Ecumenical Relations

On the initiative of Archbishop Nathan Söderblom, an international ecumenical conference on Life and Work was held in Stockholm in 1925.

Another landmark in Swedish ecumenical history was the Fourth Assembly of the World Council of Churches, in Uppsala in 1968. That assembly had a major impact on Swedish Christianity. Among other things, it inspired a big Swedish ecumenical assembly, in Göteborg in 1972. It was attended by people from a wide range of church traditions, from Roman Catholic to Pentecostal. Similar assemblies were organized in Västerås in 1977, Jönköping in 1983, and Örebro in 1989.

As a result of the 1972 assembly, the first Ecumenical Development Week (Ekumeniska U-veckan) was organized later that year. Its name was changed in 1985 to Development Forum of the Swedish Churches (Kyrkornas U-forum). It emphasizes church responsibility for economic development, peace, and justice.

The Life and Peace Institute in Uppsala was founded in 1985, following the Christian World Conference on Life and Peace, in Uppsala in 1983. Its 150 participants came from the whole spectrum of the world church. The institute is a centre for research and other work for peace and justice of use to church and other groups around the world.

Many denominations in Sweden have been part of the Swedish Ecumenical Council (Svenska Ekumeniska Nämnden), founded in 1932. In 1992-93, it was succeeded by the Christian Council of Sweden (Sveriges Kristna Råd). The council has 23 member churches.

Nineteen organizations coordinate missionary work in different parts of the world through the Swedish Missionary Council (Svenska Missionsrådet). The Swedish Christian Youth Council (Sveriges kristna ungdomsråd), the Student Christian Movement in Sweden (Kristna Studentrörelsen i Sverige), the Swedish Women's Ecumenical Council (Sveriges Ekumeniska Kvinnoråd), the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation (Kristna Fredsrörelsen), and the Association for Christian Humanism and Social Concern (Förbundet för Kristen Humanism och Samhällssyn) are among other Swedish ecumenical bodies.

The Church of Sweden in Ecumenical Dialogues

As of 1993, the Church of Sweden was involved in ecumenical dialogues with the Swedish Mission Covenant [Reformed] Church (Svenska Missionsförbundet), the Methodist Church in Sweden, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Stockholm (which covers all of Sweden), and the Church of England. This last includes other Lutheran churches in the Nordic/Baltic region, and other Anglican churches in Britain and Ireland.

The Methodist dialogue, which began in 1979, is expected to be completed in 1993 with an agreement on pulpit and altar fellowship. Each church will respectively recognize the ordination of the other.

The dialogue with the Mission Covenant Church began in 1965. A first report, published in 1975, included suggestions for practical cooperation on the local level. Since then, the dialogue has taken a more theological turn.

The Roman Catholic dialogue began in 1970. Participants have published convergence documents on episcopal ministry, marriage, and baptism. The present dialogue began in 1992 and is divided into two parts. One is focusing on ecclesiology and the other on pastoral concerns.

Since the 1920s, the Church of Sweden has enjoyed a special relationship with the Church of England. One expression of this is participation of Swedish bishops in the consecration of English bishops, and vice versa. The aim of the current round Nordic/Baltic-British/Irish talks is to deepen and formalize the already-existing communion involving the Lutheran and Anglican churches of the two regions.

Theologians in the Oikoumene

In the history of the ecumenical movement, several Swedish theologians have played prominent roles. Nathan Söderblom (1866-1931), professor of the history of religions in Leipzig (Germany), winner of the Nobel Peace Price, and archbishop of Uppsala, called the first international and ecumenical Conference on Life and Work, in Stockholm in 1925.

One of his successors as archbishop, Yngve Brilioth (1891-1959), author of the seminal study Eucharistic Faith and Practice, Catholic and Evangelical, was an early leader of the World Council of Churches.

Anders Nygren (1890-1978) and Gustaf Aulén (1879-1977), both professors of systematic theology and later bishops, were prominent in both the World Council of Churches and the Lutheran World Federation.