Above, the Lincoln Park Chicago monument to Swedenborg, whose vision of the new Jerusalem (Revelation, chapter 21 in the Bible) inspired city planner Daniel Burnham. Swedenborg looks benevolently toward the city, holding a copy of "Secrets of Heaven" to his heart.
The Library is open for visits on Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1–5 PM Central Time, and by appointment.
Our upcoming free Zoom programs this spring are listed below.
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Welcome to the Swedenborg Library in Chicago
Above: Lecturer Jerry Leitner addresses a group during a Swedenborg Library program.
Here you'll find information on upcoming events and programs on a wide range of topics, from spiritual practices, the world's religions, spirituality in America among others.
Our circulating book collection offers a range of contemporary books on spiritual topics, as well as the work of the 18C Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg.
One of the insights that Swedenborg had about the heavenly realm was that people who lived the good of their religion of all religions were found there. The Swedenborg Library embraces that idea, and is an ecumenical center. People of all faiths, and those who aren't sure what they believe are welcomed here.
The Swedenborg Library has public hours on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, from 1–5 PM Central Time, and by appointment.
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Video of our May 15 Zoom Program:The Language of Angels: Japanese Engagement with Swedenborg in the Quest for a Universal Language with Dr. Avery Morrow
The notion of a "language of the gods" had fascinated Japanese intellectuals for centuries, and the concept gained exceptional prominence in the nationalist culture of the Meiji-period, continuing into the Showa.
In the search for this universal language, several major Japanese occultists found inspiration in Swedenborg's discussion of the language of angels, and sought to wed these ideas to their own nationalist and occult projects. Linguistics, after chemistry, might rightly be called the first esoteric science, and Japan gives us another testament to the attempt to discover a universal essence of communication.
To view the video on Youtube, click here: The Language of Angels Zoom video
Dr. Avery Morrow is a Japanologiest and scholar of religion, with interests in Japanese esotericism, 'gush, or 'alternate history,' and its role in directing Japanese culture. He is author of The Sacred Science of Ancient Japan: Lost Chronicle of the Age of the Gods, which introduced readers to the genre of prehistory, providing many salient comparisons with European esoteric traditions.
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Thursday, May 29, at the Swedish American MuseumThe Satanic Tyranny of Money: August Nordernskiöld, Alchemy, Slavery, and the Traditions of Political Swedenborgianism with Dell Rose
For the Swedish radical utopian August Nordenskiöld (1754-1792) the world was in fetters to a false idol, a spirit of Moloch which required human lives for gold. He promoted a radical agenda of alchemical liberation.
Nordernskiöld was also a perfect representative of an important yet neglected political tradition advocated by an international community of activists engaged in an array of different social causes, united by the conviction that the writings of the Swedish prophet Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) held the key to a more just society.
Swedenborg’s descriptions of heaven became the foundation for a new terrestrial vision, one that would overcome the challenges of the time with insight drawn from Swedenborg's revelations.
The promoters of this tradition were on both sides of the political spectrum, with Nordernskiöld being on the radical fringe of the libertarian wing of this tradition, advocating the abolition of money, legal marriage, and racial oppression.
Join us as we honor one of the most important intellectual currents of eighteenth and nineteenth-century social reform, and gain a more complete vision of the intellectual heritage of modern political activism.
Location: Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St., Chicago
Date/Time: Thursday, May 29, 6–7 PM
Fee: $10
RSVP to Info@SwedLib.org to help us better estimate room set-up.
Dell J. Rose develops and hosts programs for the Swedenborg Library in Chicago. Dell holds the position of Swedenborg Doctoral Fellow with the Swedenborg Society in the United Kingdom, and he is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the Universities van Amsterdam. His research focuses on the intersection of Western esotericism and political reform, particularly with Swedenborgianism in 19th century Britain.
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For all Spring 2025 upcoming programs, click on the "Coming Programs & Events" button at left, and view the brochure PDF.
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To view the recent program, "Swedenborg's Inward Turn" with Rev. Robert McCluskey, use the link to Youtube below.
To view the video, click the link below, or copy the URL address below and paste into your browser window:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbWqnT4rjRs&t=803s
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Scholar Dell Rose joins the Swedenborg Library
Dell J. Rose develops and hosts programs for the Swedenborg Library in Chicago. Dell holds the position of Swedenborg Doctoral Fellow with the Swedenborg Society in the United Kingdom, and he is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the Universities van Amsterdam. His research focuses on the intersection of Western esotericism and political reform, particularly with Swedenborgianism in 19th century Britain.
To read Dell's latest article, click on the "Readings" navigational tab at left, and you will find his article "The House of David" at the top of the PDFs there, or click here: Readings.
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To join online discussions of others who are reading Swedenborg's work, or to view video presentations, visit one of the sites below:
Off The Left Eye videos (organized by topic area:) Click Here.
For blog discussions of Swedenborgian and contemporary topics, or to download books:
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See Events & Programs for information on our upcoming programs. We look forward to seeing you then. Use the Contact Us form for information on our collection.
If you will be in downtown Chicago and would like to visit the Swedenborg Library, we are open Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 pm, and by appointment. Click on the Calendar link in the top left column for our hours and schedule.
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For more info on upcoming programs, click on the "upcoming events" bar in the left-hand column.
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PAST SPEAKERS AT THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY INCLUDE:
Dr. Kagan Arik, Julia Bachrach, Marc Ian Barasch, Denise Breton, Herbert Bronstein, Sophy Burnham, Kanjin Cederman Shonin, Rabbi Menachem Cohen, Phil Cousineau, Matthew Fox,Rev. Dr. George Dole, Rev. Kuni Fumioka, Barbara Geiger, Mercy Gilpatric, Jack Gilroy, Terry Gunnell, John Haller Jr., Fatima Imam, Kenneth James, Sunny Dawn Johnston, Jim Kenney, Christopher Largent, Stephen & Robin Larsen, Erik Larson, Rev. Dr. James Lawrence, Jerrol Leitner, Dr. Wayne Martindale, Rev. Robert McCluskey, Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, Ron Miller, Dr. Raymond Moody, John Moulder, Dr. Bjarke Nielsen, Sarah Odishoo, Dr. Vadim Putzu, Paul Quinn, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Rose, Ahmad Sadri, Kristen Schaffer, Ann McNamara Smith, Richard Smoley, John Stolfo,Edward Sylvia, Brother Wayne Teasdale, Dr. Alfred Thomas, Pauline Viviano, Rev. Wilma Wake, John Wasik...
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