The Church of Sweden’s assignment to teach : A study of theology in the assignment of teaching

This study aims to explore the understanding about teaching in the Church of Sweden through analysis of the letter of the Bishops and interviews with a teacher of the community and a priest. The study also covers which theology that comes forward in the letter of the Bishops and in everyday life for the teacher of the community and the priest. The study shows the relationship between learning and teaching as well as which theology that comes forward in that mission. A difference occurs between the terms learning and teaching that is not shared by everyone. It is shown that everyone’s own experience and beliefs is a crucial part of the teaching process in order to accomplish learning. The letter of the Bishops wants to connect teaching and learning while the informers says there is a difference. The mutual understanding is that we learn together, and that faith also is practice. The teaching going on is constantly changing in the meeting with other persons, artefacts and the context. Peoples lives and the church’s traditions are in constant motion. By being aware of the authority perspective and by working with trust it will be a great lesson and learning takes place. The theology that is created takes place in the meeting that occurs between human lifes and the tradition. There is no text or tradition that individually contains theology. The theology is created in the meeting with people. The meeting requires both people and text, neither can bring out theology on its own.