This case study examines how a group of upper secondary school students in a multiethnical suburb of Stockholm reason about the theory of evolution. The theoretical background of the thesis is postcolonial and the questions raised were how spread the creationist thoughts are in the group; in what way the backgrounds of the students are relevant to their thoughts; how the students construct the notion of the theory of evolution; how they position themselves and others in relation to the discourse of the theory of evolution; if there are any differences between students at the collage program of natural science and the collage program of social science, and in that case, what differences; and who or what inspires the young in their thoughts about the theory of evolution. To answer these questions both a survey poll and interviews were used. The result of the case study showed that a majority of the students at the investigated school has creationist ideas and that the students profiled on social science have creationist ideas in a wider extent. Another result is that the religious background seems to be relevant to develop creationist thoughts, while the variables gender, home district and educational level did not differ the creationist group from the whole group. The students accept some parts of the theory of evolution, for example the development of spices and their adaptation to the environment, but they position themselves mainly outside the discourse of the theory of evolution. The students say that there is no contradiction between religion and science but their talk reveal a discourse where the two stand as opponents. They see themselves as inferior to their teachers, scientists and atheists in general. The study shows that the interviewed were not able to tell were they got inspired to their thoughts. In short, the students starting-point is above all their religious identity and their reasoning about the evolution emanate from it.

ABSTRACT   I denna studie undersöks hur vårdpersonal inom äldreomsorgen ser på och förhåller sig till döden, och om det kan kopplas till uppfattningar om religion. Vidare studeras om det finns några föreställningar kring tiden efter döden, inom denna yrkesdomän, samt om det förekommer några särskilda rutiner och ritualer kring döden på informanternas arbetsplatser. Underlaget för undersökningen är fyra kvalitativa intervjuer, utförda på vårdpersonal, vilka arbetar inom äldreomsorgen i Halmstad kommun. Resultatet bearbetas mot bakgrund av Ariès teori om människans förhållningssätt till döden, Max Webers och Bryan Wilsons sekulariseringsteorier samt mot bakgrund av Bells ritualteori. Resultatet visar att det inom äldreomsorgen finns en dubbel hållning till död och religion. Informanternas syn på döden kan ses stå i förbindelse med deras relation till religion.  Det förekommer även en rad särskilda rutiner och ritualer i anslutning till ett dödsfall, på de arbetsplatser som inkluderas i studien. Det görs dock ingen åtskillnad, av vårdpersonalen, mellan rutinhandlingar och ritualhandlingar.

Under 1500 och 1600-talen upplevde det nuvarande Peru en period av förändringar i alla avseenden, inte minst i religiösa. Inkariket som var en teokratisk stat, blev erövrat av spanjorerna som hade kommit till den nya världen med en ”ny” tro, katolicismen. En tro som påtvingades urinvånarna utan minsta hänsyn till deras religioner som betraktades som avgudadyrkan. Genom min studie där jag gjort en analytisk tolkning av indianernas historia, deras religiösa liv och dess utveckling, har jag kommit fram att spanjorernas olika metoder mot avgudadyrkan, gav upphov till en ny religion. En quechua katolicism som kom ur och anpassades till den indianska verkligheten. En religion som var ett resultat av en sammansmältande process där element av såväl katolicismen som indianska religioner förenades, omtolkades och anpassades till den indianska världen.

<p>Under 1500 och 1600-talen upplevde det nuvarande Peru en period av förändringar i alla avseenden, inte minst i religiösa. Inkariket som var en teokratisk stat, blev erövrat av spanjorerna som hade kommit till den nya världen med en ”ny” tro, katolicismen. En tro som påtvingades urinvånarna utan minsta hänsyn till deras religioner som betraktades som avgudadyrkan.</p><p>Genom min studie där jag gjort en analytisk tolkning av indianernas historia, deras religiösa liv och dess utveckling, har jag kommit fram att spanjorernas olika metoder mot avgudadyrkan, gav upphov till en ny religion. En quechua katolicism som kom ur och anpassades till den indianska verkligheten. En religion som var ett resultat av en sammansmältande process där element av såväl katolicismen som indianska religioner förenades, omtolkades och anpassades till den indianska världen.</p>

