Faith Across Borders: The Role Of Religious Diplomacy In Building Bridges Between Cultures : A Comparative Study of Religious Diplomacy in Zimbabwe and Sweden

Sammanfattning

This thesis examines the role of religious diplomacy in building bridges between cultures through a comparative study of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches during Zimbabwe’s 2017 political transition and the Church of Sweden’s interfaith and advocacy work with migrants and refugees between 2015 and 2017. The study explores how Christian churches function as public and moral actors through dialogue, advocacy, peacebuilding, and intercultural engagement in different social and political contexts. The research is guided by the theoretical perspectives of Public Ecclesiology, public diplomacy, moral authority, and ecumenical and interfaith engagement. A qualitative comparative methodology was employed, using thematic analysis of church statements, reports, official publications, and relevant scholarly literature. The findings show that religious diplomacy is a context-dependent practice shaped by political structures, religious traditions, and social conditions. In Zimbabwe, religious diplomacy was expressed through public moral leadership, ecumenical cooperation, and calls for peace, dialogue, and constitutional order during a period of political transition. In Sweden, religious diplomacy took the form of advocacy, humanitarian engagement, and interfaith cooperation aimed at promoting human dignity, inclusion, and social cohesion within a highly secular society. Despite these differences, both churches sought to influence public life through moral authority, relationship-building, and non-coercive forms of public communication. The study concludes that religious actors continue to play an important role in promoting peace, intercultural understanding, and the common good. By comparing Zimbabwe and Sweden, the thesis contributes to a deeper and more context-sensitive understanding of religious diplomacy in contemporary society.