registration
9.30  Introductions and Welcome—David Lorimer, Richard Lines
9.45  Lars Bergquist: ‘Swedenborg and European Literature’
10.45  Coffee
11.15  Prof. Nicholas Goodrick-Clarke: ‘Emanuel Swedenborg and the Ancient Theology’
12.15  Lunch (not provided, attendees must make their own arrangements)
1.45  Dr Peter Fenwick: ‘Death and Dying: Swedenborg and Modern Research’
2.45  Tea
3.45  Very Revd Alexander Wedderspoon: ‘What might Swedenborg have made of the New Visions of Reality emerging from Quantum Theory?’
4.45  Plenary dialogue
5.30  Conclusions
6.00  Wine reception and book launch