This thesis examines ecotheology in liturgy. In light of an increasing awareness of the seriousness of the climate crisis and the consequences for all living beings on earth, it investigated whether and how communion prayers in handbooks of Church of Sweden from 1986 and 2017 have changed towards becoming more ecotheological. The focus of this study has been how God is described in the use of God's names and metaphors, God's relationship to the world, and God's mission to people. These were analyzed using a qualitative content analysis. Two metaphorical models, a monarchical model and a God-body model, taken from ecofeminist theologian Sallie McFague were used as the study's ecotheological approach. Through the analysis, it has been shown that the communion prayers have become more ecotheological. The prayers have more often features the metaphor of "creator" for God and descriptions of an actively creating, loving, and present God. God's relationship with the world now also includes the entire universe that God carries and fulfills. God meets people more often through the risen Christ and God's incarnation and salvation can also be interpreted as concerning of all creation. God's mission to human beings is more directed outward to the world, but there are still no explicit missions towards other living beings or all of creation.

This thesis examines the changes and effects the covid-19 pandemic had on the Church of Sweden within the diocese of Karlstad. The thesis is based on semi-structured interviews with eight vicars within the diocese of Karlstad. The data from the interviews were analysed using a thematic analysis. The thesis theoretical origin is derived from institutional theory, and new institutionalism. According to these theories, organisations evolve in response to the expectations and pressures exerted by society. The covid-19 pandemic affected the entire society including religious communities, among them the Church of Sweden. Many issues occurred during the pandemic and the restriction regarding the number of participants at social gatherings resulted in solutions such as booking systems and more frequent services where the vicar stood outside the church counting the participants. The thesis also presents how all parishes in question underwent some form of digitalisation and how seven out of eight parishes offered digital services. The changes that occurred in the parishes are in accordance with both theories. Lastly the thesis demonstrates the range of how these changes were maintained when the covid-19 pandemic subsided, and the restrictions were lifted. Some parishes still use digital services but at a much lower sequence since the demand for digital services decreased severely. Digital meetings are still in use but other than that how the changes maintained varied within the parishes. The opportunity to offer and suggest livestreaming a funeral if a family member is illwould never have happened before the pandemic and the parishes all agree that the knowledge, experiences, and attitudes that the pandemic brought on have come to stay and that they are ready for the next crisis.

This master’s thesis addresses how strategic development takes shape, when ideas connected to an organization’s historical heritage meet contemporary expectations of organizational development. The Church of Sweden Diaconia sets the example and in a qualitative case study this meeting has been examined. With new institutional theory as starting point the interpretation is made that the meeting between tradition and develop­ment can be under­stood as a meeting between a value based and a scientifically based logic. From the con­tradicting logics, the deacon and the social worker appear as institu­tional myths and as a double work identity. To maintain legitimacy, both logics need to be encom­passed. I introduce the idea of a space for intentional reflection, open for negotiation between the identities.

The aim of this study is to establish a comparative perspective of the Church ofSweden and Finn Church Aid (FCA) as development actors. The research willconcentrate on the study of the similarities and differences of their methods andapproaches. As case studies I will focus on the principles of the EAPPI program andLabeling the Origins campaigns. Methodologically, I shall study the interrelatednessof the practices and methods of specific actors with values and ethical positions and,especially, concentrate on the discussions dealing with discourses ofcosmopolitanism, Christian ethics and their overlaps. Narratives are used tocomplement discursive analysis. The theoretical framework consists of variouscosmopolitan theories that are applied to analyze the ideological aspects of the faith-based organization’s methods. The ethical aspects are presented from differentperspectives to create an understanding of the diversity of how cosmopolitanism canbe comprehended in relation to Christianity. The comparative perspective has createdan understanding of how networks are formed and how the same themes are presentin different organizations but guided by different discursive formations. This alsopoints towards the understanding that the perspective of networks is more significantthan countries or actors.

