The aim of this study is to examine the coping strategies used in Anton Lundholm’s autobiography “Välkommen in i min garderob” (“Welcome into my closet”) (2017) in his attempt to unite his Christian faith with his homosexuality. The further aim of the study is to contribute knowledge to Christian communities on how they can counter individuals that struggle with uniting these identities. The analysis is deductive and categorized into topics based on the research questions, formed from the theory. These topics are: (1) the identification of stressors Lundholm experienced, (2) the coping strategies he used to handle those stressors and lastly (3) the consequences of the coping strategies used. The methodology used in the analysis is deductive. The study is used in comparison to Pargament’s theory on four methods of coping: the conservation n and transformation of means and ends (1997). These four coping strategies are preservation, reconstruction, evaluation and recreation. The results of the study show that, in relation to Pargament’s theory, the majority of Lundholm’s coping strategies caused him more psychological stress. One of these coping strategies was self-denial of his sexual orientation. However, an important turning point was when he came across “Christian Gay Network.” This network helped him change the way he viewed his faith, allowing him to change his means. In line with Pargament’s theory, this change of means allowed him to work towards achieving the new goal of self-acceptance of his homosexuality. The study contributes recommendations to Christian communities on how to support individuals that struggle with being Christian and homosexual.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:UPSALLA1/oai:DiVA.org:uu-385074 |
| Date | January 2019 |
| Creators | Gunnarsson, Jens |
| Publisher | Uppsala universitet, Teologiska institutionen |
| 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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