A3 Book section, Chapters in research books
Towards a Religion of Popular Sovereignty, Democracy and Equality : The Lutheran Sermon as a Nexus of Traditional and Modern Discourses on Political Values and a Collective Identity (2019)

Ihalainen, P. (2019). Towards a Religion of Popular Sovereignty, Democracy and Equality : The Lutheran Sermon as a Nexus of Traditional and Modern Discourses on Political Values and a Collective Identity. In K. Sinnemäki, A. Portman, J. Tilli, & R. Nelson (Eds.), On the Legacy of Lutheranism in Finland : Societal Perspectives (pp. 292-308). Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura. Studia Fennica Historica, 25. https://oa.finlit.fi/site/books/10.21435/sfh.25/

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Ihalainen, Pasi

Parent publication: On the Legacy of Lutheranism in Finland : Societal Perspectives

Parent publication editors: Sinnemäki, Kaius; Portman, Anneli; Tilli, Jouni; Nelson, Robert

ISBN: 978-951-858-135-5

eISBN: 978-951-858-150-8

Journal or series: Studia Fennica Historica

ISSN: 1458-526X

eISSN: 2669-9591

Publication year: 2019

Number in series: 25

Pages range: 292-308

Number of pages in the book: 346

Publisher: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura

Place of Publication: Helsinki

Publication country: Finland

Publication language: English

Persistent website address: https://oa.finlit.fi/site/books/10.21435/sfh.25/

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/66941

Abstract

The external forms of contemporary occasions of Finnish and Swedish national worship organized to celebrate political events differ little from those of early-modern Sweden. However, the expressions of the political values of the national community in them have been totally revolutionized. After discussing social theory on the relationship between religion, nationalism, modernization and secularization and introducing a long-term historical context, this chapter proceeds to analyze two sermons given in 2009 and 2010 to demonstrate the adaptability of the Lutheran religion to modernity: the national churches have turned from advocates of theocratic monarchy and uniformity to preachers of popular sovereignty, democracy and equality in multicultural societies. A gradually redefined religion has reconciled itself with radical societal changes. This development challenges simplifying secularization theses.

Keywords: national church; national identity; sovereignty; democracy; equality (values); religion (phenomena); Lutheranism; service (religion); sermons; modernisation; secularisation

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2019

JUFO rating: 2