Contemporary pastoral care appears to both ignore queer theological advancements and to have lost its heritage in Luther`s pastoral care theology.This study aims to investigate which aspects of Lutheran theology can be denoted queer, and thereby of particular relevance for pastoral care undertaken by the Church of Sweden in today's rainbow-aware context. Thus, the study intends to contribute to deepening understanding of contemporary contextual pastoral care, by bringing together two theoretical areas, Lutheran theology and Queer theology, to inform and develop new approaches to pastoral care needs and interventions. A literature review provides the basis for theory-driven analysis that is qualitatively inductive.The main finding of this study identifies the social dimension of both approaches as being vital for contemporary pastoral care. Luther`s social theology for example emphases the social vulnerability of human beings and their experiences of oppressive social systems. This emphasis is also a driving force in Queer theology. Both perspectives also challenge us not only to actively counter experienced social inequality but also to undertake the care of those in need. The work reported in this thesis demonstrates the potential of such an approach for bringing forth certain aspects of Lutheran theology as queer, not only in a broader sense, but in particular for the development of theological and pastoral care encounters for a new era and a new societal situation involving individuals in existential crises. This study thus provides a foundation for a pastoral care that is queer-informed and importantly, thoroughly Luther.

In Natal and Zululand Swedish missions had precedence through the Church of Sweden Mission from 1876 on, the Swedish Holiness Mission from 1889 on, and the Scandinavian Independent Baptist Union from 1892 on. Between 1876 and 1902, thirty-six women were active in these South African missions. The history of all these women are explored on an individual basis in this, for the most part, empirical study. The primary goal of this dissertation is to find out who these women missionaries were, what they worked at, what positions they held toward the colonial/political situation in which they worked, and what positions they held in their respective missions. What meaning the women’s mission work had for the Zulu community in general, and for Zulu women in particular are dealt with, though the source material on it is limited. Nevertheless, through the source material from the Swedish female missionaries, Zulu women are given attention. The theoretical starting points come, above all, from historical research on women and gender and from historical mission research about missions as a part of the colonial period. Both married and unmarried women are defined as missionaries since both groups worked for the missions. In the Swedish Holiness Mission and in the Scandinavian Independent Baptist Union the first missionaries in Natal and Zululand were women. The Church of Sweden Mission was a Lutheran mission were women mostly worked in mission schools, homes for children and in a mission hospital. Women were subordinated in relationship to male missionaries. In the Swedish Holiness Mission and in the Scandinavian Independent Baptist Union women had more equal positions in their work. In these missions women could be responsible for mission stations, work as evangelists and preach the Gospel. The picture of the work of female missionaries has also been complicated and modified.

In May 1856 the EFS (the Swedish Evangelical Mission Society), influenced by the new evangelism-movement, was established as an “internal mission” within the Church of Sweden. During the same period the “new evangelism” revival movement established regional organizations in order to coordinate the movement in different parts of the country. These regional organizations consisted of the movement’s local mission societies in a province or part of a province of Sweden. This study will focus on democracy and theological identity in the EFS through an analysis of how the regional organizations acted, what role they played, how the EFS was influenced by them and how the EFS decided to establish its own regional organization. One result of the earlier tensions between the regional mission organizations and the EFS was the establishment of the independent organizations Mission Covenant Church of Sweden (Svenska Missionsförbundet) (1878-) and Mission Society of Bible faithful Friends (Missionssällskapet Bibeltrogna Vänner) (1911-). This investigation looks into 17 of 36 regional mission organizations that existed. The time frame of the investigation is from the establishment of the EFS in 1856 to the establishment of the regional structure of the EFS in 1922. The EFS changed over time. The change of society and wishes from the movement’s local mission societies and regional mission organizations were agents in this transformation. An important result of this research is that this transformation of the EFS proceeded at a slow pace and with the preservation of the EFS’s theological identity.

By conducting a case study of two diaconal institutions, Samariterhemmet in Uppsala/Sweden and the Evangelisches Diakoniewerk Schwäbisch Hall e.V. in Germany, the thesis compares the roles of church diaconal work within the Swedish and the German welfare system. These two systems are characterised by the different roles given to independent welfare organisations. The overarching research question is if and in which way the two diaconal institutions are effected by current changes within the field of welfare and how these changes challenge them to redefine their roles. The material analysed contains written documents, interviews with selected representatives and the results of participant observation in both institutions. As changes in the roles of independent welfare organisations were expected the results are unexpected. The two diaconal institutions show considerable persistence. Neither the orientation of their fields of work nor their own definitions of their roles within the welfare system have changed during the 1990s. In addition, the study reveals that both institutions regard themselves as a critical voice within the welfare system although their welfare engagement differs considerably. The German institution is a huge welfare provider while the Swedish institution conducts targeted initiatives. The analysis of four decisions within hospital work reveals that security of planning and freedom of action motivate the institutions to undertake responsibility for social services. The study points especially to the fields of education and research helping the institutions to maintain and to develop the diaconal profile. Altogether the results underline the need for more research on the meso-level of the third sector. This would contribute to a more nuanced discussion on the future role of independent welfare organisations within the Swedish and the German welfare system.

