In Heaven: A History (1995: Yale University Press) the authors, Drs. Colleen McDannell and Bernhard Lang, state that Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772) had a pivotal role in bringing about a changed view of heaven, including the idea that angels are humans who have died and…
Blog Archives
What is the Source of the Belief that the Deceased become Angels?
Tagged with: angels, Bernhard Lang, Colleen McDannell, Emanuel Swedenborg, heaven, Heaven and Hell, Heaven: A History, Swedenborg, the Bible, the spiritual world
Posted in The Afterlife
Posted in The Afterlife
What is the Difference between Justification and Salvation in Swedenborg’s Theology?
In the theology of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772), as in other Christian theologies, justification is seen as part of a process that results in our salvation. In a nod to the traditional Christian concept of the ordo salutis (“order of salvation”), Swedenborg…
Tagged with: Christianity, Emanuel Swedenborg, heaven, Jesus Christ, justice, justification, religion, righteousness, salvation, Swedenborg, the Bible
Posted in The Bible Re-Viewed
Posted in The Bible Re-Viewed
Can we Keep our Friends in the Afterlife?
Here is a Spiritual Conundrum submitted to Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life by a reader named Maria: Ever since I encountered Swedenborg, I’ve struggled with the mechanics of the afterlife: it sounds both beautiful and terrible. I’ve been told we…
Tagged with: angels, friends, friendship, heaven, love, relationships, soulmates, the spiritual world, the world of spirits
Posted in Sex Marriage Relationships, The Afterlife
Posted in Sex Marriage Relationships, The Afterlife
The Meaning and Power of Baptism
Two Spiritual Conundrums have been submitted to Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life on the subject of baptism. First by a reader named Harshit Anjalika Murmu: Hello sir, I liked your website very much. I want to ask a question about…
Tagged with: baptism, born again, Christianity, circumcision, Emanuel Swedenborg, Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, Jordan River, regeneration, religion, salvation, the Bible
Posted in Spiritual Growth, The Bible Re-Viewed
Posted in Spiritual Growth, The Bible Re-Viewed
Today’s Christianity: Vastly Void of Truth
Here is a comment that a reader named Kyle left recently in response to the most popular post on this blog: “If there’s One God, Why All the Different Religions?” Lee, I found your article tickled the ears of culture…
Tagged with: Christianity, faith, faith alone, fundamentalism, God, heaven, Jesus Christ, religion, salvation, sola fide, the Bible, works
Posted in The Bible Re-Viewed
Posted in The Bible Re-Viewed
Serving the Neighbor: Simple yet Profound
Here at Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life we are constantly preaching about serving the neighbor. But what does that mean? It means many things. But it also means serving someone when you least expect it. Here’s an example that recently…
Tagged with: Aaran Daniels, autism, Gem Salter, love, neighbor, random acts of kindness, River Salter, service, spirituality
Posted in Current Events, Spiritual Growth
Posted in Current Events, Spiritual Growth
Pain, Punishment, Prison, and Hell
In the course of a discussion on the recent article, “How Imagination and Fantasy Help our Spiritual Growth,” a reader named Frankly Frank said: “And hell is not a punishment”……. I dunno about that one, Lee. There are vivid accounts…
Tagged with: crime, Emanuel Swedenborg, evil, hardened criminals, hell, justice, pain, prison, punishment, recidivism, sin, the spiritual world
Posted in The Afterlife
Posted in The Afterlife
Should Christians Tithe?
Over the past couple of years four readers have submitted Spiritual Conundrums to Spiritual Insights for Everyday Life about tithing. First, a reader named Lisa: Lee: I belonged to a Christian church for thirty years which was fundamentalist. My husband paid…
Tagged with: charitable giving, charity, Christianity, Emanuel Swedenborg, money, spiritual meaning, spirituality, Swedenborg, the Bible, tithes, tithing
Posted in Money and Business, The Bible Re-Viewed
Posted in Money and Business, The Bible Re-Viewed
How Imagination and Fantasy Help our Spiritual Growth
This post is an edited version of part of a reply I wrote to a comment by a reader named Boluwade Kujero on the article, “Is Masturbation Always Sinful? Does it Always Come from Lust?” My full comment responds to…
Tagged with: coveting, fantasy, imagination, lust, religion, sin, spiritual growth, spiritual rebirth, spirituality
Posted in Spiritual Growth
Posted in Spiritual Growth
Does God Change?
In a recent comment, a reader named Rami brought up the issue of God’s unchanging nature vs. God—and God’s relationship to us—changing through time. This post is a slightly edited version of my reply. This begins to push the limits…
Tagged with: Christianity, Emanuel Swedenborg, eternity, God, Jesus Christ, Space, Swedenborg, the Bible, time
Posted in All About God
Posted in All About God
Lee & Annette Woofenden
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