238. What’s Your Spiritual Story: Ray Silverman on Swedenborg, Modern Revelation, and Eternal Love

238. What’s Your Spiritual Story: Ray Silverman on Swedenborg, Modern Revelation, and Eternal Love

Author: Jerry L. Martin July 3, 2025 Duration: 40:00

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In this episode of God: An Autobiography, The Podcast, Dr. Jerry L. Martin talks with Dr. Ray Silverman, a Swedenborgian minister who grew up in a passionately atheist home but always felt a hidden connection to God.

From secretly praying under the covers as a child to later discovering Emanuel Swedenborg’s writings on eternal marriage and universal salvation, Ray shares how his journey led him beyond traditional religion into a deeply personal spiritual life.

Together, Jerry and Ray explore what it means to be spiritual but not religious, how modern revelation continues today, and why spiritual transformation often begins with questioning inherited beliefs. Ray recounts the pain of being disowned by his father when he became a minister, and the joy of finding a faith that embraces love as eternal.

They discuss how Swedenborg’s teachings align with insights in God: An Autobiography, affirming that God speaks to each person in a way they can understand. 

Dr. Silverman, author of Rise Above It: Spiritual Development for College Students, also shares how he applies the Ten Commandments in modern life without dogma, helps others overcome “idols” like procrastination, and guides people to attune to divine purpose through everyday moments.

Whether you’re curious about Swedenborgian theology, interested in modern revelation, or seeking your own spiritual story, this episode offers profound reflections on faith, love, and the ongoing presence of God.

Other Series:

The podcast began with the Dramatic Adaptation of the book and now has several series:

The Life Wisdom Project – Spiritual insights on living a wiser, more meaningful life.

From God to Jerry to You – Divine messages and breakthroughs for seekers.

Two Philosophers Wrestle With God – A dialogue on God, truth, and reason.

Jerry & Abigail: An Intimate Dialogue – Love, faith, and divine presence in partnership.

What’s Your Spiritual Story – Real stories of people changed by encounters with God.

What’s On Our Mind – Reflections from Jerry and Scott on recent episodes.

What’s On Your Mind – Listener questions, divine answers, and open dialogue. 

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Imagine a philosopher, a dedicated scholar who spent his life in the realm of ideas without a trace of faith, suddenly finding himself in a dialogue he never sought. GOD: An Autobiography, As Told to a Philosopher-The Podcast is the unfolding account of Dr. Jerry L. Martin, a lifelong agnostic and former head of the National Endowment for the Humanities, who one day offered a prayer and received a clear, verbal response. This isn't a theoretical exercise or a sermon; it's a personal chronicle of what happened next, as a trained thinker with deep skepticism began asking the big questions about existence, purpose, and human nature, and recorded the answers he received. Each episode moves this extraordinary narrative forward, blending the disciplines of philosophy, spirituality, and raw personal experience. You'll hear Dr. Martin's thoughtful reflections on these conversations, which span topics from the nature of the divine to the practical challenges of living an ethical life, all grounded in his academic background. This podcast invites you into a story that challenges preconceptions, not to persuade but to present a profound and documented experience. It's for anyone curious about the intersection of intellect and the ineffable, where a philosopher's quest for truth took an utterly unexpected turn. The journey detailed here resonates across categories of religion, culture, and society, offering a unique perspective that is both deeply human and mysteriously transcendent.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 278

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