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.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:kau-98432 |
| Date | January 2024 |
| Creators | Parsons, Annie |
| Publisher | Karlstads universitet, Fakulteten för humaniora och samhällsvetenskap (from 2013) |
| Source Sets | DiVA Archive at Upsalla University |
| Language | Swedish |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Student thesis, info:eu-repo/semantics/bachelorThesis, text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
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