News & Announcements
By Rev. Dr. Devin Zuber We often think of commencement as the end of something—often marking the conclusion of an academic school year, accompanied by a graduation. But etymologically, commencement is actually the beginning of something, with a great energy or force—the comm in “commencement” or to “commence” comes from a Latin root which means […]
Commencing into the Green Earth Read More »
By Rev. Betsy Coffman “This is Holy Ground, we’re standing on Holy ground, for the Lord is present, and where he is, is Holy…” “Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, Blow through the wilderness, calling and free. Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, Wind, Wind on the sea—over the eons you called to each thing…You
Called by the Spirit Read More »
By Rev. Dr. Jim Lawrence We continued to evolve how we gather for our annual convention in three strategic ways this year: staying in a hotel for in-person, advancing our IT support for virtual attendees, and shortening our overall schedule. Early assessments from participants have been quite positive on all these directions. For the first
Honing the Style of Our Annual Conventions Read More »
A Message from the President At our upcoming convention two proposals will be put on the floor for consideration as “Standing Resolutions” in our official denominational proclamations. These are published on our website (https://swedenborg.org/community/diversity-equity-inclusion/denominational-statements/) and in our annual Journal of the Swedenborgian Church. The Social Justice Committee (SJC) is proposing a Standing Resolution on Climate
Where is the Line Between Church and Politics? Read More »
Editor’s Corner Following Up to “How Do We Grow” I have received and overwhelming amount of positive feedback about my recent editorial titled “How Do We Grow?” and I want to thank everyone who took the time to either write to me or talk with me about it. I am really pleased that my recent
Following Up to “How Do We Grow?” Read More »
By Rev. Dr. George F. Dole This discussion is taken from Rev. Dr. George Dole’s book, A Thoughtful Soul: Reflections from Swedenborg (West Chester, PA: Chrysalis Books, 1995) in a chapter titled, “The Good Life.” Swedenborgians have shied away from labeling Emanuel Swedenborg as a mystic, largely, one suspects, because he does not hold out
By Jim Lawrence Regularly meditating upon a classic text, prayer, or hymn enacts a time-honored practice used in many faiths that I have enjoyed for many years on dog walks. Last year I became curious about the spiritual sense of the 23rd Psalm and so ventured to see what Swedenborg wrote about its inner meaning
Trusting Our Shepherd: An Inner Sense Meditation on the 23rd Psalm Read More »
By Jim Lawrence When Wilson Van Dusen’s Uses: A Way of Personal and Spiritual Growth was released in 1981, it rapidly soared as a runaway favorite in all quarters of Swedenborgiana. Without doubt, Uses is the most beloved short work in Swedenborgian spirituality of the last half-century. The explanation of how Van Dusen’s essay lifted
The Wilson Van Dusen: Usefulness as a Practice for Spiritual Growth Read More »
Editor’s Corner In the year of forty-four—mid-life (am I really mid-life?) and it is bringing up emotions. My whole childhood, and early adult life, I was convinced that I would be the one going early… and I could avoid dealing with all the grief. Here I am, mid-forties. Still here. Now dealing with griefs that
Dealing with Grief Read More »
