Björn Ryman with Aila Lauha, Gunnar Heiene, and Peter Lodberg, Foreword by Gunnar Stålsett, Nordic Folk Churches: a Contemporary Church History

138 Book Reviews / CHRC 87,1 (2007) 75-139

Björn Ryman with Aila Lauha, Gunnar Heiene, and Peter Lodberg, Foreword by Gunnar Stålsett, Nordic Folk Churches: A Contemporary Church History. [Forskning för Kyrkan 2]. Eerdmans, Grand Rapids/Cambridge 2005, xiv + 168 pp., 11 b/w photos. ISBN 0802828795. $ 20; £ 11.99.

In just 168 pages this book aims to introduce the Nordic Lutheran Folk Churches to North American and British readers. Th e emphasis is on recent history (post 1945) and the role these churches play in secularised societies. Th e foreword to the book is written by the former Norwegian bishop and one time general secretary of the Lutheran World Federation, Gunnar Stålsett, observing how the Nordic Churches are generally perceived internationally. Following an introductory sketch of Nordic church history from 1000 to 1940, a chapter is devoted to each of the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden (no explanation is given for leaving out Iceland) and three themes are explored in more detail: the ecumenical world, church and society, and theology and spirituality. Th e book concludes with a short biographical outline of four theologians and four politicians. Th e politicians except in the case of the Dane Bodil Koch have not been selected for their special contribution to the history of the church, but for their political contribution on a larger scale (Gro Harlem Brundtland, Olof Palme, and Urho Kekkonen). Th e theologians portrayed were all committed ecumenically. Th e Danish church historian Jens Nørregaard, the Swedish professor of New Testament Studies (later bishop and president of LWF) Anders Nygren, and Bishop Eivind Berggrav from Norway were all important ﬁ gures in the period from 1930 to the 1950s. Berggrav is especially well known for his role during the Second World War and later became president of the World Council of Churches. Th e Finnish bishop Martti Simojoki belonged to a younger generation and helped shape the role of the church in the post-war era, stressing its social responsibility. By choosing these theologians, it is also underlined that the main focus point of the book is on the contribution of the Nordic Churches to the ecumenical movement, described by Björn Ryman in the most extensive chapter of the book, which also provides an interesting and brief history of ecumenism, relief and development aid. On a national level the common point of these churches are their position as majority churches (close to 100% of the population being members around 1900 and around 80% today), thus making the Lutheran faith an important part of national identity. Th e position of the Nordic Folk Churches as majority churches also provides the background for one of the main topics of the book, namely the relationship between church and (welfare) state. Th is relationship has been challenged in an increasing secularised and multi-religious culture. Th e essay written by Ryman and Lodberg on this subject will perhaps be of most interest to the reader, who is not acquainted with the Nordic context. Th ey provide a brief

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description of the rise and fall (?) of the Scandinavian Welfare Model, a process which to some extent has marginalized the infl uence of the churches. As a whole this book is an informative introduction to the Nordic Churches despite its shortness and despite the diff erent approaches taken by the authors. Lodberg in writing on Denmark and Heiene on Norway show the most reticence in mentioning names and telling anecdotes, thereby leaving room for a summarized historical perspective. Th e reader is left with a picture of four diff erent churches, even though the authors also stress the similarities between them. It is clear from the well- structured essay by Aila Lauha that recent Finnish history has been marked by the neighbouring Soviet Union that has infl uenced the role and the political agenda of the church to an extent which is not found elsewhere. Despite fundamentally diff erent experiences during the Second World War, the lesson learnt from the years of war encouraged an engagement with the ecumenical movement in post-war Europe in all the Nordic countries, and Nordic church leaders have been important contributors and supporters of the churches in Eastern Europe after the War. Ryman from Sweden and Lodberg from Denmark explain the concept of the folk church as being a voluntary organisation in a modern democratic society with special ties to the state. At the same time the ecclesiological diff erences in the interpretation of the role of the church are clear and the Church of Sweden for example has a stronger political voice than the other churches. Both authors question the survival of the folk church as a folk church in a situation with a rapidly declining number in membership. Ryman is the most pessimistic of the two, coming from a church where less than 50% of the teenagers are confi rmed (the Danish number is a bit better, 80%). Lodberg concludes his essay on a more hopeful note, pointing out the remarkable ability of the folk church to adjust to new situations. Liselotte Malmgart, University of Aarhus

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