Church of Sweden

Overview

The Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan) is Sweden's historic national Evangelical Lutheran church, confessing the Augsburg Confession since 1593 and separated from the Swedish state in 2000. The present denomination ordains women (since 1960) and has since 2009 authorized same-sex marriage — a step that led the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus and other global partners to sever or sharply limit fellowship. It functions as a broad, culturally-Lutheran national church with nominal confessional adherence. AskCredo places the Church of Sweden in the C-tier as a mainline Protestant body whose public teaching has departed from historic Lutheran confessional positions on marriage and, in some wings of the church, on biblical authority.

Confession / Standard

Augsburg Confession (nominally)

Governance

episcopal

Soteriology

mixed

Key Beliefs

• State church heritage
• Inclusive theology
• LGBTQ marriage affirmed (2009)
• Women's ordination (1960)

Distinctives

• Deeply liberal — LGBTQ marriage officiants since 2009
• Nominal Christianity — estimated 2% regular attendance
• Essentially post-Christian cultural institution in practice

Background

Europe · Founded 1531

Official Website

https://svenska.kyrkan.se