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536
iv. education and . mental culture.
11. SCIENCE.
The summary review here presented of the historical development in
Sweden of particular branches of Science, obviously cannot pretend to be
in any way exhaustive, but has as its object only to indicate the most
distinctive features. As regards investigators and scientific men still
pursuing their studies the significance of their work can only be presented
imperfectly, inasmuch as a complete appreciation it is necessarily a matter
of the future. ■— As to the order in which the different sciences are taken,
it practically corresponds to the old division into faculties adopted at the
Swedish universities.
Theology.
The intellectual movement which started into life in Sweden during the
Middle Ages was there, as elsewhere, connected with the Church, and the
Swedish scholars resorted for intellectual nourishment to foreign universities and
ecclesiastical literature. The most eminent Swedish theologian of the times was
Canon Mattias of Linköping (d. 1350), who compiled voluminous works in
exegesis and dogmatic for the benefit of the priests. St. Bridget or Birgitta
(d. 1373) was his pupil. Her "Revelations" (religious writings of practical
tendency and great ethical power) were widely disseminated even outside Sweden;
they were not merely read for edification: they were also enlisted in the
agitation in favour of church reform.
The theological work of the Reformation period is represented primarily
by Olaus Petri (1493—1552), who interpreted Luther’s thoughts to the Swedish
public in a simple and independent manner, and his brother Laurentius Petri
(1499—1573); their work was mainly of a practical ecclesiastical character. The
Swedish translation of the Bible (the New Testament in 1526; the whole Bible
in 1541) was one of the foremost translations of the time, and has exercised a
great influence on the Swedish language and culture.
During the Period of Orthodoxy (17th century) the Lutheran theology of
Germany was, on the whole, adhered to. From the beginning of the century
the famous bishops, J. Rudbeckius (1581—1646), and L. Paulinus Gothus (1565—
1646) should be named as representatives of the Swedish theology of the period;
the latter wrote, among other works, an Ethics ("Ethica Christiana") in 7
volumes. J. Matthiae (1592—1670) was the exponent of Syncretism in the middle
of the century, 0. Laurelius (1585—1670) represented Orthodoxy, which gained
the day. Theological activity during this period was to a great extent devoted
to cathechetics. The Revision of the Bible resulted, owing to the scruples of
the orthodox, merely in a new edition (1703) of the old translation.
Among the prominent scholars of the first half of the 18th century were
several eminent ecclesiastics, such as the bishops E. Benzelius the Younger (1675
— 1743) and A. Rydelius (1671—1738), the first great Swedish thinker. Sven
Bcelter’s (1713 — 60) work or liturgy is a masterpiece of its kind. A. Nohrborg’s
(1725—67) book of homilies is founded on, and imparts, sound dogmatic views.
Rationalism brought forth in Sweden no work of any great importance. A place
apart is assumed by the writings of E. Swedenborg (1688—1772), "Arcana
coelestia", and others.
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