When Thoughts and Prayers Don’t Matter (and When They Do) -Rev. Thom Muller As you may suspect, the title of this piece is a reference to a debate, or maybe the better word is lamentation or outcry, that’s been a theme in both social media as well as main stream media. There is a …
ODBlog: “When Thoughts and Prayers Don’t Matter (and When They Do) Read More »
January 29 marked the 330th anniversary of Emanuel Swedenborg’s birth (going by the Julian calendar anyway). In my particular denomination of Swedenborgianism, our celebrations of Swedenborg’s birthday are more muted than they once were – we rarely any longer sing, “To Swedenborg, Our Wondrous Seer” (a real song, sung to the tune of “O Tannenbaum”). But …
Happy Birthday to a Man of Many Faults -Rev. Coleman Glenn Read More »
The Gospel of John has been called the most mystical and esoteric of the books of the New Testament. This series of information and reflections, Rev. David Fekete explores the Gospel of John from the perspective of a seeker, contrasting how different traditions, including Swedenborgianism, have engaged the text. Click below for a full printable …
New Course: The Story of Jesus According to John – A Seeker’s Companion Read More »
In this sermon, delivered at the Bridgewater New Church in Bridgewater, MA, Rev. Susannah Currie explores the issues regarding material and spiritual wealth, the reality of poverty, and how they intersect, through a Swedenborgian lens. Readings: Psalm 49 (https://newchristianbiblestudy.org/bible/king-james-version/psalms/49/) and Luke 18:18-25 (https://newchristianbiblestudy.org/bible/king-james-version/luke/18/) Click below for an audio recording of Rev. Currie’s …
Worldly and Spiritual Riches and Poverty -Rev. Susannah Currie Read More »
In this sermon, the Rev. Hugh Odhner discusses some ways in which an exploration of the inner meaning of the Word can be deeply valuable and insightful as we contemplate the changing of seasons and times. Click below for a printable PDF version of Rev. Odhner’s sermon: A Sermon for the New Year …
Advent is usually a time of anticipation of the light represented by the first coming of Christ. In this sermon, Rev. Michael Gladish explores the connection between the “first” Advent, and a Swedenborgian understanding of the second Coming of Christ, as it unfolds within us and the internal sense of the Word. Click below for …
“Parallels Between the First and Second Advents” -Rev. Michael Gladish Read More »
In this sermon, Rev. Shada Sullivan, minister at the Church of the Holy City in Wilmington, Delaware, explores a well-known parable from the Gospels from a Swedenborgian perspective, and relates it to current socio-political, as well as personal issues. Click below for a printable PDF version of Shada’s sermon: The Parable of the Talents …
“The Parable of the Talents” -Rev. Shada Sullivan Read More »
In this Sermon, delivered at the Philadelphia Society of the Lord’s New Church, Rev. Hugh Odhner engages a theme that has occupied Swedenborgian theologians throughout the centuries: The question of the “Eternity of the Hells”. In Swedenborg’s cosmology, are hellish states static and eternal, or does the process of regeneration continue to draw us …
“Hell is Not Eternal – Unless We Want It to Be” – Rev. Hugh Odhner Read More »
“Where is the Peace of God in a Violent World?” – This question may arise in many of us as we process the prevalence of suffering, violence, tragedy, and cruelty that exists on the planet. Rev. Wilma Wake of the Swedenborgian Community Online at http://swedenborgiancommunity.org, engages this question from a Swedenborgian perspective. Click below …
“Where is the Peace of God in a Violent World?” -Rev. Wilma Wake Read More »
Scripture Readings: 1 Samuel 28:3-25, Leviticus 19:31 At desperate times, we sometimes go to extreme lengths to avoid unwanted realities. Often, this tendency of seeking an escape can lead us even further away from gaining the comfort and hope that we truly need. Hear the Rev. Junchol Lee reflect upon biblical advice about how to process desperate …
“How to Maintain your Chillness” -Rev. Junchol Lee Read More »
