The Heavenly Doctrine, one of Emanuel Swedenborg's lesser known works, presents a startling claim, that the Last Judgment had begun in the previous year (1757) and was completed by the end of that year and that he had witnessed it.

According to the Last Judgment took place, not in the physical world, but in the World of Spirits, which is located halfway between heaven and hell, and which everyone passes through on their way to heaven or hell.

The Judgment had taken place because the Christian church had lost its charity and faith, resulting in a loss of spiritual free will that threatened the equilibrium between heaven and hell in everyone’s life.

The Heavenly Doctrine also teaches that the Last Judgement was followed by the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, which occurred, not by Christ in person, but by a revelation from Him through the inner, spiritual sense of the Word through Swedenborg.