7:00 PM Annual Swedenborg Foundation Meeting, 8:00 PM Lecture (Seating for LECTURE beginning at approximately 7:30. Seating Capacity: 180)
Donations welcome. Free for Bryn Athyn College/Academy of the New Church students.
Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772) was a Swedish scientist, philosopher, and theologian (pictured; Oil on canvas, Portrait of Emanuel Swedenborg, Carl Frederick von Breda, 1817, Collection of Glencairn Museum). The Swedenborg Foundation, a nonprofit organization located in West Chester, PA, was started more than 150 years ago as an organization dedicated to keeping Swedenborg’s writings in print. It has grown over the years to offer an expanded range of publications, videos, and other resources to help people learn about Swedenborg. Over the past year the Foundation has laid the groundwork for the next step in their growth—communicating Swedenborg’s message in the digital world via social media. In addition to continuing their tradition of producing high-quality publications, they have launched a Heaven and Hell Facebook page that now has over fifty thousand followers and created a series of videos that present Emanuel Swedenborg’s ideas to a modern audience.
Find out more with Dr. Jonathan Rose, the Series Editor of the New Century Edition (NCE), which is an ongoing project that incorporates the latest scholarship to produce a contemporary, accessible translation of Swedenborg's theological writings. Rose teaches a popular weekly Spirit and Life Bible Study class, available on ustream or on Facebook at Spirit and Life Bible Study. This class is a current passion for Dr. Rose who holds a B.A. and a M.Div. in religion from Bryn Athyn College (BAC) and a M.A. and a Ph.D. in Latin from Bryn Mawr College. He has worked for years in the study of Neo-Latin and in Swedenborgian research. He was both chaplain and a tenured professor of religion and sacred languages at BAC before taking on his current position. As Series Editor of the NCE, Jonathan does translating, editing, research, and fund raising for the project. He is a seventh-generation Swedenborgian.
Dr. Rose will be joined by the Foundation’s new Multimedia Writer and Producer, Curtis Childs. Curtis, 28, graduated from Oakland University in Rochester, MI, in May 2008 with a B.A. in Communications. That same year he also began work as the Director of KidsLIVE where he serves as a writer, director, actor, comedian, musician, videographer and artist in the production of performances for kindergarten through fifth graders that endeavor to be fun and engaging at the same time that they provide a relevant worship experience for children. Curtis has collaborated with Jonathan on the production of his Bible study class videos since 2011 and is looking forward to this opportunity to share he and Dr. Rose’s exciting work online.
All are invited--members as well as the general public--and there is no charge. Those who are not attending the business meeting will be seated at approximately 7:30. At the conclusion of the presentation the audience is invited to meet the speakers at a reception where light desserts will be served. For further information about the event please contact Alexia Cole at the Swedenborg Foundation: info@swedenborg.com.