Scriptures in Swedish Parliamentary Debates: A Banal Bible and a Hot Qur’an
Liljefors, Hanna LU
and Jensdotter, Linnea
LU
(2026)
In Biblical Interpretation
34(1).
p.98-119
- Abstract
- This article examines the function of scriptures in the parliament of one of the world’s most secular countries, namely Sweden, with a particular focus on the Bible. By applying Michael Billig’s thesis on banal nationalism, the article argues that references to the Qur’an in parliamentary discourse express what Billig describes as “hot” nationalism, and the references to the Bible express “banal” nationalism. Both scriptures thus function as tools to reinforce ideas on who is considered part of Swedish national identity. The study’s findings reflect Billig’s thesis, that while “banal” nationalism operates in the background, on a latent level, it is essential in order to make the “hot” nationalism logical. When hot nationalism is expressed,... (More)
- This article examines the function of scriptures in the parliament of one of the world’s most secular countries, namely Sweden, with a particular focus on the Bible. By applying Michael Billig’s thesis on banal nationalism, the article argues that references to the Qur’an in parliamentary discourse express what Billig describes as “hot” nationalism, and the references to the Bible express “banal” nationalism. Both scriptures thus function as tools to reinforce ideas on who is considered part of Swedish national identity. The study’s findings reflect Billig’s thesis, that while “banal” nationalism operates in the background, on a latent level, it is essential in order to make the “hot” nationalism logical. When hot nationalism is expressed, it is because it explicitly voices and reinforces the implicit ideological assumptions on which banal nationalism rests. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/850eef93-7c75-486f-9cc6-f0a40d8f99b1
- author
- Liljefors, Hanna
LU
and Jensdotter, Linnea
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- in
- Biblical Interpretation
- volume
- 34
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 22 pages
- publisher
- Brill
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:105039438134
- ISSN
- 0927-2569
- DOI
- 10.1163/15685152-20262006
- project
- Scripture and Secularism: Mapping the Impact of the Bible on Conceptualizations of Europe
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 850eef93-7c75-486f-9cc6-f0a40d8f99b1
- date added to LUP
- 2026-05-19 09:01:24
- date last changed
- 2026-07-08 09:59:42
@article{850eef93-7c75-486f-9cc6-f0a40d8f99b1,
abstract = {{This article examines the function of scriptures in the parliament of one of the world’s most secular countries, namely Sweden, with a particular focus on the Bible. By applying Michael Billig’s thesis on banal nationalism, the article argues that references to the Qur’an in parliamentary discourse express what Billig describes as “hot” nationalism, and the references to the Bible express “banal” nationalism. Both scriptures thus function as tools to reinforce ideas on who is considered part of Swedish national identity. The study’s findings reflect Billig’s thesis, that while “banal” nationalism operates in the background, on a latent level, it is essential in order to make the “hot” nationalism logical. When hot nationalism is expressed, it is because it explicitly voices and reinforces the implicit ideological assumptions on which banal nationalism rests.}},
author = {{Liljefors, Hanna and Jensdotter, Linnea}},
issn = {{0927-2569}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{98--119}},
publisher = {{Brill}},
series = {{Biblical Interpretation}},
title = {{Scriptures in Swedish Parliamentary Debates: A Banal Bible and a Hot Qur’an}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/15685152-20262006}},
doi = {{10.1163/15685152-20262006}},
volume = {{34}},
year = {{2026}},
}