Five decades’ process of breaking more than four centuries of Church-State ties saw a major break-through at the stroke of the new millennium (the year 2000), with the implementation of legislative reforms aimed at giving the Church of Sweden a greater degree of liberty, while extending greater freedom to other religious communities in Sweden. Almost a decade after this historic legislation most stakeholders claim the impact of the reform has been significant. Indeed the decision to server Church-State ties for whatever purpose or reason, after such a long standing relation between the two, will by all means have implications for the Church that is separated, the State and the so called free churches and other religions in Sweden. Thus, this field study seeks to investigate the resultant impact of delimiting governmental power in the religious domain on the now autonomous church and the implications the separation has had for other “non-state churches” as well as the secularized state government in Sweden almost ten years after the reforms.

Social work is a wide term but often presented as the form of activities done by public welfare organisations. This study aims to present an analys of social work done by the Church of Sweden congregations. The study uses a discourseanalys perspectiv to study local congregations’ instructional documents that describe their diaconia. The result shows that social work in diaconia is characterized by different hegemonies and conflicts of understanding and practices. The study shows how church of Sweden formulation can be influenced by history and political and ideological issues as well as economical issues for the church. The author means that we need more studies of how social work is understood by other welfare actors in Sweden in order to develop a deeper understanding of social work.

Environmental degradation and climate change are complex cross-cutting issues. They both call for a high level of policy coordination by all actors. This thesis examines the experienceof two Swedish popular movements integrating sustainable development as a cross cutting theme in their development cooperation: an approach known as mainstreaming. I seek to show how sustainability is understood and further how it is realized in the application of the work plans. The two case studies are the International Department of the Church of Sweden and Olof Palme International Centre. I have accounted for practical experiences via using informants as the main data source. Mainstreaming theory has been applied as tools foranalysation. Sustainability has been used in relation to sustainability of results andenvironmental aspects of the work plan. There is an increased demand to report on results and the longevity of the results in addition to address environment in all works undertaken in development cooperation organisations. The significance in studying the current interpretations and above all the challenges in application is to enable consideration in futur eamendments to strategies, policies and efforts made to mainstream sustainability. The findings conclude that there are similarities between the two cases in the identification of sustainability as pertaining to results and in the need for sustainability to focus on relationships to partners. Mainstreaming of environmental concerns is stated as a good and wanted aim. However, the actual negative environmental impact caused by the work plan is seen as low and sometimesenvironmental mainstreaming is even understood as a risk to partnerships. Environmental impact is only identified and addressed when seen as relevant and not as a concept to mainstream, this based on the relative low impact. This is in accordance with Sida guidelines but not with the stated policy wants.

This thesis is an investigation of St. Petri Church via relevant drawings and photographs by Sigurd Lewerentz. It explores his design through the Lutheran liturgy and theology revealing possibilities of an architecture based on spiritual harmony and bodily experience. It is an attempt to view Lewerentz's architecture outside limitations of style---demonstrating his spiritual belief in a harmony between both visible and invisible elements of architecture, as well as the act of making architecture through the relationship between drawing and building. Seen in such a context Lewerentz's work at St. Petri points to valuable strategies for the practice of architecture today.

The purpose of this study is to describe and analyse the religious assimilation of the 17th 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 17th century, most Walloons belonged to the Swedish Church. 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.

In 2015, a large number of refugees sought asylum in Sweden. The following year, the churches saw an influx of refugees who wanted to convert from Islam to Christianity. Some congregations baptized many, others baptized few. Some converts were denied baptism. To contribute to a clearer picture of the church’s acting, this essay seeks to examine the possibilities and obstacles which met refugees that wanted to be baptized in a Swedish church tradition between 2016 and 2020. To do so, converts, priests from The Church of Sweden and a pastor from Pingstkyrkan are interviewed. People in an organization like the church have different social positions that creates superiority and subordination between individuals. Therefore, this study is based on both a power ethical and ecclesiological perspectives. The power perspective is analyzed on the basis of the theoretical approach formulated by the authors of the anthology Church in an Age of Global Migration, about whether the church appears as a cross-border and relational body where current order of power is constantly challenged, or not. When it comes to the factors that influence church leaders and converts decisions about baptism, the analysis is based on Sune Fahlgren's Theory of Preachership as an ecclesiological practice that becomes the church DNA, and on Jeff Astelys Theory of Ordinary theology, where people's personal experiences shape perceptions of salvation and a good life. The converts in the study seek fellowship and a God that is distinctly forgiving. They also see baptism as the entrance to a new life. This proves the thesis that people interpret salvation based on what they need. Other factors that affect their relation to baptism are a residence permit, home address, citizen number, age, acceptance of conversion from guardians of minor converts, language and the duration of the baptismal process. Converts genuine will to be baptized is also important. These factors can be obstacles or opportunities, depending on if the converts situation is in line with the church ́s wishes. These wishes seem to be based on certain norms. In the context of the Church of Sweden, there are a number of rules and dogmas. However, it is unclear which should be followed, and where in the organization the power lies. Therefore, the interpretation of the baptismal factors rests on the individual priest. The Pentecostal church lacks written dogmas, but in line with Fahlgren's Preachership theory there are informal norms that are interpreted individually by the pastor. This shows that the converts have the power to propose baptism but lack the power to ensure that they are actually baptized. Based on this, the Church shown in this study is not the mobile, cross-border and power-challenging body as described in the anthology Church in an Age of Global Migration.

