"I appreciate your events so much–they are thoughtful, sane, and restore the soul!"
Victoria, Chicago, IL 
If we despise our neighbors or regard people as our enemies for merely disagreeing with us or not showing us reverence or respect, our life is a life of self-love. 

If for similar slights we hate our neighbors and persecute them, then we are even more deeply entrenched in self-love. 

And if we burn with vengeance against them and crave their destruction, our self-love is stronger still; people with this attitude eventually love being cruel.

–Emanuel Swedenborg, "New Jerusalem" section 68. 
"Thanks for the welcoming format of the Common Ground lectures at the Swedenborg Library...warm & relaxing." 
Bill, Wilmette, IL
Above, the Lincoln Park Chicago monument to Swedenborg, whose vision of the new Jerusalem (Revelation, chapter 21 in the Bible) inspired city planner Daniel Burnham. Swedenborg looks benevolently toward the city, holding a copy of "Secrets of Heaven" to his heart. 


The Library is typically open for visits on Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1–5 PM Central Time, and by appointment. 

Our upcoming free Zoom programs are listed below.
Welcome to the Swedenborg Library in Chicago
Above: Lecturer Jerry Leitner addresses a group during a Swedenborg Library program. 

Here you'll find information on upcoming events and programs on a wide range of topics, from spiritual practices, the world's religions, spirituality in America among others. 

Our circulating book collection offers a range of contemporary books on spiritual topics, as well as the work of the 18C Swedish scientist and theologian Emanuel Swedenborg. 

One of the insights that Swedenborg had about the heavenly realm was that people who lived the good of their religion of all religions were found there. The Swedenborg Library embraces that idea, and is an ecumenical center. People of all faiths, and those who aren't sure what they believe are welcomed here. 

The Swedenborg Library has public hours on Wednesday and Friday afternoons, from 1–5 PM Central Time, and by appointment.
For more 2025 upcoming programs, click on the "Coming Programs & Events" button at left, and view the brochure PDF.
Zoom: Thursdays, November 6, 13 / 6–7:30 PM Central
The Radical Reformation: Schwenckfeld & the Roots of Piety
A Four-Part Series with Dr. Drake Williams
As part of our commitment to contextualizing Swedenborg in historical movements and events, we have invited Professor Drake Williams to do a four-week deep

dive into the works of one of the Radical Reformation’s most important thinkers, Caspar Schwenckfeld von Ossig (1489-1561). Schwenckfeld’s understanding of the scriptures and the sacraments paved the way for symbolic and spiritualist interpretations of the Christian message, like Swedenborg’s, and it is important to understanding the currents that made such interpretation possible.


To view the video of Part 1 on Youtube, click here: Part 1 of The Radical Reformation


To view the video of Part 2 on Youtube, click here: Part 2 Radical Reformation: The Eucharist video


Zoom Room id for Part 3, Thursday, November 6, at 6 PM central standard time: Zoom Room: 558 403 3057
Password: Swedenborg



Drake Williams serves as Minister of Theology and Mission at Central Schwenkfelder Church, the

church where he grew up. He also serves as Guest Associate Professor of New Testament at ETF-Leuven in Belgium. 

   He is the editor of “Caspar Schwenckfeld: Eight Writings on Christian Beliefs” (Pandora, 2006) and author of “Imitate Me as I Imitate Christ: Applying a Collective Memory of Jesus to  the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 4:16 and 11:1” (Brill, 2025). He also is the organizer of the translation committee for the catechism of the first Schwenkfelder minister in America, George Weiss. Drake has a Ph.D. in New Testament from the University of Aberdeen (Scotland). He is married to Andrea, and they have three children.
If you missed part 2 of "Swedenborg's Paul" with Dell Rose, it is now available on Youtube. 
Click the link below to view the video recording of the Zoom program on our Youtube channel. The entire series of presentations is now available. 
To view the program, "Swedenborg's Inward Turn" with Rev. Robert McCluskey, use the link to Youtube below. 
To view the video, click the link below, or copy the URL address below and paste into your browser window:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbWqnT4rjRs&t=803s



SAVE THE DATE: Robert will lead a Zoom program on Advent in the Swedenborgian Perspective on Thursday, December 18, 2025 at 6 PM Central Standard Time. 
Scholar Dell Rose joins the Swedenborg Library
Dell J. Rose develops and hosts programs for the Swedenborg Library in Chicago. Dell holds the position of Swedenborg Doctoral Fellow with the Swedenborg Society in the United Kingdom, and he is a doctoral candidate at the Centre for the History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents at the Universities van Amsterdam. His research focuses on the intersection of Western esotericism and political reform, particularly with Swedenborgianism in 19th century Britain. 

To read Dell's latest article, click on the "Readings" navigational tab at left, and you will find his article "The House of David" at the top of the PDFs there, or click here: Readings. 
To join online discussions of others who are reading Swedenborg's work, or to view video presentations, visit one of the sites below:

The Swedenborg Community online: Click Here.

Off The Left Eye videos (organized by topic area:) Click Here.
For blog discussions of Swedenborgian and contemporary topics, or to download books: 

See Events & Programs for information on our upcoming programs. We look forward to seeing you then. Use the Contact Us form for information on our collection.
  
If you will be in downtown Chicago and would like to visit the Swedenborg Library, we are open Wednesday and Friday afternoons from 1:00-5:00 pm, and by appointment. Click on the Calendar link in the top left column for our hours and schedule. 

For more info on upcoming programs, click on the "upcoming events" bar in the left-hand column.

  

PAST SPEAKERS AT THE SWEDENBORG LIBRARY INCLUDE: 
Dr. Kagan Arik, Julia Bachrach, Marc Ian Barasch, Denise Breton, Herbert Bronstein, Sophy Burnham, Kanjin Cederman Shonin, Rabbi Menachem Cohen, Phil Cousineau, Matthew Fox,Rev. Dr. George Dole, Rev. Kuni Fumioka, Barbara Geiger, Mercy Gilpatric, Jack Gilroy, Terry Gunnell, John Haller Jr., Fatima Imam, Kenneth James, Sunny Dawn Johnston, Jim Kenney, Christopher Largent, Stephen & Robin Larsen, Erik Larson, Rev. Dr. James Lawrence, Jerrol Leitner, Dr. Wayne Martindale, Rev. Robert McCluskey, Rabbi Dr. Jay Michaelson, Ron Miller, Dr. Raymond Moody, John Moulder, Dr. Bjarke Nielsen, Sarah Odishoo, Dr. Vadim Putzu, Paul Quinn, Rev. Dr. Jonathan Rose, Ahmad Sadri, Kristen Schaffer, Ann McNamara Smith, Richard Smoley, John Stolfo,Edward Sylvia, Brother Wayne Teasdale, Dr. Alfred Thomas, Pauline Viviano, Rev. Wilma Wake, John Wasik...