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Cemeteries as Spaces of Interreligious Encounter? : The Use of Different Types of Neutrality in the Context of Graveyards in Scandinavia

Bobrowicz, Ryszard LU orcid and Wirén, Jakob LU (2023) In International Journal of Public Theology 17(4). p.581-601
Abstract
In Scandinavia, the loss of members in established (or formerly established) churches, the rise of unaffiliated, and diverse migration led to a need for new approaches to historically Christian spaces. To create all-inclusive spaces, the idea of neutrality has been adopted. Among others, burials, and cemeteries, which are still mostly run by the national churches, have been affected by this effort. The use of neutrality in this context, however, begs the question: neutral with regard to what or to whom? This article explores the concept of neutrality in Scandinavia and studies three cases to see how it works in practice. These cases include new burial and graveyard laws in Norway, the idea of a neutral ceremony room in Denmark, and the... (More)
In Scandinavia, the loss of members in established (or formerly established) churches, the rise of unaffiliated, and diverse migration led to a need for new approaches to historically Christian spaces. To create all-inclusive spaces, the idea of neutrality has been adopted. Among others, burials, and cemeteries, which are still mostly run by the national churches, have been affected by this effort. The use of neutrality in this context, however, begs the question: neutral with regard to what or to whom? This article explores the concept of neutrality in Scandinavia and studies three cases to see how it works in practice. These cases include new burial and graveyard laws in Norway, the idea of a neutral ceremony room in Denmark, and the introduction of a neutral cemetery section in Sweden. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Scandinavia, cemeteries, neutrality, secularism, diversity
in
International Journal of Public Theology
volume
17
issue
4
pages
21 pages
publisher
Brill
external identifiers
  • scopus:85182186151
ISSN
1872-5171
DOI
10.1163/15697320-20230106
project
Begravningsplatsen i interreligiös belysning
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
522261f6-f2fb-49c3-9c1f-2b39a4cfef6f
date added to LUP
2024-01-26 13:35:19
date last changed
2024-02-11 00:48:39
@article{522261f6-f2fb-49c3-9c1f-2b39a4cfef6f,
  abstract     = {{In Scandinavia, the loss of members in established (or formerly established) churches, the rise of unaffiliated, and diverse migration led to a need for new approaches to historically Christian spaces. To create all-inclusive spaces, the idea of neutrality has been adopted. Among others, burials, and cemeteries, which are still mostly run by the national churches, have been affected by this effort. The use of neutrality in this context, however, begs the question: neutral with regard to what or to whom? This article explores the concept of neutrality in Scandinavia and studies three cases to see how it works in practice. These cases include new burial and graveyard laws in Norway, the idea of a neutral ceremony room in Denmark, and the introduction of a neutral cemetery section in Sweden.}},
  author       = {{Bobrowicz, Ryszard and Wirén, Jakob}},
  issn         = {{1872-5171}},
  keywords     = {{Scandinavia; cemeteries; neutrality; secularism; diversity}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{12}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{581--601}},
  publisher    = {{Brill}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Public Theology}},
  title        = {{Cemeteries as Spaces of Interreligious Encounter? : The Use of Different Types of Neutrality in the Context of Graveyards in Scandinavia}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15697320-20230106}},
  doi          = {{10.1163/15697320-20230106}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}