This essay studies what has been written about Religious experience and visions both in the past and now. It deals with both the Religious experience and tries to explain how and if there is any place in the modern society for Religious visions and experience. The essay has a strong theoretical perspective to psychology of religion as presented by Anton Geels whose writings in the subject have been of one of my main sources.The study shows that people of all times and cultures have had Religious visions and the feeling of a divine experience even if this has changed because of tradition, time and place. Religious experience and visions can furthermore occur both in a spontaneous, unprepared way as well as being cultured through ascetic practice in order to facilitate the divine reception. The study also shows that Religious experience in no means is reserved for special ?chosen ones? but can occur to each and every one, no matter what class, race or position in life.

This study deals with Religious independent schools and its impact on society. The purpose of this essay has been to examine what various teachers from both Religious independent schools and public schools have for perception of Religious independent schools. The questions highlighted in the study is the teachers´ general view to Religious independent schools, teachers´ perception of the Education Act " a denominational education, but a non- denominational teaching", and what teachers believe to be segregated or inclusive.The study has consisted of five qualitative interviews with different teachers, where three of them work at Religious independent schools, while the other two teachers work in public schools.The study shows that there are prominent differences of approach to Religious independent schools. Teachers who work at Religious independent schools avert criticism of Religious independent schools and argue that teaching in Religious independent schools do not differ appreciably from the public schools. Instead can Religious independent schools serve as a good alternative to the public school.

The premise for this study is the question how we should relate to people with different Religious beliefs. The aim is to examine if an existence characterized by a Religious diversity should affect the certainty and confidence in our faith. To answer my question I have turned to the philosophers David Basinger, Mikael Stenmark, William Lane Craig and Robert McKims different views on this issue. Using an approach based on a comparative method and argument analysis I have then assessed their different opinions in the matter. Based on my own discussion of these arguments I conclude that a Religious diversity should imply a reduction in our own Religious confidence and that it should be reduced in relation to the amount of disagreement that exist between conflicting Religious perspectives in an specific case and matter.

My aim for this essay is to investigate if The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is a Religious sect, on the basis of literature and information about the Mormons organisation and their Religious standpoints. My conclusion is that Mormon Church is a Religious sect. Their organisation has several sect characteristics according to sect definitions; see for example Göran Gustafsson (2000), Mikael Rothstein (1997) and Bryan R. Wilson (1970). Other researchers in Religious studies think that the Mormon Church is not a sect but a cult.

This paper?s main goal is to study how Religious studies teachers and Religious studies teacherstudents reason concerning armed Religious conflicts, with fundamentalism and terrorism ascentral concepts. The study does this with the use of semi-structured interviews. The resultsare analyzed with a phenomenographic analysis with the interviewees? understanding of thecentral concepts being the target of the interviews.

This study is an attempt to investigate Religious perceptions and its development, function and connection to Religious practise within the Swedish extreme metal scene. This is performed mainly by a qualitative method of investigation, studying lyrical content published on a number of extreme metal albums, thereafter relating the lyrical progression to the progession of the scene as a whole and also to the development of individual Religious belief and practise.The lyrically expressed manifestations of religiosity within the extreme metal scene prove to be related to Religious practise in some cases, most visibly in the Christian parts of the scene.The study also indicates that development of Religious expression often is evident regardless of Religious preference. This development also regularly relates to an increase in musical evolution and prowess often achieved with increased age and maturity.Musically and lyrically, the extreme metal scene displays transgressive attributes which assist both individual and group in the process of creating identity, meaning and individuality.Experiencing extreme metal, in concert or in the privacy of one´s own home, can be one way of perceiving spirituality in this modern age..

This paper is based on a study of the Christian Religious school. In Sweden today, surveys have shown that there is a common fear and negative attitude towards Christian Religious schools. Despite this fact these schools increase in numbers, which makes it relevant to investigate what reasons the parents base their decision on when making Christian Religious schools their school of choice for their children. The formulation of the question in this paper is therefore based on why the parents choose to place their children in a Christian Religious school. Previous research on this topic is very scarce and poor, which makes it a relevant topic to investigate more thoroughly.

The aim of this essay is to investigate the attitudes towards religion and Religious people held by a group of Swedish high school students. The main questions are; what causes these attitudes andhow do they shape the students? encounter with religion and Religious people and in what way could Religious education help the students problematize these attitudes?The method used is a quantitative method using a questionnaire, with a Likert scale, posing different questions about religion as such, world religion and Religious people. The theoretical basis, in order to discuss the result of the questionnaire, is a gender theory and the theory of social psychology.The result of the study confirms earlier studies of youths both in Sweden and Western Europe. The result shows that there is a certain degree of negative attitudes towards religion, most of all againstIslam.

Religious congregations and social work have long been a neglected field of research. Although the number of studies have increased during the last twenty years. With a starting point in the situation in this field of research and in the current public debate in Sweden the focus of this study will be on how Christian and Muslim congregations view cooperating with the municipalities, organizations, the Religious community to whom which the congregation belongs and how the congregations view cooperating with other Religious communities. Qualitative method of research was used. Representatives of four Religious congregations was interviewed; a deacon in a congregation in the Swedish Lutheran Church, a pastor in a congregation belonging to the Mission Covenent Church of Sweden, the chairman in a the board of a Muslim congregation and volunteerleader in another Muslim congregation.

The aim of my thesis is to unveil orientalistic powerstructures in the new national curriculum for Religious studies in Swedish upper secondary schools. Western imperialism and modernistic ideals has formed the Swedish perception of what constitutes as Swedish, this perception also influences the Swedish Religious understanding. This understanding is imbedded in the national curriculum for Religious studies which enables a western hegemony to prevail..

The aim of my thesis is to unveil orientalistic powerstructures in the new national curriculum for Religious studies in Swedish upper secondary schools. Western imperialism and modernistic ideals has formed the Swedish perception of what constitutes as Swedish, this perception also influences the Swedish Religious understanding. This understanding is imbedded in the national curriculum for Religious studies which enables a western hegemony to prevail..

Private religion is a faith that isn?t practiced in an organised Religious community. Many people do not want to accept a Religious concept that is already defined. To choose a conception of faith based upon personal preferences fits some modern man better. The purpose of this thesis is to examine if it?s possible to create a personal religion and how such a process looks.

The aim of my thesis is to unveil orientalistic powerstructures in the new national curriculum for Religious studies in Swedish upper secondary schools. Western imperialism and modernistic ideals has formed the Swedish perception of what constitutes as Swedish, this perception also influences the Swedish Religious understanding. This understanding is imbedded in the national curriculum for Religious studies which enables a western hegemony to prevail..

The aim of this study was to examine how sports journalists used Religious metaphors when covering football during the time span of the study, and how the athletes were portrayed as a result of the usage. The aim was also to study if the usage differed between the two newspapers chosen for the study, one of which is a morning paper (Dagens Nyheters sport section) and one which is an evening paper (Sportbladet).To answer our questions we used a quantitative and a qualitative method, the later of the two was based on a metaphor analysis. The quantitative method consisted of a content analysis where different variables were examined. The time span of the study is articles from one year.The results show that the Religious metaphors were used in many ways. Some Religious metaphors, such as ones including the word miracle, were more prominent than others.

The aim of this paper is to describe and explain how the separation between state and church effects the power relations between state and Religious groups and organizations. Former state church, The Swedish church, is in this paper, not included in the definition of Religious groups. The reform (?stat-kyrka reformen?) took place between 1995 and year 2000.I?m examining if Religious groups had any influence on the reform. My expectation is to give a clearer picture of Religious groups and its power position in Swedish politics and society.