För rikets bästa och människors salighet - Skriftermålets utformning och betydelse 1571–1718

Sammanfattning: Title: For the benefit of the realm and the bliss of the people. The structure and significance of the confession, from the Church Order of 1571 to the Church Law of 1686 and Church Manual of 1693. The confession played a central role in Sweden during the 17th century. The only way for a Christian person to reach salvation and eternal life was through confession. Further on, confession served as a tool to keep the realm in peace and out of Gods anger. During this time, the confession was a multifaceted phenomenon. The confession could be between God and the sinner, between the sinner and another person, a common ritual in the congregation, or a sinner could confess in front of the whole congregation. The confession is a complex and central ritual during the 17th century and it played a vital role in people’s daily lives, as well as in governing decisions. The focus of this thesis is the view on sin and confession in Sweden during the 17th century. I seek to answer the question: How is the relation between the disciplinary and pastoral dimensions of the confession, and the view of sin, formed and expressed over the timespan covering the Church Order of 1571, the Church Law of 1686 and the Church Manual of 1693? The thesis begins with an outline of the development of the views on confession between the Church Order of 1571 and the Church Law of 1686. The chapter provides an analysis of the differences between the two documents and of the developments over the timespan. In the two following chapters I analyse the development of confession from the perspective of the understanding of sin in the 17th century. The analysed material consists of printed sermons, the Hymnbook, the Prayer Book and the Church Manual. The last chapter is a summary and a discussion on the complexity of the use of confession during that time, as well as the important role the confession played for the whole society in Sweden. Faith, and the theological view on sin played a vital role for people in the 17th century.