335 New Church Worthies (Now Online)

The history of the establishment of New Church groups in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries is, at heart, the story of individuals. New Church people have always been interested in the personal stories of men and women who, for a wide variety of reasons, were readers of the works of Emanuel Swedenborg, and who subsequently accepted them as Divine revelation from God. New Church Worthies, published in England in 1884, is now available online at NewChurchHistory.org. This book contains thirty-three biographical sketches of early New Church people, each one with a unique personal story. A sampling of just three of these individuals follows below: Continue reading » » » »

329 New Church Day (June 19, 1770)

The nineteenth day of June, 1770, is the most significant date in the history of the New Church. It was on this day that the Lord called together the twelve disciples who had followed Him on earth, instructed them in the Heavenly Doctrine of the New Jerusalem, and sent them out to teach that “the Lord God Jesus Christ reigns, whose kingdom shall be for ages and ages.” This was the beginning of the New Christian Church. It is often referred to as the “birthday” of the New Church, or simply “New Church Day.”

This date was originally revealed in 1771, with the publication of the book True Christian Religion, by Emanuel Swedenborg. The importance of the date has been recognized since the origin of New Church groups. Continue reading » » » »