Emanuel Swedenborg Revisited

A few days ago we brought up the issue of the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg and the parallels between them and the "inspired" writings of Joseph Smith Jr. We made some loose correlations to general ideas, but an LDS member doing some seeking did some more in-depth correlation of the writings, and his findings are summarized below.

Swedenborg / LDS Parallels.... (Article Here)

1. There are three heavens (D&C 76, Heaven and Hell chapter 5).

2. Priesthood robes are worn in heavenly marriage ceremonies. Swedenborg witnessed a marriage ceremony in heaven in which the husband wore robes like those of Aaron while the wife was arrayed as a queen. (D&C 131:2, Conjugial Love 20, 21).

3. There are three heavens in the celestial glory or kingdom (D&C 131:1, Arcana Coelestia 9993).

4. You must be married in heaven to inherit the highest heaven (D&C 131:2, Conjugial Love 54(5), 155).

5. The world of spirits is a place of preparation for either heaven or perdition (Alma 12:24, 34:32-34, 40:21, Heaven and Hell 421, 422).

6. There are angels who communicate between heavens (Doctrine and Covenants 76:86-88, Heaven and Hell 27, 35).

7. Likens the celestial, spiritual (telestial), and natural (terrestrial) heaven to the sun, moon, and stars (D&C 76:50,71,81, 88:7-9, Heaven and Hell 117-120, 129, Apocalypse Revealed 65).

8. The church Christ established has passed from the earth (Joseph Smith History 16, etc., Last Judgement 33-39).

9. The Lord will establish a New Church on the earth once more (D&C 1, the First Vision, True Christian Religion 647).

10. Little children who die, Christian or not, go directly to heaven (Moroni 8:7-10, Heaven and Hell 332).

11. Since God creates man in free will, God does not send man to heaven or perdition. Man makes this choice himself. (2 Ne. 2:26-30; 10:23; Alma 13:3; Hela. 14:31, Heaven and Hell 452, Conjugial Love 48b)

12. Without opposition in all things, or what Swedenborg terms the equilibrium between good and evil, the universe would not exist and men would appear dead (2 Ne. 2:11-13, Mosiah 2:21, Heaven and Hell 589, 592, 594, Arcana Coelestia 2887).

13. Man is not saved by faith alone but must show works from a changed heart (Alma 11:34-37, True Christian Religion 340-342, Heaven and Hell 427). Swedenborg taught that justification by faith alone is one of the great errors of Christianity. The Book of Mormon teaches that we are saved by grace AFTER all we can do (2 Nephi 25:23).

14. Swedenborg echoes concepts found in the LDS sacrament prayer. If these principles are followed, men are guided on earth and the spirit world (Moroni chapters 4&5, Heaven and Hell 528-535). We must live the commandments (Moroni 4:3, Heaven and Hell 528-535). We must take upon us the name of the Son, which to Mormons means to lead a life of charity and service (Mosiah 18:8-11). Swedenborg also speaks of taking upon us the name of Christ in similar ways which emphasize charity and service.[13] (Moroni 4:3, , Heaven and Hell 528-535). We must think on heavenly things, or, more specifically, for Mormons, Christ or, for followers of Swedenborg, the Lord's Divine Human (Swedenborg's words) (Moroni 4:3, 5:2, Heaven and Hell 534).

15. One way to qualify for perdition is to know the truth and deny it, or in Swedenborg's terms accept the truth and then later deny it (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pg 358, Heaven and Hell 456).

16. Celestial beings incorporate the law of consecration into their lives. In Mormon vernacular this means that our goods, time, talents, and all else that we appear to possess in fact belongs to God. (LDS traditional teachings, D&C 42, Moses 7:18, Heaven and Hell 8, 408).

17. The creation and the garden of Eden stories are allegories to our spiritual progress (Arcana Coelestia vol. 1). The LDS counterpart of this idea is found in the temple.

18. All things in the physical world exist due to existence of a spiritual quality cause that then brings about a physical world effect, by means of what Swedenborg terms correspondence of the spiritual to the physical entity (e.g. water has a correspondential origin in truth, with which it thus shares symbolic qualities) (Moses 3:5&7, Heaven and Hell chapter 12)

19. God is man. (Moses 6:57, 7:35, Arcana Coelestia 9359, 9361, Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith p. 345) Swedenborg states that "God is very Man" (Divine Love and Wisdom 11, New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrine 1).


The bad news is that yet again we see that the "unique revelations" of Joseph Smith Jr. predate his birth; taken from Emanuel Swedenborg, Alexander Campbell, Masons, and the Bible.

The good news is that if you are LDS and you are traveling out of town and cannot locate the nearest Ward building to attend, you could swing by a Swedenborg Chapel and feel right at home.