Ideal och verklighet i livet som präst: En studie av lidandeprocessen hos präster som begått ämbetsbrott

Abstract

The study examines and analyses the relationship between ideals and reality in perceptions of how priests should live their lives in order to be faithful to their promises and the church’s ideals. The study covers the priest’s suffering process, and its consequences, in the event of a misconduct in office. The study is based on literature studies concerning church history with focus on canon law, suffering processes and qualitative interviews with bishop, diocesan lawyer and priests who have committed misconduct in office, with the intention of documenting the discrepancy between ideals and reality as experienced in 2022. The study is eclectic with a hermeneutic character where the ideal of Swedish church, the role of the cathedral chapter and suffering have been studied from both a historical and contemporary perspective concerning culture, society and the church.

The results show that the discrepancy between ideals and reality through the ages has been the subject of discussion where the church’s credibility is a decisive factor. Words and deeds must correspond. The cathedral chapter is a judicial body whose decision rests on the Church Ordinance and the practise of the Board of Appeal. Credibility is the foundation of the work. Legal certainty differs between dioceses. Those in office experience a changed relationship with their bishop, colleagues and friends, where peripheral relationships dissolve while close relationships last. The sufferer’s suffering undergoes various phases. The process of suffering can bring rise to a changed priest identity.

The study concludes that the Church of Sweden has several interesting areas of development linked to the discrepancy between ideals and reality.