Foundations
Emanuel Swedenborg was not planning to start a new branch of Christianity when he started exploring religion, philosophy, and science. He was a brilliant man who wanted to understand the world and humanity, and what made them work. He was born in 1688 –a time when science was undeveloped and much was unknown about how the human body functions. Swedenborg devoted years to studying the human body, trying always to discover how the soul and body were connected. Then, in 1743 Swedenborg began having supernatural dreams and started to record them. In 1744 Jesus appeared to Swedenborg in a vision at Easter time, and called him to be His servant. By 1749 he had published the first volume of his first theological work: Arcana Caelestia, translated Secrets of Heaven. From this time until his death in 1772, Swedenborg was continually writing and publishing theological works describing his experiences in the spiritual world, and the truths given to him from the Lord. Swedenborg’s aim was not necessarily to start an organized religion, but to communicate the truths that he had been given by the Lord.
In 1783, the first public meeting of readers of the Writings was held in London, England. By 1787 the readers of the Writings believed in them so strongly that they formed the General Conference of the New Jerusalem as a church organization in England. In 1817 the General Convention of the New Jerusalem was established as a church organization in America. In 1876 The Academy of the New Church was started in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and by 1890 the Academy split from the Convention church. As a result, the General Church of the New Jerusalem (General Church) was founded in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, based on the principles of the Academy, which were inspired by the Writings. From that time General Church congregations have grown all over the world. The General Church has many affiliated organizations, including the Academy of the New Church Secondary Schools and Bryn Athyn College of the New Church. All of these organizations have come into existence because of a commitment to the Writings of Emanuel Swedenborg, and the religious truths that are set forth within them.