Reforming Scandinavian Society

• Social structure and historical situation• Reformation Effects

– Theological– Political and ideological– Effects in Scandinavian Politics

• Effects in Daily Life

Social Structures

• Estates– Nobles – Clergy– Burghers– Landowning farmers

• Wealth accrues through land ownership– Rudimentary agricultural

techniques– Dairy and grains

• Sweden-Finland’s local self governance

• Denmark-Norway’s centralized municipal system

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Tenant farm in Lärbro, province of Gotland, Sweden

End of the Kalmar Union (1523)

• Kalmar Union and Hansa League• Stockholm Bloodbath 1520• Gustav Vasa King of Sweden r.

1523-1560• Sweden-Finland

– Riksdag– Hereditary monarchy est. 1540

• Denmark-Norway-Iceland– Fredrick I r. 1523-1533– Christian III r. 1534-1559

• Counts War• Balance of power with nobility

• Reformation as tool that provided leverage to monarchs

Danish King Christian II (1481-1549)

Reformation Theology• A return to theological sources justifying

reorganization of church and state• Why reformation?

– Economic greed of papacy• Sale of indulgences• Construction of St. Peter’s Cathedral begun in

1507

– Political-economic institution, rather than religious institution

• Belief, not Works– Undermines authority of those who legitimate

works– Shifts emphasis to subjective motivation, from

objective appearance

• Religious life “by the people”– Religious texts in language of people– Religious leaders chosen, rather than

appointed by bishops and popes

• 95 Theses (1517) and Letter to Pope Leo (1520)

– Critique of Rome’s Corruption– Mediation of the Church Unnecessary for

Salvation

The Monk Martin Luther (1483-1546)

Political Effects of Reformation

• Danish Realm, Reformation Est. 1537

• Swedish Realm, Reformation Est. 1593

• Church Property Transferred to Crown

• Revision of Role of Church• State takes on role as

political and spiritual authority– State church – Translation of bible into

vernacularSwedish Reformer Olaus Petri (1493-1552)

Reformation Ideology

• Cuius regio eius religio (Whoever the king, his religion)– Reformation from Above– Reformation from Below

• Melancthon—‘Prince responsible for secular and spiritual well-being of subjects’

• Example of shift in power from church to King– Christian III imprisons Danish

bishops– Appoints himself king of

Danish church 1536– Confiscates church lands

Christian III

Overview of political-ideological effects

• Denmark-Norway– Reformation Introduced 1537– Language– Church 40% => 0%– State 20 % => 50%

• Sweden-Finland– Gustav Vasa’s ideology

• Expropriation of church property– Land ownership– 5% => 30 %

• Church deprived of taxation privilege

– Petri Brothers– Language developments– Royal Politics

• Erik XIV• Johan III • Sigismund• Karl

– State Church established through reformation 1593

Gustav Vasa I

Changes in Everyday Life• Translation Into Vernacular

– Education and Reading– Danish Bible 1550– Finnish NT 1548– Swedish Bible 1541

• From Collective to Individual Organization

– Secular authority– Kings– Subjects

• Worldly flourishing tied to particular kings, as God’s representatives on earth

• New focus on individual religious practice

• Foundation for national consciousness

Finnish New Testament

Conclusion

• Refashioning of Medieval Balance of Authority – Church – Nobility – Monarchy

• Consolidation of Monarchical Power in the State• Revision of Worldview Governing Everyday Life• Foundations of modern-nation state