Ledare eller tjänarinna? : En jämförande analys av diakoni och diakonissor i 1800-talets svenska kristna press

Sammanfattning

Diakonia and the deaconess were introduced as concepts and functions in Swedish churches and denominations the Lutheran Church during the nineteenth century. The aim of this essay is to examine how diakonia and the deaconess are presented, explained, and legitimized in two Christian newspapers during the nineteenth century, as well as to compare similarities and differences between these publications. The newspapers represent two different ecclesiastical orientations: the Church of Sweden tradition and the Free Church tradition. I analyze similarities and differences from both a gender perspective and a public sphere perspective. The essay clearly shows that the role of the deaconess within the territorial Church of Sweden tradition is described and explained based on the traditional Lutheran view, with the household at the center and the man as the head of the family. Within the Free Church tradition, however, the deaconess is instead portrayed as a leader with an independent role, often as a missionary. Similarly, the Church of Sweden perspective forms part of what can be described as a sub-public sphere within the general press, while the Free Church perspective assumes its own role and, in many respects, becomes a counter-public that seeks to highlight an alternative social order in which women are empowered. Keywords: Diaconia, Christian social service, Deacon, Deaconess, Christian press, 19th century