new church life: jan uary/february 2015
Swedenborg’s Divine Providence to compare as I read along. Could this facile
discussion of spiritual laws, although familiar sounding, really be based closely
on a Swedenborg text?
In fact the author has done exactly that. Ms. Hill has faithfully followed
the flow of the original text, using chapter headings that initially reflect the
chapter titles that Swedenborg used. Later in the book she uses some creativity
to combine a few chapters under a more general heading, distilling pages of
explanation into concise and easily readable sentences and paragraphs. The
rendition into accessible language and current spiritual concepts transports
Swedenborg alive and well into the 21st century.
The resolution of the initial tensions also flows along throughout the book.
In various ways, the message becomes clear that the focus of spiritual law is on
the action of the Divine in our lives. To bring that message home, the author
repeatedly spells out the spiritual process of reflection, self-examination,
making better choices, and developing a more heavenly life.
The tension between old and new theology is resolved more subtly. The
writing is dignified and at times poetic, a spiritual guide as hoped for in the
preface, with evidence of the theological heritage of the era in which the
original was written. Yet today’s theological questions work their way into
today’s rendition of Divine Providence, just as Swedenborg grappled with the
theological issues of his day in his original theological work. Ms. Hill writes
about “a hellish state” rather than “hell,” refers to “any Higher Power” as well as
traditional concepts of the Divine, and fleshes out wonderfully Swedenborg’s
teachings about spiritual law applying to all people on all spiritual paths.
Throughout the book, Ms. Hill selects out themes that are particularly
relevant to today’s spiritual seeker. She artfully provides a guide for a serious
inquiry into the nature of spiritual transformation and spiritual growth. Her
including the futility of forcing beliefs and worship on other people is well
suited for outreach today in a culture that is wary of proselytizing church
organizations, and in which many do not feel the need for church attendance.
This gem of an introduction into Swedenborgian teachings ends with a
useful list of his theological works, with pithy explanations of their contents and
purpose. Any spiritual reader, whether searching for an overview or wanting
to pursue a deeper exploration of Swedenborg, will appreciate this resource.
Another helpful resource is a manageable list of books for further reading.
These suggestions fit right in with Ms. Hill’s purpose in offering Spiritual Law
to share “spiritual jewels” in a manageable distillation of Swedenborg’s work
on Divine Providence.
I can imagine many ways in which this 11 4-page book will prove itself
valuable to the Swedenborgian community, besides its obvious benefits
to the wider community of spiritual seekers. To start with, the intriguing
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