This book is a combination of five volumes, originally published as: "The Doctrine of the Lord", "The Doctrine of Sacred Scripture", "The Doctrine of Life", "The Doctrine of Faith", and "New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines". Herein are revealed the central tenets and doctrines of the New Church, or New Jerusalem, which will succeed the older Christian churches, which was revealed to the author in heavenly visions. "The Doctrine of the Lord" reveals that God is one person in Jesus Christ, that He is Jehovah in human form. The mystery of the Trinity is explained in a manner that is easy to understand. "The Doctrine of Sacred Scripture" shows how the Bible is Divinely Inspired, and how when read with enlightenment, it provides a conjunction between the mind and the angels of heaven. "The Doctrine of Life" is the doctrine of charity: religion is life, and that life is doing good. The essential responsibility for each person is that he/she must make an effort to review his/her life, and turn away from evil. "The Doctrine of Faith" reveals that faith is not mere belief: faith is living according to the truth, and can not be made separate from charity. "New Jerusalem and its Heavenly Doctrines" sums up the doctrines of the New Church, and contains numerous references to the author's magnum opus, "Heavenly Arcana". This book is for those seeking a rational religion which simplifies the mysteries of faith, explained in a simple manner with support drawn from scripture. This work has been formatted for digital publication: it includes hyperlinked table of contents, references, footnotes, and topical indexes. This is volume 23 of the multi-volume work, "The Divine Revelation of the New Jerusalem," which contains the published theological works of Emanuel Swedenborg. An expanded edition also includes the 6 volume set, "Apocalypse Explained."ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was born in Stockholm, Sweden. He journeyed to England, Holland, France, and Germany to study and work with leading scientists in western Europe. Upon his return he apprenticed as an engineer under the brilliant Swedish inventor Christopher Polhem (1661-1751). King Charles XII of Sweden gave him a salaried position as an overseer of Sweden's mining industry (1716-1747). After the death of the King, Emanuel was ennobled by Queen Ulrika Eleonora. This gave him a seat in the Swedish House of Nobles, where he remained an active participant in the Swedish government throughout his life. A member of the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences, he devoted himself to scientific studies and philosophical reflections that culminated in a number of scientific publications, mainly concerning minerology and physiology, where he had made several discoveries. From 1743 to 1745 he entered a transitional phase that resulted in a shift of his main focus from science and philosophy to theology. Throughout the rest of his life he maintained that this shift was brought about by Jesus Christ, who appeared to him, called him to a new mission, and opened his perception to a permanent dual consciousness of this life and the spiritual world of heaven and hell. Although he at first published his theological works anonymously, he became more well known to the public when he had a clairvoyant experience where he could describe a fire in Stockholm in 1759, over 400 km away. This was investigated by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, who confirmed the event, and it was also noted by Carl Jung who borrowed from Swedenborg for many of his ideas in psychology. At other times Swedenborg demonstrated his clairvoyant abilities to multiple witnesses, including John Wesley, the founder of Methodism. Zen master D.T. Suzuki called Swedenborg the "Buddha of the North." Swedenborg presents a view of Christianity that is not only spiritual, but also rational, pragmatic and utilitarian.
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