<p>År 1054 skedde en splittring mellan kristendomens två största inriktningar, den ortodoxa och den katolska kyrkan. Detta skedde efter århundraden av oenigheter, missförstånd, maktkamper med mera. Förutom maktkamperna berör konflikterna Kristi natur och Filioque tillägget. Uppsatsen berör även relationerna mellan den ortodoxa och den katolska kyrkan efter splittringen. Undersökningen visar att det finns skillnader i hur olika författare återger de historiska händelserna. Detta förstärker bilden av två kyrkor som inte är eniga om vems fel splittringen var och vilka händelser som var mest avgörande.</p>

<p>Uppsatsen är en studie av religionsundervisningens förändring från 1955 fram till 1994. Med en diskursteoretisk ansats analyseras fem styrdokument och ett antal artiklar från denna tidsperiod. Artiklarna är hämtade från Lärarnas tidning och dess företrädare. Syftet är att tydliggöra objektivitetsbegreppets roll i förändringen och kampen om innebörden i en objektiv religionsundervisning. Analysen visar på tre positioner i debatten och en viss konflikt mellan två av dessa. Den visar också på stora förändringar i styrdokumenten. Objektivitetsbegreppets roll är centralt för hela studien och ett av resultaten visar att detta begrepp har ersatts av begreppen saklighet och allsidighet. Detta utbyte av begrepp påbörjades i och med Lgr 80. En slutsats av arbetet är att religionsundervisningen i den obligatoriska svenska skolan har gått från en tydlig kristendomscentrering till en demokratisk orientering där många religioner och livsåskådningar ges utrymme.</p>

<p>The thesis, <i>The Return of Christian Gnosticism. An Investigation of the Theology of Ulf Ekman</i>, is divided into two main sections. In the first section I address the question of what can be seen as characteristic of modern Gnosticism. This section also performs a preparatory function for the second section which contains the primary focus of the thesis, namely an analysis of Ulf Ekman’s theology and an investigation as to whether this theology can be regarded as a modern expression of Gnostic ideas. The first section of the thesis thus creates a platform which is later used to provide answers for the questions found in the second section. In the final chapter of the thesis I shall also relate Ekman’s theology more generally to a neo-Gnostic intellectual climate.</p><p>In the second section of the thesis I investigate the extent to which Ekman’s theology, which is closely related to international, primarily American, religious movements, contains veins of Gnosticism. I discuss in the background of ideas behind the American religious movement’s theology. Kenyon is reckoned to be the American movement’s founder and he is considered Ekman’s most significant spiritual father. I also discuss briefly how Gnostic thinking has contributed in various ways to the ideas of romanticism. I return to this theme in the concluding chapter of the thesis where I reflect on Gnostic traditions and ideas, and their presence in our culture. Then I present Ekman’s main theological thoughts. The focal point of the thesis is to what extent Ulf Ekman’s theology can be viewed as an expression of Christian neo-Gnosticism. The comparison that I draw in this section between Ekman’s theology and modern Gnosticism is based on the “Gnostic grammar” formulated in the first section. This comparison lies on a structural level, that is to say I compare the extent to which the fundamental thought structures in Ekman’s theology agree with the term modern Gnosticism as used in this thesis. This analysis is conducted under headings such as view of humanity; faith; salvation and knowledge; the cosmos and the world; dualism. I then discuss the results of the analysis and pose the question as to whether Ekman’s theology can be seen as being a modern, Christian Gnostic theology. There then follows a reflection over Ekman’s Christian Gnostic grammar. In the concluding chapter, the return of Christian Gnosticism, I widen the perspective by relating Ekman’s thinking to other, more general, cultural examples of Gnosticism such as the film The Matrix and the philosophy of James Redfield. I also discuss the issue of whether Ulf Ekman’s theology can be viewed as an expression of secularisation, if by secularisation one means Christian convictions permeating culture to an ever decreasing extent. This chapter also makes even clearer the historical connections, and their importance for the understanding of Ekman’s theology.</p>