The aim for this master’s thesis is to explore and explain how vicars and chairmen of church councils understand the role and tasks of the vicar in large and middle-sized multi-parish benefices in these new and bigger organizations that took shape after the organizational change 2014 in Church of Sweden. The study is based on interviews with six vicars and four chairmen in four large and two middle sized multi-parish benefices in four different dioceses. For the theoretical framework, Mintzberg’s configurations have been used with a special emphasis on the divisionalized/diversified configuration. The result of the study shows that both vicars and chairmen think the role of the vicar is obvious and indistinct at the same time. It is distinct in that way that there is “Kyrkoordningen” which is Church of Sweden’s official legal framework which is about Church of Sweden’s faith, confession and creed. It also states what a parish has to do; celebrate worship, carry out education, exercise social welfare work and mission, but it doesn’t say how much or how. The vicar needs a driving force, a wish to move the organization into the future and should have visions without forgetting what the mission, the core, is. Most of the informants also consider the vicar to be a spiritual leader. A strength as well as a weakness is the size of the organization. Some of the strengths are about having all the resources an organization has need of as well as a deficit of vulnerability. The new organizational form makes it possible for the vicar to become the organization’s face outward as well as the unifying force for the inward. The weakness is about the inertia in the organization with decision-making procedures that can be long and unnecessary complex. There is a complexity in the relationship with the diocese that also has its root in the size. The organizational structure about governing och leading, how does it affect the vicars and chairmen? Almost all the informants think there is a distinct line between governing and leading and it is the duty of the vicar to lead and the duty of the church council to govern under the leadership of the chairman. All the vicars have a good or even a very good relationship with the chairmen and vice versa. Some of them have worked together for many years, three of four chairmen have recruited “their” vicar. Mutual respect and trust are two words that shone through and form a basis for the cooperation. Each multi-parish benefice has a number of parishes, from three to eight and all of them are led by a middle-manager called “församlingsherde”, middle-vicar and each of them is fully responsible for their parish. Three of the vicars also have a deputy vicar. The preparatory work before the organizational change has been made in each benefice and it seems that the more essential and active the work the better outcome. Time seems to be an important factor. About half of the benefices consider that the organization has consolidated since 2014. / Syftet med uppsatsen är undersöka och förklara hur kyrkoherdar och kyrkorådsordföranden i Svenska kyrkan uppfattar kyrkoherdens roll och uppgifter i de nya och större pastoraten som bildades efter 2014. Studien bygger på sex intervjuer med kyrkoherdar och fyra kyrkorådsordföranden från stora och mellanstora pastorat i Svenska kyrkan. Med hjälp av Mintzbergs konfigurationer med betoning på den divisionaliserade/diversifierade organisationen analyseras organisationens påverkan på ledarskapet och vice versa. Om kyrkoherdens roll och uppgifter anser de flesta att kyrkoherden ska leda arbetet i pastoratet, hålla ihop organisationen, vara pastoratets ansikte utåt och inspirera medarbetare, förtroendevalda och frivilliga i organisationen. Kyrkoherdens ska dessutom vara visionär, kunna delegera och ansvara för arbetsmiljön. Sedan anser de flesta också att kyrkoherden ska vara en andlig ledare men hur kyrkoherdarna ser på det andliga ledarskapet skiljer sig åt. De styrkor som finns i organisationen är storleken som möjliggör kompetenta stödfunktioner, minskad sårbarhet och resurskoncentration och en gemensam funktion i kyrkoherden som kan tala för hela pastoratet. De svagheter som uppmärksammas har också med storleken att göra. Storleken innebär fler beslutsled som leder till en tröghet i organisationen. Dessutom är det svårt att hitta fungerande samverkans- och kommunikationsformer. I relation till stiftet är storleken också problematisk. De flesta anser att det finns en klar skillnad mellan att styra och leda, kyrkoherden leder pastoratets verksamhet och kyrkorådet styr under ledning av kyrkorådets ordförande. Både kyrkoherdar och kyrkorådsordförande anser att de har en god eller mycket god relation till varandra. Respekt och tillit är ord som intervjuerna andas. De flesta kyrkoherdar och ordförande verkar anse att det har gjorts ett omfattande förarbete och några av pastoraten började innan samfälligheternas upphörande att fundera över framtiden och hur man på bästa sätt skulle organisera sig. Hälften av de tillfrågade anser att deras organisation har konsoliderat och de som svarar ja är också de som verkar ha arbetat mest aktivt inför organisationsförändringen. Det förefaller som om både aktivt arbete och tid är viktiga faktorer för att få en organisation att konsolidera.

