Jonas Idestrom

The church exists for the sake of the world. The crucial ecclesiological question that this book raises is How? How does the church exist for sake of the world? One can describe the theological reflections in this book as a form of concrete ecclesiology--critical theological reflections on the way the church is manifested in social and historical contexts as a social body. By using concepts like body, queer, human rights, practices, social process, and space, the manifestations of the concrete church are critically and constructively analyzed from a theological perspective. The arguments in the articles were presented at a symposium in Sweden. The purpose of the symposium was not to reach consensus but to stimulate creative and critical discussions concerning theology, politics and the identity of the church with a focus on Church of Sweden. American theologian William T. Cavanaugh, who has made himself known as a distinct voice in the discussion of ecclesiology and politics, participated and contributes with critical and constructive reflections on the relationship between church and state. This book offers important arguments and reflections into the discussion on ecclesiology and politics that has relevance far beyond the Swedish context. Contributors: JONAS IDESTR...M, WILLIAM T. CAVANAUGH, ARNE RASMUSSON, HENRIK WIDMARK, G...RAN GUNNER, NINNA EDGARDH, ANTJE JACKELƒN, and OLA SIGURDSON.

Swedish Ecclesiology in Dialogue with William T. Cavanaugh

For the Sake of the World

Tone Stangeland Kaufman

This volume is about ecclesiology and ethnography and what really matters in such academic work. How does material from field studies matter in a theological conversation? How does theology, in various forms, matter in analysis and interpretation of field work material? How does method matter? The authors draw on their research experiences and engage in conversations concerning reflexivity, normativity, and representation in qualitative theological work. The role and responsibility of the researcher is addressed from various perspectives in the first part of the book. In the next section the authors discuss ways in which empirical studies are able to disrupt the implicit and explicit normativity of ecclesial traditions, and also how theological traditions and perspectives can inform the interpretation of empirical data. The final part of the book focuses on the process of creating “the stuff” that represents the ecclesial context under study. What Really Matters is written to serve students and researchers in the field of ecclesiology and ethnography, systematic and practical theology, and especially those who work empirically or ethnographically—broadly speaking. The book might be particularly helpful to those who deal with questions of methodology in these academic disciplines. This volume offers perspectives that grow out of the Scandinavian context, yet it seeks to participate in and contribute to a scholarly conversation that goes beyond this particular location.

Jonas Idestrom

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