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Biskop Jonzon och kyrkoherden för samer - En studie av bakgrunden för tjänsten som kyrkoherde för samerna

Granstedt, Olof LU (2018) KRMK10 20181
Centre for Theology and Religious Studies
Joint Faculties of Humanities and Theology
Abstract
In Sweden the Sami people is a national minority of indigenous people. Traditionally they are
living in northern Sweden but can be found all over the country. The Church of Sweden has a
long tradition of giving church services using the native Sami language in the Swedish part of
Sapmi, the Sami people name of their land. The problem of recruiting Sami speaking clergy
has always been great and different solutions has been tried. In the 1950’s Bishop Bengt
Jonzon instituted a position as vicar for the Sami people, “kyrkoherde för samer”, in the
diocese of Luleå with responsibility for church services in Sami language for all Sami people
in Sweden. It was not a territorial parish, but the work of the vicar should be coordinated and
... (More)
In Sweden the Sami people is a national minority of indigenous people. Traditionally they are
living in northern Sweden but can be found all over the country. The Church of Sweden has a
long tradition of giving church services using the native Sami language in the Swedish part of
Sapmi, the Sami people name of their land. The problem of recruiting Sami speaking clergy
has always been great and different solutions has been tried. In the 1950’s Bishop Bengt
Jonzon instituted a position as vicar for the Sami people, “kyrkoherde för samer”, in the
diocese of Luleå with responsibility for church services in Sami language for all Sami people
in Sweden. It was not a territorial parish, but the work of the vicar should be coordinated and
integrated in agreement with the local territorial parishes.
This paper will investigate why Bishop Jonzon did this organizational change in the diocese
of Luleå at that time. The work is done as Narrative Analyses applied on Jonzon´s
investigation in the past and present situation for church services dedicated for the Sami
people, his records from the bishopric, his pastoral letter, his diary and other writings and
archive material from his life as well as the biography about him written by his son.
References are made to present documents within the Swedish church. As this is a Protestant
Lutheran church, references are also made to its creed and the ordination promise for its
bishops and clergy. At ordination they promise that the Holy word shall be presented clear
and true in a way understandable by the people. Luther had the idea that this can best be made
by using the mother tongue.
The official view on the laps, which was how the Sami people was called around year 1900,
was that they should either be fully assimilated in the Swedish society by abandoning all their
Sami identity and speak only Swedish or remain as a separate group managing their reindeers
in the mountain area and living in their Lapp cots and not taste the ordinary Swedish lifestyle
according to the “Lapps should be Lapps” (“lapp skall vara lapp”) -policy.
Bishop Jonzon presents his view on the culture and traditions of the Sami people that it is of
great value for Sweden and that it would be a big loss if lost for ever. He also initiated and
promoted the Sami Folk High School and the Sami hand craft development to strengthen the
Sami identity.
The finding is that Bishop Jonzon as Pastor Pastorum wanted to give the possibility for a vicar
for the Sami people (en kyrkoherde för samer) to develop a higher competence in Sami
language by frequent use of the it and understand the Sami context well thereby giving better
services and at the same time finding the work more rewarding. It is also a way to live up to
the Lutheran creed and the ordination obligation to present the Holy word clear and truthful
and in a way well understood by the Sami people. (Less)
Popular Abstract (Swedish)
Biskop Bengt Jonzon i Luleå stift instiftade en tjänst som kyrkoherde för samer på 1950-talet. Författaren beskriver bakgrunden till detta baserat på publikationer av biskop Jonzon, en biografi av hans son Bror Jonzon samt diverse arkivmaterial. Slutsatsen är att tjänsten ger innehavaren bättre möjligheter att utveckla sim språkliga kompetens samt att genom att använda samernas modersmål bättre uppfylla reformationens målsättning att klart och tydligt förkunna Guds ord för samerna. De förändringar som skett i samhället avseende skolgång och bosättningsmönster vilka påverkats av vattenkraftens och gruvnäringens expansion samt motorismen framväxt drev på denna utveckling. Biskop Jonzon ville bidraga till att säkerställa den samiska kulturens... (More)
Biskop Bengt Jonzon i Luleå stift instiftade en tjänst som kyrkoherde för samer på 1950-talet. Författaren beskriver bakgrunden till detta baserat på publikationer av biskop Jonzon, en biografi av hans son Bror Jonzon samt diverse arkivmaterial. Slutsatsen är att tjänsten ger innehavaren bättre möjligheter att utveckla sim språkliga kompetens samt att genom att använda samernas modersmål bättre uppfylla reformationens målsättning att klart och tydligt förkunna Guds ord för samerna. De förändringar som skett i samhället avseende skolgång och bosättningsmönster vilka påverkats av vattenkraftens och gruvnäringens expansion samt motorismen framväxt drev på denna utveckling. Biskop Jonzon ville bidraga till att säkerställa den samiska kulturens överlevnad genom språkets användning, stöd till samisk hantverkstradition och etablerande av en folkhögskola. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
@misc{8953349,
  abstract     = {{In Sweden the Sami people is a national minority of indigenous people. Traditionally they are
living in northern Sweden but can be found all over the country. The Church of Sweden has a
long tradition of giving church services using the native Sami language in the Swedish part of
Sapmi, the Sami people name of their land. The problem of recruiting Sami speaking clergy
has always been great and different solutions has been tried. In the 1950’s Bishop Bengt
Jonzon instituted a position as vicar for the Sami people, “kyrkoherde för samer”, in the
diocese of Luleå with responsibility for church services in Sami language for all Sami people
in Sweden. It was not a territorial parish, but the work of the vicar should be coordinated and
integrated in agreement with the local territorial parishes.
This paper will investigate why Bishop Jonzon did this organizational change in the diocese
of Luleå at that time. The work is done as Narrative Analyses applied on Jonzon´s
investigation in the past and present situation for church services dedicated for the Sami
people, his records from the bishopric, his pastoral letter, his diary and other writings and
archive material from his life as well as the biography about him written by his son.
References are made to present documents within the Swedish church. As this is a Protestant
Lutheran church, references are also made to its creed and the ordination promise for its
bishops and clergy. At ordination they promise that the Holy word shall be presented clear
and true in a way understandable by the people. Luther had the idea that this can best be made
by using the mother tongue.
The official view on the laps, which was how the Sami people was called around year 1900,
was that they should either be fully assimilated in the Swedish society by abandoning all their
Sami identity and speak only Swedish or remain as a separate group managing their reindeers
in the mountain area and living in their Lapp cots and not taste the ordinary Swedish lifestyle
according to the “Lapps should be Lapps” (“lapp skall vara lapp”) -policy.
Bishop Jonzon presents his view on the culture and traditions of the Sami people that it is of
great value for Sweden and that it would be a big loss if lost for ever. He also initiated and
promoted the Sami Folk High School and the Sami hand craft development to strengthen the
Sami identity.
The finding is that Bishop Jonzon as Pastor Pastorum wanted to give the possibility for a vicar
for the Sami people (en kyrkoherde för samer) to develop a higher competence in Sami
language by frequent use of the it and understand the Sami context well thereby giving better
services and at the same time finding the work more rewarding. It is also a way to live up to
the Lutheran creed and the ordination obligation to present the Holy word clear and truthful 
and in a way well understood by the Sami people.}},
  author       = {{Granstedt, Olof}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Biskop Jonzon och kyrkoherden för samer - En studie av bakgrunden för tjänsten som kyrkoherde för samerna}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}