This seminar examines the possible influence from Lutheran theology and social teaching on the high-trust culture characteristic of Nordic welfare societies from an interdisciplinary perspective of social and political science, history, and theology. Scandinavians are world champions at trusting each other. They place more trust in their fellow citizens, in public authorities, and in the state than any other people in the world. In this seminar, we trace the cultural historical roots of this famous Nordic trust back into Lutheran theology and examine the possible influence of such a theologically informed trust culture on contemporary Scandinavian welfare states.

Program

Monday the 2^nd of December

10:00-10:15: Words of welcome

10:15-11:00: Hans Raun Iversen, associate professor of practical theology, University of Copenhagen: “Secular Lutheranism as common institutional and mental background for the Danish welfare state and the Danish folk church”

11:00-11: 45: Sasja Emilie Mathiasen Stopa, postdoc in systematic theology, Aarhus University: “Trusting God and his earthly masks - Unearthing the Lutheran roots of the contemporary Scandinavian trust culture”

11:45-13:00: Lunch

13:00-13:45: Ingela Naumann, senior lecturer in social policy, University of Edinburgh: "Why Swedes trust the state and Scots don't. Exploring the denominational roots of state - citizen relations in modern welfare systems"

13:45-14:30: Nina Javette Koefoed, associate professor of history, Aarhus University: “I trust you with my child. Parental use of local authorities in cases of disobedient children in 18^th century Denmark”

14:30-15:00: Coffee

15:00-15.45: Peter Graeff, professor of sociology, University of Kiel, & Gert Tinggaard Svendsen, professor of political science, Aarhus University: ”The Ethical Game: Religion, Crime and Trust in Germany”

15:45-16:30: Fredrik Thue, professor of history, Oslo Metropolitan University: “Lutheranism from above and from below – ‘Welfare professionals’ within the Nordic state/society nexus”

16:30-17:00: Common discussion

19:00: Dinner

Tuesday the 3^rd of December

9:00-9:45: Gorm Harste, associate professor of political science, Aarhus University: “Rethinking the entrusted Reason of State: How social organization was synchronized politically in the Swedish and Danish Monarchies”´

9:45-10:30: Sami Suodenjoki, university researcher in history, Academy of Finland Centre of Excellence in the History of Experiences, Tampere University: “Testimonies of sectarianism and (dis)trust: citizens approaching tsarist authorities in the context of the imperial integration policies in Finland, 1898­-1917”

10:30-10:45: Presentation of RelRes by Prof. Dr. Herman J. Selderhuis and Karla Boersma

10:45-11:15: Coffee

11:15-12:00: Svend Andersen, professor of ethics and philosophy of religion: “Trust in K.E. Løgstrup’s Lutheran Political Ethics”

12:00-12:45: Mikkel Christoffersen, postdoc in systematic theology, Copenhagen University: “Trust in institutions? From Løgstrup to Luhmann to Moltmann”

12:45-13:00 Concluding discussion and information on joint publication

13.00-14:00: Lunch

See poster here

The seminar is arranged by Gert Tinggaard Svendsen, professor of political science, Nina Javette Koefoed, associate professor of history, and Sasja Emilie Mathiasen Stopa, postdoc in systematic theology. Please direct any questions related to the seminar to teoses@cas.au.dk.