<p>Detta arbete, inom ämnet Kristendomens historia, presenterar en svenskkyrklig orden, ”Franciskus Tredje Orden inom Svenska kyrkan” (F.T.O.), som tillhör den ”Tredje Orden” (TSSF) inom ”The Society of Saint Francis” (SSF), en ordensgemenskap inom den Anglikanska kyrkan, Church of England. Orden är öppen för kvinnor och män, vigda (biskopar, präster och diakoner) och lekfolk som lever vanliga liv i familj och samhälle, med en vilja att leva sina liv utifrån en tydlig inspiration av den helige Franciskus och hans liv.</p><p>Syftet med arbetet är att undersöka och redogöra för de primärkällor som finns från tiden av F.T.O.: s grundande för att svara på frågan om huruvida Ordens uppkomst var förenlig eller ej med den Svenska kyrkan, dess tro, lära och bekännelse.</p><p>Undersökningen inleds med en deskriptiv del gällande bakgrunden till frågeställningen där jag redogör något för reformationen och vad detta medförde för Svenska kyrkan gällande klosterliv. Sedan följer en redogörelse och en hermeneutiskt och dogmatisk analys av de, för tiden av Ordens grundande, aktuella källorna.</p><p>En sammanfattning av resultatet som framkommit är det att grundandet av F.T.O. i början av 1970-talet var förenligt med den Svenska kyrkan. Vi kan se i källorna att Ordens syfte och annat typiskt för Orden, korresponderar väl med vad som uttrycks gällande tro, lära och bekännelse i Kyrkolagen 1686 och de, förutom Bibeln, samlade bekännelseskrifterna för den Svenska kyrkan. Genom detta arbete konstaterar vi att ett ordensliv likt F.T.O. kan tillämpas inom ett evangeliskt-lutherskt kyrkosamfund och att det på intet sätt är synonymt med den gärningsfromhet inom klosterväsendet som reformatorerna så tydligt vände sig mot under medeltiden.</p> / <p>This study, in the subject the history of Christianity, present an order in the Church of Sweden, “Saint Francis Third Order within the Church of Sweden” (F.T.O.), which is a part of the “Third Order” (TSSF) within “The Society of Saint Francis” (SSF), a community within the Anglican Church, Church of England. The order is open for women and men, ordained (bishops, priests and deacons) and lay people who live ordinary lives in family and society, with a desire to live their lives inspired by Saint Francis and his life.</p><p>My purpose with this study is to examine and describe the prime sources from the time of the foundation of the F.T.O. to answer the question about whether the foundation of the Order was compatible or not with the Church of Sweden, their faith, doctrine and confession.</p><p>The examination starts with a descriptive part about the background to the study problem where I give some facts about the reformation and what that brings for the Church of Sweden in relation to monastery life. Then comes a description and a hermeneutics and a dogmatic analysis of the, for the time of the foundation of the Order, current sources.</p><p>A summery of the upcoming results of this study is that at the foundation of F.T.O. in 1970ths was compatible with the Church of Sweden. In the sources we can see that the Orders purpose and other typical for the Order corresponds well with what they say about faith, doctrine and confession in the church law from 1686 and the, except the holy Bible, confession scripts for the Church of Sweden. Through this work we establish the fact that an order life like that we see in F.T.O. could practices in an evangelical-Lutheran church and it is not in any way synonymic with that phenomena called “action piety” within the monastery life that the men’s of the reformation so clearly said no to under the middle age.</p>

<p>Marriage is an institution found in every society, culture or religion in the world. The Catholic Church has maintained most of her seven Sacraments including that of marriage. The Church of Sweden, an established Evangelical Lutheran faith, born out of the 16^th century Reformation has two Sacraments excluding marriage. This field study was carried out in Gävle, Sweden in spring 2009. A comparative study of marriage in the Catholic Church and the Church of Sweden and the reason each church alludes to based on scripture and tradition was to help me, an African Catholic, understand differences between the respective churches and also understand why the Church of Sweden accepts same sex marriages. This was my motivation for writing this paper. I hope this paper will serve as a study guide to new people who come to Sweden from other cultures to enable them understand why the “Modus Operandi” regarding church marriage in Sweden is different from the church marriage in their native countries.</p>