<p>Early art in Buddhist cultic sites was characterized by the absence of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. The Buddha was instead represented by different signs, like awheel, a tree, a seat and footprints. This study emphasizes the transformation this artunderwent from simple signs to carefully made aniconic compositions representing theBuddha in a narrative context.</p><p>Buddhist aniconic art has been explained by a prohibition against images of theBuddha or by a doctrine that made it inappropriate to depict the body of the Buddha.This study rejects such explanations. Likewise, the practice of different meditationalexercises cannot explain this transformation. Instead, it is important to understand thatearly art at Buddhist cultic sites consisted of simple signs belonging to a shared sacredIndian culture. This art reflected a notion of auspiciousness, fertility and abundance.The formation of Buddhist aniconic art was indicated by the connection of these auspi- cious signs with a narrative tradition about the life and teachings of the Buddha.</p><p>The study emphasizes the importance Sakyamuni Buddha played in the formation ofBuddhist art. The Buddha was interpreted as an expression of auspiciousness, but hewas also connected with a soteriological perspective. Attention is also focused on thefact that the development of Buddhist art and literature was a gradual and mutualprocess. Furthermore, Buddhist aniconic art presaged the making of anthropomorphicimages of the Buddha. It was not an innovation of motive for the Buddhists when theystarted to make anthropomorphic images of the Buddha. He was already there.</p>

<p>The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse the religious assimilation of the 17^th century Walloon minority in the mining district of Dannemora in the Swedish province of Uppland. After a general survey of religious conditions in the homeland of the Walloons and in Sweden, the Walloons' relation to the Church of Sweden is studied against the background of the more and more rigorous legislation. Their religious assimilation is analysed by investigating Calvinistic matters mentioned in the minutes and acts of the Cathedral chapter of Uppsala and marriages, baptisms and funerals recorded in the parish registers. Even if their religious assimilation was not total at the end of the 17^th century, most Walloons belonged to the Swedish Church.</p><p>Due to continued religious instruction, however, some of the 460 adults of the Walloons still adhered to Calvinism. Especially noted as Calvinists are the families Baudou and Dandenel.</p>

The thesis, The Return of Christian Gnosticism. An Investigation of the Theology of Ulf Ekman, is divided into two main sections. In the first section I address the question of what can be seen as characteristic of modern Gnosticism. This section also performs a preparatory function for the second section which contains the primary focus of the thesis, namely an analysis of Ulf Ekman’s theology and an investigation as to whether this theology can be regarded as a modern expression of Gnostic ideas. The first section of the thesis thus creates a platform which is later used to provide answers for the questions found in the second section. In the final chapter of the thesis I shall also relate Ekman’s theology more generally to a neo-Gnostic intellectual climate. In the second section of the thesis I investigate the extent to which Ekman’s theology, which is closely related to international, primarily American, religious movements, contains veins of Gnosticism. I discuss in the background of ideas behind the American religious movement’s theology. Kenyon is reckoned to be the American movement’s founder and he is considered Ekman’s most significant spiritual father. I also discuss briefly how Gnostic thinking has contributed in various ways to the ideas of romanticism. I return to this theme in the concluding chapter of the thesis where I reflect on Gnostic traditions and ideas, and their presence in our culture. Then I present Ekman’s main theological thoughts. The focal point of the thesis is to what extent Ulf Ekman’s theology can be viewed as an expression of Christian neo-Gnosticism. The comparison that I draw in this section between Ekman’s theology and modern Gnosticism is based on the “Gnostic grammar” formulated in the first section. This comparison lies on a structural level, that is to say I compare the extent to which the fundamental thought structures in Ekman’s theology agree with the term modern Gnosticism as used in this thesis. This analysis is conducted under headings such as view of humanity; faith; salvation and knowledge; the cosmos and the world; dualism. I then discuss the results of the analysis and pose the question as to whether Ekman’s theology can be seen as being a modern, Christian Gnostic theology. There then follows a reflection over Ekman’s Christian Gnostic grammar. In the concluding chapter, the return of Christian Gnosticism, I widen the perspective by relating Ekman’s thinking to other, more general, cultural examples of Gnosticism such as the film The Matrix and the philosophy of James Redfield. I also discuss the issue of whether Ulf Ekman’s theology can be viewed as an expression of secularisation, if by secularisation one means Christian convictions permeating culture to an ever decreasing extent. This chapter also makes even clearer the historical connections, and their importance for the understanding of Ekman’s theology.