Religion in social and spiritual development : A case study on five Christian churches in Växjö, Sweden

Abstract: There are thousands of religions around the world. Religious communities are often involved in developmental spheres and for many places are the main actors, especially in developing countries, this is why their work is important. However, it is not only important in developing countries, but also in developed countries as development is vital for all people. Christianity is one of these religions. It has been the predominant religion in Sweden during the last hundreds of years. This is also the case in Växjö, where most religious communities are Christian. Using a qualitative case study mostly done through interviews, five organizations have been analysed with a focus on their work with social development. I have done a qualitative case study on the Christian communities using a “development as substantive freedom,” theory developed by Amartya Sen. The five organisations that were interviewed (Ulriksbergikyrkan, Equmeniakyrkan, Mariakyrkan, Domkyrkan and St. Michaels Catholic Church) showed how they work with the freedoms that the theory speaks about. Even though all the participants expressed actions that can be viewed as social development, none of them view it as such. In this essay I argue that this viewpoint both show an implicit social development work and internalization of a secular discourse where religion is something distinct from the public. I also argue that religion is a crucial aspect in these freedoms as it has an important role in creating a social and individual identity, which is a building block for spiritual and social development.