Sweden – a secular state
Sweden is a secular state, which means that the state is religiously neutral and does not favor or disfavor any religion. All religious communities are legally equal. Politicians make decisions based on democratic principles, not religious teachings.
In Sweden, it is not uncommon for people not to belong to any religion at all. The proportion of atheists and agnostics has increased steadily in recent decades and Sweden is one of the most secularized countries in the world.
The history of religious freedom
For a long time, Sweden was a religiously unified country with a strong state religion. The change towards full religious freedom was gradual.
- The Reformation 1520s: Gustav Vasa broke with the Catholic Church; Sweden became Lutheran Protestant
- The Conventicle Poster 1726: forbade religious gatherings outside the church
- 1860: Opportunity to leave the Church of Sweden - but only to join another Christian community
- 1951: Religious Freedom Act – complete freedom of religion; one can freely choose or opt out of religion
- 2000: Church and state separated; The Church of Sweden is one among many religious communities
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the country's largest religious community with approximately 5 million members (approximately 48% of the population, 2024). The church is Evangelical Lutheran and has its roots in the Reformation in the 1520s under Gustav Vasa.
- The Archbishop is the spiritual leader of the Church of Sweden; the archdiocese is in Uppsala
- The church has a democratic organization with a church meeting, diocese and parishes
- The church can marry same-sex couples; priests of all genders have long been accepted
- The Church of Sweden carries out social work, diaconia and international aid work
- Sweden has about 1,400 preserved churches and church ruins of medieval origin
Islam in Sweden
Islam is the second largest religion in Sweden. The number of Muslims is estimated at between 400,000 and 800,000 – the numbers vary depending on the definition. Most came to Sweden as immigrants and refugees from countries such as Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia and Syria.
- The first mosques in Sweden were built in the 1970s
- Muslim immigration increased sharply from the 1960s onwards
- There are Muslim denominations and mosques in all major Swedish cities
- Islam is multifaceted – Sunni, Shia and other orientations are represented
Catholicism in Sweden
Sweden was a Catholic country during the Middle Ages, but during the Reformation in the 16th century, the country switched to Lutheranism. Since the 19th century, the Catholic Church has again established itself in Sweden, mainly through immigrants.
Today, the Catholic Church in Sweden has approximately 100,000 members. Many are immigrants from Poland, Latin America and Africa.
Judaism in Sweden
Jews have existed in Sweden since the 18th century. They received full citizenship and freedom of religion in 1870. The Jewish population is approximately 15,000–20,000 and is mainly found in Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö.
Free churches
The Free Churches – the communities of the Pentecostal movement, the Baptists, the Methodists and the Salvation Army – were historically very important in Sweden and challenged the monopoly of the Church of Sweden from the 19th century. Today they are an important part of the religious landscape with strong social activities.
Buddhism, Hinduism and other religions
Through immigration from Asia, Buddhist and Hindu temples have established themselves in Sweden. There are also temples and communities for Sikhism, Bahai and many other faiths. Sweden is a multi-religious country.
Religion and discrimination
Religion is one of the seven grounds of discrimination in the Discrimination Act. It is forbidden to discriminate against anyone on the basis of religion or belief. The Discrimination Ombudsman (DO) investigates such cases.
Religious symbols such as the veil, cross and kippah are permitted in public environments, including in the workplace, unless the employer has strong material reasons for a prohibition.