The Arcana Cœlestia, quae in Scriptura Sacra seu Verbo Domini sunt, detecta, usually abbreviated as Arcana Cœlestia (Heavenly Mysteries or Secrets of Heaven) or Arcana Cælestia[1] is an 8-volume theological work published by Emanuel Swedenborg in the 1750s.[2][3]
Arcana Cœlestia, first edition (1749), title page
Overview[edit]
Swedenborg was born in Sweden in 1688. His father was a Christian pastor in the Lutheran Church. The first part of his life was devoted to studying sciences, especially metallurgy. In 1740 he published Oeconomia Regni Animalis (Dynamics of the Soul's Domain), where he looked at connections between the spiritual and physical worlds. In 1744 he underwent a spiritual awakening and started to record his experiences and visions. Arcana Cœlestia was his first theological publication. It was published in London, partly to avoid Swedish anti-heresy laws.[4]
The Flying Machine, sketched in his notebook from 1714. The operator would sit in the middle and paddle himself through the air.[23] p. 32, or on the video clip at 5:48 on its timeline.[24]