| 1. |
- Hansson, Klas, 1944-
(författare)
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Svenska kyrkans primas : Ärkebiskopsämbetet i förändring 1914–1990
- 2014
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- When Nathan Söderblom became archbishop in 1914 he substantially altered and extended the office of archbishop. This study deals with how and why the office of archbishop has changed from Söderblom’s incumbency down to the introduction of an assistant bishop in the archdiocese in 1990. Is the archbishop mainly a diocesan bishop with some duties on the national level or is the archbishop mainly the primate with minor tasks in the diocese? The latter view has prevailed and the archbishop’s business as primate has come to be regarded as the most important.During the period studied seven archbishops have served in Uppsala. Their ex officio positions, their archiepiscopal arenas, are examined to find out how they shaped their office. Different leadership styles are uncovered and the archbishops’ differing performance and characteristics are examined. These ranged from expansion and renewal (Nathan Söderblom), cautiousness and withdrawal (Erling Eidem), restoration and consolidation (Yngve Brilioth), uniting and dividing (Gunnar Hultgren), institutionalisation and internationalization (Ruben Josefson), ecumenism and peace work (Olof Sundby), and expansion and clarification (Bertil Werkström). In this way the study also gives a comprehensive view of the 20th century Church of Sweden debates and conflicts.The study also covers formal changes that have been introduced to the office of archbishop. The concepts of fields, capital and habitus are used to analyse the patterns and structures of the office during the decades studied. The social position of the archbishop became stronger during the period while the formal position became weaker. The archbishop of Uppsala is since the Reformation the foremost representative and spokesperson of the Church of Sweden.
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| 2. |
- Elgvin, Lilly-Anne Østtveit, 1954-
(författare)
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Lars Levi Læstadius' spiritualitet
- 2010
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The purpose of this study has been to be able to discern the core characteristics of the spirituality of Lars Levi Læstadius (1800-1861), minister of the Church of Sweden and originator of a large revival movement that carries his name. His spirituality is analysed as reflected in his mostly Finnish language sermons, out of which 466 are preserved. It is maintained that an adequate interpretation of the sermons can only be achieved through an understanding of their linguistic and rhetorical style and their principles of biblical exegesis. Accordingly, the initial focus of the study is on these three aspects, after which follows an analysis of the content. The very first chapter, however, investigates the biographical background of Læstadius’ spirituality, in particular the character of his spiritual breakthrough in 1844. The study shows that Sámi oral culture, in which Læstadius was deeply rooted, is an important factor behind the style and principals of exegesis in his sermons. The sermons are metaphorical and narrative to a large degree. The rhetoric is oriented towards “the spiritual heart” and addresses the emotional life more than the intellectual life. The principals of exegesis have their closest parallel in patristic times, not in the 1800-s. A typological interpretation of the Bible based on a mimetic strategy of reading is dominant. The study shows that the imagery of the sermons constitutes a cohesive ‘metaphorical universe’. The imagery is organised in ‘constellations of interplay’ in which the Christ figure of the gospels or a metaphor for God, and metaphorical role models for the listeners are depicted. Hermeneutical methods are employed in combination with statistical analysis to determine what constellations are central and how they are used. The four most central constellations are analyzed in detail; they are “the Saviour”, “the Heavenly Parent”, “the Shepherd” and “the Light”, designated according to their name for the triune God. However, “The Heavenly Parent” is Læstadius’ most frequent metaphor for God, and the image of God from which it springs determines his theology and spirituality. ‘Reconciliation’ with ones “Heavenly Parent” is his key concern, and this requires a humble attitude. The study shows that humility is the basic common quality of his prime role models, which means that this quality stands out as the most important ideal of his spirituality. The constellations of interplay show that a mystical experience of reconciliation and of being in God’s presence is Læstadius’ highest aim for his listeners, and thus a prominent characteristic of his spirituality. As a whole, the study shows that Sámi culture was more important for Læstadius’ spirituality than has hitherto been acknowledged, and that the imagery of his sermons is not a poetic or sentimental expression, but one in which both biblical theology and mystical experience are involved.
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| 3. |
- Halldorf, Joel, 1980-
(författare)
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Av denna världen? : Emil Gustafson, moderniteten och den evangelikala väckelsen
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The aim of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between evangelicalism and modernity with the Swedish holiness preacher Emil Gustafson (1862–1900) as a case. This is achieved by comparing Gustafson’s spirituality with Charles Taylor’s characterization of modernity. The investigation identifies five central themes in Gustafson’s spirituality: conversion, calling, suffering, sanctification, and spiritual experience. With regard to these themes paral-lels with modernity are noted. For example, the analysis shows that modern individualism influenced Gustafson’s view of conversion, and that instrumental rationality informed his evaluations of his own work as a preacher. But there are also instances where he distanced himself from modernity. He did not embrace a modern optimistic anthropology, or the view of suffering as purely negative. It is concluded that Gustafson is neither anti-modern, nor identical to Taylor’s depiction of modernity. He represents one kind of modernity. One that is theocentric rather than anthropo-centric. In order to uphold this theocentric character Gustafson’s opposition to the basic struc-ture of modernity had to be grounded in social practices. For instance, his negative anthropol-ogy was grounded in the revival-meeting where outsiders were called to repent and rely on God rather than themselves. Based on the results from this study it is suggested that evangelicalism should be inter-preted as neither in conflict with modernity, nor in continuity with it, but rather as a kind of modernity. There are multiple modernities, and evangelicalism is one of them.
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| 4. |
- Larspers, Torbjörn, 1967-
(författare)
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Konfessionalitet och medbestämmande : Evangeliska Fosterlands-Stiftelsens struktur och den nyevangeliska väckelserörelsens regionala nivå fram till 1922
- 2012
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- In May 1856 the EFS (the Swedish Evangelical Mission Society), influenced by the new evangelism-movement, was established as an “internal mission” within the Church of Sweden.During the same period the “new evangelism” revival movement established regional organizations in order to coordinate the movement in different parts of the country. These regional organizations consisted of the movement’s local mission societies in a province or part of a province of Sweden. This study will focus on democracy and theological identity in the EFS through an analysis of how the regional organizations acted, what role they played, how the EFS was influenced by them and how the EFS decided to establish its own regional organization. One result of the earlier tensions between the regional mission organizations and the EFS was the establishment of the independent organizations Mission Covenant Church of Sweden (Svenska Missionsförbundet) (1878-) and Mission Society of Bible faithful Friends (Missionssällskapet Bibeltrogna Vänner) (1911-). This investigation looks into 17 of 36 regional mission organizations that existed. The time frame of the investigation is from the establishment of the EFS in 1856 to the establishment of the regional structure of the EFS in 1922.The EFS changed over time. The change of society and wishes from the movement’s local mission societies and regional mission organizations were agents in this transformation. An important result of this research is that this transformation of the EFS proceeded at a slow pace and with the preservation of the EFS’s theological identity.
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