Swedish Mission Covenant
Encyclopedia
The Swedish Mission Covenant was formed in 1878, to unite several Swedish mission societies with “evangelical” sympathies and at the same time embrace the range of this ecumenical diversity. In Sweden, where theological structure, history, and context were provided by the Lutheran State Church, the Swedish Mission Covenant was able to weather the decades following, its brittle unity forming the very basis of the strength of the denomination to come.
Emerging from the union of several mission societies, (e.g., the Evangelical Society, the Swedish Missionary Society, the Swedish Bible Society, to name a few) the Swedish Mission Covenant was an intentioned step towards much-needed structure. Although “separatism” from the State Lutheran Church was bemoaned by these societies, it was a necessary and inevitable step to formulating a structure for the burgeoning movement of evangelicalism in Sweden. The need to perform communion and to license and ordain ministers propelled the separation forward.
The forming of the Swedish Mission Covenant was the first step in forming "Free Church" denominations in Sweden.
Emerging from the union of several mission societies, (e.g., the Evangelical Society, the Swedish Missionary Society, the Swedish Bible Society, to name a few) the Swedish Mission Covenant was an intentioned step towards much-needed structure. Although “separatism” from the State Lutheran Church was bemoaned by these societies, it was a necessary and inevitable step to formulating a structure for the burgeoning movement of evangelicalism in Sweden. The need to perform communion and to license and ordain ministers propelled the separation forward.
The forming of the Swedish Mission Covenant was the first step in forming "Free Church" denominations in Sweden.