A Vision of the Last Judgment

William Blake's essay, "A Vision of the Last Judgment," expresses his unique spiritual perspective. Blake asserted that he did not perceive the external world as others did. Instead of seeing a simple disk of fire, he envisioned a multitude of heavenly beings. He believed that visions were a natural human faculty, lost through lack of cultivation, and that he was guided by celestial messengers.1

Blake's religious views were unconventional. He criticized the creator of this world, whom he identified as Urizen, and viewed Satan as the "God of This World." While he found spiritual truth in the Bible, he interpreted it in a non-traditional sense. He was influenced by Emanuel Swedenborg but ultimately found the New Church to be as flawed as the Church of England. Blake believed true worship was a private communion with the spirit, not institutionalized religion.2