Divergent Logics of Spiritual Care: End of Life and the Role of the Church of Sweden

This article addresses the role of the Church of Sweden in spiritual care for parishioners in their end-of-life phase. The frame of reference is a new geography of dying that implies that a majority of Swedes today, particularly older people, die in their local neighborhood of belonging, in fact in their parishes. Findings from a study of all parishes in two Swedish communities are presented that indicate support for dying parishioners is surprisingly uncommon, although most parishes offer support for the bereaved. A possible interpretation of these contrasting patterns is discussed. The findings indicate that divergent forms of care logic motivated the different types of support offered by the Church. Long-standing relationships with aging parishioners seemed to be at the heart of the matter.