"During most of the 20th century, the Church of Sweden was a typical example of a northern European national established church. The separation of church and state in Sweden had been discussed repeatedly during most of the century, without reaching an overall solution. However, in the early 1990’s, a compromise was reached, and the relationship between church and state in Sweden was transformed, simultaneously changing the nature of the Church of Sweden itself by apparently transferring it from the public sector to the private sector. This paper offers an analysis of this reform, which came in effect in 2000, including how the issue was framed and the arguments used to legitimize the reform. It also offers an analysis of what the reform changed in terms of the relationship between the Church and the state, arguing that a strong relationship between the state and religious denominations still exists in Sweden. Even though several steps have been taken towards considering Lutheran Christianity one religion among many in a society where the state is neutral in religious affairs, the reform has left the Church as a legally regulated entity in the gray zone between the state and the third sector, while at the same time strengthening the relationship between the government and other denominations. In spite of this, the changed relationship between church and state may have enabled the Church of Sweden to take a more active part in Swedish society, both in terms of politics, and in terms of supply of welfare services."
Kommentarer