The beginning of the 20th century saw an emergence of new ideals for and ways of living a Christian life in Church of Sweden. As a consequence of both a revival for Sweden’s own medieval heritage as well as intensified ecumenical contacts with, principally the Church of England, several Christian communities took similar form to that of “Third orders”, but without any canonical status. This present study focuses such an order, Sodailitium Sancti Christofori,(Fraternity of Saint Christopher), founded in the university town of Uppsala in 1921 by students of theology studying for the priesthood in Church of Sweden. The fraternity’s work is outlined during its complete lifespan, approximately 20 years. A total of 19 men were received as novices, 17 of these went on to become brothers. Some of these became profiled churchmen in Church of Sweden, for example Gustaf Adolf and Sven Danell, dean of Växjö and bishop of Skara respectively, Bengt Sundkler, bishop of Bukoba as well as professor of missiology at Uppsala university, and Harry Ljungar, long-time vicar of Moheda, diocese of Växjö. They were influenced by the Youth Church movement, the emerging High Church movement, as well as likeminded groups in Denmark, England and Germany. As time went on, the brothers were ordained and sent out to different parts of Sweden and new brothers were received, keeping in touch through extensive letter correspondence. Sometime during the 1930s, activity in the fraternity went down drastically, and the last sign of life within the fraternity is a chronicle of a general chapter in 1939.

Den här studiens syfte att är analysera den implicita ecklesiologi som kommer till uttryck i Engelbrektskyrkans kyrkobyggnad, kyrkorum och materialitet, sådan den var när den byggdes. Utgångspunkten är att kyrkobyggnaden, -rummet och kyrkans materialitet bär på ecklesiologisk information, som genom att synliggöras ger en bild av den syn på vad kyrkan är och bör vara som var rådande vid tiden för kyrkans byggande. Genom en begränsad fältstudie, litteraturstudie och en semi-strukturerad intervju avtäcks och analyseras den implicita ecklesiologi som kyrkan bär på. Studiens slutsats är ett synliggörande av en ecklesiologi där kyrkan är den plats som möjliggör mötet mellan Gud och människa. I Engelbrektskyrkan möter människan bilden av en undervisande, segrande och kärleksfull Kristus som har famnen öppen för sina barn. Både den bild av Kristus och den bild av kyrkan som framträder är bilden av det starka, vackra som inte är sårbart. Genom analysen av de konkreta uttrycken för kyrkan framträder också en ecklesiologi där ett statskyrkoideal bryter mot ett folkkyrkoideal.

Many consider Sweden as one of the most secularised countries in the world. While the country is rapidly growing more religiously and culturally diverse there still remains a Lutheran touch in the school curriculum. Skolverket depicts itself as being nondenominational and objective, but many have argued against this statement. The educational system’s roots of both being organised and run using Christian religious materials clearly presents the complex situation that can be recognized even today.  Researchers and students alike agree that there is an issue regarding the representation of all cultural and religious groups in the Swedish educational system. The students in the work of Carina Holmqvist Lidh testify of the lack of representation or frequent misrepresentation in their formal education. Many feel the religion they meet in schools cannot be recognized as their own. This is a problem both in the condensed teaching materials which are used and the very limited lesson time a teacher has at hand. An active didactical choice, deeming what’s important knowledge or not, falls in the lap of educators and the consequences that I want to present in this essay is that many religious orientations risk going unnoticed.  That’s why in this essay my goal is to create a discussion about the ways the Lutheran Christian faith has historically, and continues to affect religion education, all while deeming itself as non-confessional and neutral. Furthermore, owing to fellow students’ essays and professors' analysis of textbooks depiction of non-Lutheran religious groups I hope to present the problem with this Lutheran-touch, which leaves many students from other religious orientations feeling their faith is misrepresented or left out in traditional teaching.