Sweden is an older country in our world lending to some very old history in religion as well as other areas. In Sweden the predominate religion, is going to be Christianity; however it did not start this way. The Swedes were deeply set in Norse paganism until the eleventh century when Christianity began to spread. The Norse pagan religion was based on worshipping the Esir gods in the Temple of Uppsala. In the eleventh century with the spread of Christianity the Norse paganism was declared ended and the laws stated that only the Christian God could be worshipped. This as you can imagine would have been a slow progression towards the new Sweden Religion, with many practicing their roots in secret.
You will find that the religion in Sweden continued towards Christianity until the 1500's. With the protestant reformation in 1530 there was a change in Swedish law. The Church and state were separated by Olaus Petri offering authority to the Roman Catholic bishops to be stopped. In this era the Lutheran church began to have a mark on the history of Sweden. The Uppsala Synod in 1593 further promoted the change to the Lutheran church offering a complete reformation. You will find that history still speaks of the Lutheran Orthodoxy Reformation that occurred in the late sixteenth century. You will find also that groups such as the Calvinist Dutchmen, Morvian Church, Walloons and the French Huguenots all had a part in shaping the Sweden religion that is believed today. These churches also have an effect on the trade industry as well as other popular industries at the time.
During this period there was also a small portion of Sami that had a Shamanistic Religion. In today's religion of Sweden you will be hard pressed to find anything relating to the Sami as many of them were converted to Lutheran in the 17th and 18th centuries.
There were many religious changes in history with the leaders such as Den Helige Birgitta creating the Roman Catholic Church in Vadstena that still remains intact today. You will also find there has been a Bishop in Sweden since the coming of Christianity and that tradition has never been broken. In the 1860's you will find that the Lutheran Swedes were again converted as the laws were now allowing that anyone could change religion. This started the evangelical free churches of the 19th century. You will also find that secularism was beginning to make head way during this century in which their own religious ceremonies were created. You will find the Church of Sweden was left behind in the reformation of the laws and in 1951 the Law of Freedom of Religion was enacted.
You will find an overwhelming amount of Swedes today are still following in the Lutheran religion, but the numbers are still decreasing. There are still a large sect of Roman Catholics as well. By far the most populace of today is the Eastern Orthodox Christians.
Sweden History Tip #1
Always remember to carry a map of Sweden when you visit, mark on it the whereabouts of your hotel and the full address and keep it with you when you travel. Mark down landmarks near the hotel if you plan to walk so that you can easily spot the direction of your residency for the time of your stay. |
Sweden History Tip #2
If you plan to travel to Northern Sweden to experience the Northern Lights and the Ice Hotel, pack accordingly and remember warm clothing, especially in winter months. Thermal underwear is highly recommended on top of hats, scarves and a couple of pairs of gloves – there's nothing worse than packing just one pair and losing one glove! |
Sweden History Tip #3
Gothenburg Sweden is just one of many things to see in Sweden. A good idea is to plan your trip in advance so that you can get to see the best of the best. The place is full of history, glorious scenery, architecture and quaint little buildings. |
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