Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - VI. From the Upsala-möte to the death of Charles XII. The Great Kings and the Great Bishops (1592—1718 A.D.)
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12. HARD TYPE OF RELIGION IN 17x11 CENTURY. 311
12. CONCLUSION. MILITARY CHARACTER OF THE
SWEDISH RELIGION IN THIS PERIOD. WHITE-
LOCKE S CONVERSATIONS. SVEDBERG S CRITICISM
OF THE FALSE LUTHERANISM OF HIS DAY.
Thus the external fabric of the Swedish Church was
completed, and the entire victory of Lutheran orthodoxy
seemed secure.
"
Pure doctrine," without much freedom
of thought or even feeling, was triumphant, and Luther s
subjective teaching about the individual soul s justification
by faith was turned into an intellectual assent to certain
rather abstruse theological propositions, under the pressure
of authority. Even these propositions were not developed
with any originality within the country, but accepted from
teachers mainly in the German Universities. It is im
possible not to admire those who had built up this fabric.
They were men of undaunted energy, of deep piety and of
thorough devotion to duty. They loved their country, and
hated its enemies. Many of them had been court chaplains
and field preachers in the army. They knew, and loved,
and honoured their strong kings. They dreamt of a per
manent Swedish hegemony in Northern Europe. They
hoped to spread Swedish Lutheranism all round the Baltic.
It is impossible not to see the strong military spirit which
was, through them, infused into the Church. The char
acter of mind thus fostered in the high places of the Church
is well illustrated by some remarkable conversations which
Bulstrode Whitelocke, Cromwell s ambassador to Sweden
in 1653 1654, reports as taking place between himself and
Archbishop Lenaeus and the prince, afterwards Charles X.
Whitelocke suggested to Lenaeus that his Church went
very near to claiming infallibility, and trie archbishop came
very near to acknowledging it. Karl Gustaf dwelt very
much on the danger to the State of disunion in matters of
religion. But neither of them showed any signs of admir
ing the toleration which existed (or was supposed to exist)
in England. Svedberg, who outlived the Caroline age,
and had all
through his life
something of the visionary
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