reforming scandinavian society social structure and historical situation reformation effects...
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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