När skyddsrum blir värn mot bomber blir Gud värn för människor : En studie av ukrainska flyktingars religiositet

Sammanfattning: This interview study examined the religiosity of eight Ukrainian refugees. The aim of the bachelor thesis was to study how religiosity and religious commitment are affected as a result of war and flight. The data was collected through eight semi-structured interviews and then analyzed based on previous research and theories, like Charles Glock´s theory of deprivation and Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmanns theory of plausibility structure. The results of the study showed that no one lost their faith in God due to the war, the escape and the arrival in Sweden. For some of the refugees, faith in God had become stronger and religious commitment had increased. This can be explained by the theories about deprivation and change in plausibility structure. The distinguishing feature of the study was that the bomb shelters in Ukraine became a place for faith in God, even for people who had not been religious believers before. The confined place, the physical proximity to other people, the collective in prayer created an important community for the affected people. People who were not believers before the war did not develop a religious faith after the escape. The conclusion of the study was that faith in God becomes tangible in war-torn situations where people fear for their lives. Religious affiliation and community was important for the Ukrainian refugees and was shown for example through increased church involvement in Sweden to find comfort and meaning.