The aim of the thesis is to investigate theological understandings in conjunction with the baptism of children and to develop such of these understandings as can be seen to be “trovärdiga” (credible or trustworthy) in the contemporary context of Church of Sweden. The theoretical point of departure is taken in a hermeneutical theological method of correlation between interpretation of “Situation” and interpretation of “Tradition”. A trustworthy theology emerges in a critical and/or constructive encounter between the interpretation of Tradition and the interpretation of Situation. Such an encounter can be established within an area of problematics. Three problem areas are identified that are present in the Swedish context of baptizing children in Church of Sweden. A) The first problem area concerns the theological interpretation of the relationship between those baptized and those not in a pluralistic society. B) Theological interpretation of “destruction” and what the theological tradition names original sin. How can a trustworthy baptismal theology be developed that takes suffering, oppression, the ecological crisis, seriously in the present situation and at the same time handle or solve the problems related to the theological tradition of original sin? C) How can a trustworthy baptismal theology solve or handle the problems related to a dichotomous construct of the relationship between God and the world? Four types of material are analyzed: sociological and statistical material, ecumenical theological resources for interpreting baptism, two different orders of baptism at use in Church of Sweden and baptismal liturgies celebrated according to these orders of baptism, and primarily Oriental Orthodox traditions of the Baptism of Jesus. Several understandings are developed and among them three over-arching concepts found fruitful for solving or handling the problems concerned: the baptismal tradition connected to the Baptism of Jesus interpreted in the light of A Trinitarian Theology of Creation that understands baptism as an expression of The Mystery of Creation, The Sacrament of Creation . / Kolla att datum 16 oktober blev rätt!Kolla att de tre kursiveringarna på sista avsnittet i abstarct inte flyter samman till en enda (jfr pdf).Gordon Lathrop är professor emeritus från Lutheran Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, och Yale Divinity SchoolKirsten Busch Nielsen är professor i systematisk teologi vid Köpenhamns universitet (opponenten)

In January, 1951, the Lutheran Church of China denounced all relations with the American, German and Scandinavian missions, which for more than half a century had worked in the country. As one of the first, this church made a clear and corporate stand in favour of the New Democracy and the Three-Self Movement, while most of the missions made their political choice, retreated with the Nationalists and finally went to Taiwan. This book presents the Lutheran missions from optimistic new orientations in 1944 to the evacuation and the break down of the cooperation with the Chinese church seven years later. This short .period was dramatic and of great importance for the whole missionary movement, and the study may lead to renewed self-criticism and to a necessary re-evaluation of the Chinese Revolution - one of the most significant events in World History.

Marriage is an institution found in every society, culture or religion in the world. The Catholic Church has maintained most of her seven Sacraments including that of marriage. The Church of Sweden, an established Evangelical Lutheran faith, born out of the 16th century Reformation has two Sacraments excluding marriage. This field study was carried out in Gävle, Sweden in spring 2009. A comparative study of marriage in the Catholic Church and the Church of Sweden and the reason each church alludes to based on scripture and tradition was to help me, an African Catholic, understand differences between the respective churches and also understand why the Church of Sweden accepts same sex marriages. This was my motivation for writing this paper. I hope this paper will serve as a study guide to new people who come to Sweden from other cultures to enable them understand why the “Modus Operandi” regarding church marriage in Sweden is different from the church marriage in their native countries.

This dissertation is an ecclesiological study, conducted in the form of a case study that examines worship praxis in six parishes in the diocese of Luleå between 1990 and 2009. The specific research problem of the dissertation is whether the organizational changes that took place in connection with the relational change between Church and State in 2000 are reflected in local worship and in church service related decisions in diocese and parishes, and how the concrete relationship between worship praxis and regulations is manifested. The research problem also includes what ecclesiological impact the organizational changes may have had in the studied parishes and what the empirical results can reveal about the ecclesiality of the Church. The dissertation addresses four research questions. In response to the first question: “Are the organizational changes of 2000 reflected in local worship and in worship related decisions in dioceses and parishes and, if so, in what way?” it is noted that organizational change is reflected indirectly in expressions of growing autonomization. In response to the second question "What is the relationship between worship praxis and regulations in the Church ordinance and The Swedish Church manual 1986?” there is a tangible difference between worship praxis and regulations throughout the studied period, i.e. even before the relational change, although the difference over time has increased. Regarding the third question "What impact could the organizational change, associated with the relational change between the Church of Sweden and the State, have had on the ecclesiologies in the worship praxis which the studied parishes represent and hold?” I have not found that the new order has affected, in any direct way, the parishes’ implicit ecclesiologies during the time span covered by the study. Rather, it seems that the Church ordinance that was established at the time of the relational change has reinforced an already existing implicit ecclesiology where the parishes are considered to be autonomous. The fourth question "How can the empirical result be interpreted theologically with regard to its implicit ecclesiology, and what does that say about the ecclesiality of the Church of Sweden?” The theological interpretation of autonomization indicates an overall "immanent ecclesiology", which can be visualized in current praxis in the diocese of Luleå. The ambition that the Church of Sweden despite organizational change in the year 2000 would be the same also indicates a similar implicit ecclesiology. This is because the Church was not thought to change its identity despite being subjected to a revision in form. The study shows that the arsenal of theories and the methodical approach have implications for how much can be clarified and that different ways of studying the Church should be combined. The present study is an example of this by the study's abductive approach and exploratory character, which have allowed both interaction between praxis-related empiricism and theory and interaction between descriptive analysis and hermeneutic interpretation. The study also shows that “ordo-related theories” may be applicable to the study of the Church as an organizational structure.