Swedenborg and three degrees of glory

From FAIRMormon

This article is a draft. FAIRwiki editors are currently editing it. We welcome your suggestions on improving the content.

Criticism

Critics claim that Joseph Smith derived the idea of "three degrees of glory" in the afterlife from Emanuel Swedenborg's book, Heaven and its Wonders and Hell From Things Heard and Seen (1758).^[1]

Some believe that Joseph Smith borrowed the concept of three degrees of glory from Swedish philosopher and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg (1688–1772). This portrait shows him at age 75. Original from en.wikipedia.org.

Source(s) of the criticism

• "Recovery from Mormonism" website
• Wikipedia article "Degrees of Glory"

Response

 ^{[needs work]}

Not original to Swedenbrog

It is important to realize that Swedenborg was hardly the first theologian or thinker to suggest that heavenly rewards were not all identical, but graduated into degrees of glory.

The discussion and debate about the fate of the righteous in heaven goes back to the earliest Christian centuries.

Non-LDS scholar Emma Disley indicates that the primary sources for the idea of different degrees of glory are Matt. 5:; John 14:2 ("in my Father's house are many mansions"); Matt 5; John 14.2 (‘many mansions’); 1Corinithians 15:41 (stars differ in glory from one another); Matt. 20:1-4 (parable of the Vineyard).

Thus, the "raw material" for such ideas is Biblical, and noted long before Joseph or Swedenborg. Joseph received the vision of the three degrees of glory on 16 February 1832. Joseph had been involved in his translation/revision of the Bible, and indicates that this effort was what led to the reflections which preceeded the vision. Joseph indicated that the vision came after reading John 5:29: "And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation."^[2]

 ^{[needs work]}

Conclusion

 ^{[needs work]}

Endnotes

1. [back]  The Latin title of the original was De Caelo et Ejus Mirabilibus et de inferno, ex Auditis et Visis. An on-line version is available as translated by J.C. Ager, off-site
2. [back]  See D&C 76; see also Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 1:245–252. GospeLink

Further reading

FAIR wiki articles

Joseph Smith other visionary issues wiki articles

• Joseph Smith's early conception of God
• Moroni as an angel of Satan
• Did Nephi or Moroni appear in 1823?
• Personages who appeared to Joseph Smith
• Swedenborg and three degrees of glory

FAIR web site

External links

• Craig Miller, Did Emanuel Swedenborg Influence LDS Doctrine?, Sunstone Symposium August 7-10, 2002

Printed material