13.11.4: Ecclesia

 13.11.4: Ecclesia

Finally, some religions become so well integrated into a culture and allied so strongly with their government that it is difficult to tell where one leaves off and the other takes over. In these state religions, also called ecclesia, the government and religion work together to try to shape society. Since citizenship makes everyone a member, there is no recruitment of members. For most people in the society, the religion is part of a cultural identity, not an eye-opening experience. Sweden provides a good example of how extensively religion and government intertwine in an ecclesia. In the 1860s, all citizens had to memorize Luther’s Small Catechism and be tested on it annually (Anderson 1995). Today, Lutheranism is still associated with the state, but most Swedes come to church only for baptisms, marriages, and funerals. Unlike cults and sects, which perceive God as personally involved with and concerned about people, ecclesia envision God as more impersonal and remote. Reflecting this view of the supernatural, church services tend to be highly formal, directed by ministers or priests who, after undergoing training in approved schools or seminaries, follow prescribed rituals.