In the Nordic welfare states, the professions play a central role as gatekeepers of rights, as educators of democratic and liberal values, and as practitioners of professionalised care for the vulnerable and needy. In Anglo-Saxon professional theory, doctors and lawyers have had a paradigmatic status. In my current project, I seek instead to understand the modern Norwegian welfare professions in the light of the Lutheran pastoral role in (Denmark) Norway as it developed from the Reformation to the "civil revolution" of the 19th century, with a vibrant religious and philanthropic organisational life. I concentrate primarily on the three care- and education-oriented professions of teacher, nurse and social worker, all of which can be understood as historical "offshoots" of various aspects of the diverse Lutheran priestly role, while at the same time exhibiting some striking parallel characteristics and functional similarities with it. In this lecture, I will present some key points of this historical reasoning and discuss some implications for the controversial issue of "Lutheranism and the welfare state".

Follow new projects ”in the making”.

Scholars will in LUMEN’s Lecture Series talk about the thoughts behind their ongoing projects.
The 45 min lecture will be followed by a discussion and a glass of wine. 

Students are very welcome!

For a zoom link to this lecture contact teobh@cas.au.dk.