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in its wise use. Surely this was providential.
The coming together of science, philosophy and theology in our time was
foreseen by the Lord, and prepared for by bringing them together in the mind
of Swedenborg two-and-a-half centuries ago.
(WEO)
“a highway out of egypt”
The confluence of science, philosophy and theology was actually anticipated
long before Swedenborg – in these verses from Isaiah:
In that day there will be a highway out of Egypt into Assyria, and the Assyrian
will come into Egypt and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will serve
with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be one of three with Egypt and Assyria
– a blessing in the midst of the land, whom the Lord of hosts shall bless, saying,
“Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My
inheritance.” (Isaiah 19:23-25)
Egypt stands for facts, or the scientific principle; Assyria for reasoning
based on facts, or the rational principle; and Israel for spiritual truth. “In the
spiritual sense this means that at the time of the Lord’s coming the scientific,
the rational and the spiritual will make one, and that the scientific will then
serve the rational, and both the spiritual.” (Arcana Coelestia 1186; True
Christian Religion 200.2)
Swedenborg in his own thought made the journey from “Egypt” through
“Assyria” and into “Israel” – from scientific fact, to philosophical reasoning, to
spiritual truth. Western culture is embarking on a similar journey. Science and
natural reasoning are the dominant influence, but the discoveries of science
itself are straining the bonds of naturalism and pointing toward the spiritual
reality that underlies the natural universe.
(WEO)
“the all in all things”
If I had to pick one word to describe the essence of all reality – including God,
the created universe, and life on earth – that word would be “Human.”
We know from the Word (and especially the doctrine of the Divine Human
in the Writings) that God is Human, because He is Love Itself and Wisdom
Itself, the two essential qualities of humanity.
We know the universe is essentially human in nature because God, who
is Human, is “the All in all things of the universe.” (Divine Love and Wisdom
198) Moreover, we know that the universe was created for the sake of mankind,
that there might be a heaven from the human race.
The fact that we are human is obvious, and we should know that this is
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