The purpose with my essay is to investigate Church of Sweden’s prayer web page during September 2011 and September 2014. The purpose is to find out if there are any differences or similarities during the year 2011 and the year 2014, in the month of September, by examining literature and prayer that people have sent to prayer site. The Church of Sweden belongs to Lutheran belief.2 On the church of Sweden prayer site there is a digital web page where visitors can send a prayer or light a candle. It is possible to do it individually or in a group. At the prayer site you can read people`s prayers. The Essay investigates what people pray for and what types of prayers that are published on the digital prayer site. My hypothesis is that there should be small differences between year 2011 and year 2014 since there are only three years between 2011 and 2014. My questions are: When comparing September 2011 and September 2014, are there any differences concerning the way the web page visitors choose to address God? Are there any changes concerning the content of the prayers when comparing September 2011 and September 2014? The conclusion is that the difference between year 2011 and year 2014 is that year 2014 was more politically oriented than the year 2011 because in the year 2014 there was a general election. Some prayers wished for a good government. Year 2011 there were more prayers submitted than the year 2014. In the church of Sweden digital prayer site you can find the differences which occur and also which the similarities are. The method which is used is quantitative method since the essay method contains statistics. I also apply comparative method because I am going to compare the year 2011 with the year 2014. When I was preparing for the essay I used qualitative method as preparation. No other person has specifically written an essay about the prayers on the Church of Sweden’s prayer site in September year 2011 and 2014.

Through the application of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA)— and paying extra attention to the utilization of ideological squaring, actor descriptions, and lexicalization— this thesis aims to discuss the Church of Sweden’s “official” discourse regarding its humanitarian and social engagement with refugees and refugee issues the year 2017. Wherein, the author attempts to discuss what the collected material— from the internet-based function Support migration, and personal semi-structured interviews with Church personnel— can tell one about the Church’s views on its self-identity, social engagement, as well as ecumenical and interreligious relations, in an increasingly diverse Swedish society. Central for this thesis is how ideology functions, and how “us and them” divisions are constructed, within the discourse, regarding the Church’s refugee work. It can be argued that a key finding of this thesis is how the Church’s discourse generally sets itself against popular contemporary categorizations of refugees as threats, in addition to classic “us and them” distinctions that often serve to demonize the religious and cultural other— which have become observable within contemporary debates regarding refugees in the Global North. Instead, it could be argued that, at least regarding these issues, the Church of Sweden provides an alternative and critical voice in these matters. However, “us and them” divisions can still be observable. Where, for instance the “us” of the Church that is presented as a moral force in society— which has a responsibility to guard human dignity— is set in opposition against “them”, which are depicted as external marginalized voices which threaten both its mission and identity.

The Church of Sweden has, under the past few years, had a special focus on their Church-handbook of 1986. There has been a widely-discussed debate among the different congregations in Sweden if, and when, their Church-handbook should be exchanged for a new Church-handbook. But, is there also a risk of a change in liturgy and theology? In this essay, I have been able to identify both similarities and differences in the Church-handbook of 1986 and the Proposal of 2016. In the Church-handbook of 1986 there is a focus on "We" and in the Proposal of 2016 there have been a significant change to focus on "World-wide". This focuses on both "We" and "World-wide", are a direct connection to the ecclesiology that were in question of the publication of the Church-handbooks. So which path shall Curch of Sweden take 2017? Shall they continue with the Church-handbook of 1986 and keep a well-known liturgy or take the Proposal of 2016 into consideration? During the "trial-run" which follow every Proposal that the Church of Sweden publishes, members of congregations all around Sweden, has shown a reluctance towards the Proposal of 2016. They have shown that it's a Proposal that has not taken into consideration, the very importance of recognition and that not all of those that visits the different churches in Sween, are familiar with the liturgy.  Therefore, they claim, the Church of Sweden shall not have the Proposal of 2016 as their primarily used Church-handbook, but they can take into consideration to use it as an edition to the Church-handbook of 1986.

No description available.

Johansson, Evelina. 2018. Om- och tillbyggnationer samt renoveringar av Sankt Larskyrkan i Linköping   Johansson, Evelina. 2018. Reconstructions, extensions and renovations of St Lars Church in Linköping     St Lars Church is a white stone church located in central Linköping. In this thesis I will cover the processes behind the two most recent renovations of St Lars Church. The earlier of the two renovations was carried out in the 1950’s. The main purpose of this renovation was to literally prevent a total collapse of the church structure. Adding modern technology to the church was a priority at the most recent renovation in 2016, mainly in order to create an atmosphere which would make everyone feel welcome. I will also cover the media attention that these renovations attracted.   The material used in this thesis includes available literature, archive material, and interviews of key individuals from the most recent renovation. I have also visited the church to study the most recent renovation and gain insight into the excavations that were part of the process.   Historical records only describe the larger scaled renovations. This has led to a greater subjective valuation put into the decisions and discussions put forth during these processes. Individuals part of the historical renovations have consciously, or sub-consciously, been influenced by preceding historical ideas. Studying a historical period of time in the context of current influences lies at the hearth of the history of ideas, all the while understanding that absolute truths will never be discovered.

<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>