Historical Theology

London experienced an eclectic mix of esoteric groups of spiritually minded seekers after privileged and secret knowledge around from 1740. One common theme uniting them was an interest in the various forms of the Kabbalah. As the previous chapter demonstrated, this was centred around Rabbi Falk (1708-1782), also known as the Baal Shem of London, which means 'a Master of Kabbalah', and he was also active in various forms of freemasonry. Falk added another complication because he was a Sabbatarian, which continued to promote a messianic hope, as well as presenting a serious challenge of antinomianism among the followers. Falk and Swedenborg were each attempting to establish a form of Kehillah,; essentially an attempt to merge Judaism and Christianity. This chapter will consider some elements of Christian syncretism in London. Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772), originally a Lutheran Protestant, had moved away from traditional Christianity when he began to add to his 'new theology' personal experiences of the occult, angels and dreams. The Moravians, now established in London since 1736, were firmly rooted in the German evangelical and Pietist tradition, and they began to move into more syncretistic practices there, as well as in London. Count Zinzendorf and the London Moravians, though normally regarded as a traditional Protestant group, began to follow some of the aberrant teachings promoted by the Count. This resulted in a clear example of syncretising with extreme forms of mysticism, which subsequently led to antinomian behaviour, which nearly destroyed the movement itself. Later on, the unusual character William Blake, the poet and dreamer, was also connected with this eclectic mix because his family was associated with these London Moravians. Many of these heterodox groups were still influenced by Neo-Platonism, as well as the Gnostic beliefs of the first century CE. These residual teachings that were still popular in both Jewish and Christian circles. Another conflicted person was Lord George Gordon, of the Gordon Riots 'fame', who converted to Judaism later in his life, regarding himself as a messianic figure. He also took an active part in this movement at the end of our period. This messianic emphasis was demonstrated again later on by Richard Brothers (1757-1824). Spiritual Confusion in London Why did London attract such an unusual group of esoteric seekers? This group in London evolved into a strange mixture of Jews, Christians, and freemasons, who operated within these unusual and informal, interactive networks. Amongst all the groups and individuals, there does not appear to be a formal association, however, there is clear evidence of a substantial overlap. In England, it was the time of widespread religious confusion within the Anglican church, and some elements within Dissent began to become unorthodox, tending towards

's (1688-1772) early education in Sweden was significant because it included Hebrew, Judaism and the Kabbalah. This important element of his intellectual and spiritual formation has been substantially ignored to date, but it certainly contributed to his later ability to translate the Bible from Hebrew. Between 1703-09, he lived with Erik Benzelius the Younger (1675-1743), his brother-in-law, the librarian and a teacher at Uppsala University. Following this period Swedenborg embarked on the traditional 'European Grand Tour', arriving in London in 1710, where he remained for over two years before travelling to Holland, France and Germany. The intention of this paper is to provide an historical perspective and to examine the network of those who influenced Swedenborg with his Hebrew studies, the Kabbalah, Jewish mysticism, as well as the impact of his father's Pietism, highlighting this group's positive respect for Jewish people. Various concepts will be examined and briefly mentioned as an introduction; hopefully this will encourage the reader to study in greater depth those people and topics of interest mentioned. The article will consider the early influences of his father, Jesper Swedberg (1653-1735), Erik Benzelius and Johan Kemper (1670-1716), a converted Jew and his Hebrew teacher.

Book in progress: Jews and Christians in London between 1740 and 1790. The Challenge of Religious Syncretism from the Moravians, Rabbi Falk, Swedenborg and William Blake.
Ch. 4. The Moravians in London. 'Kehillah' - Merging Judaism and Christianity. Sabbatianism and Frankism.