Griftetalet mellan trostolkning och livstydning : en pastoralteologisk studie

Sammanfattning: The aim of this thesis is, using a comparative approach, to examine the pastoral function of the funeral homily as a faith interpretation and a life interpretation in funeral services in the Church of Sweden and in the diocese of Porvoo in Finland. In the Church of Sweden, represented here by the diocese of Växjö, the diocese of Strängnäs, the diocese of Härnösand, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, represented here by the diocese of Porvoo. The thesis is based on empirical material consisting of questionnaires and funeral homilies that have been sent in. The complete material consists of 305 funeral homilies, 211 of which are from the Swedish dioceses and 94 from the diocese of Porvoo, and 439 questionnaires, of which 337 are from the Swedish dioceses and 102 from the diocese of Porvoo. Starting with the aim of using a comparative approach to examine the pastoral function of the funeral homily as an interpretation of faith and as a way towards an interpretation of life, the study examines how interpretation of faith and interpretation of life interact with the listeners’ existential questions and experiences. These existential questions and experiences can be assumed to affect the priest’s choice of which interpretations of faith are to be put into words. In the analysis of formal aspects the funeral homily is examined as a homiletic phenomenon, and its outline and language from a rhetorical point of view. The content analysis consists of a thematic examination through which the theme of the funeral homily – that is, what is being preached, – becomes apparent. It examines how the themes of death, immortality, resurrection, eternal life, nature, the picture of God and the view of humanity relate to the existential situation. The listeners’ existential questions/experiences are also examined, as are those interpretations of faith that are expressed in the funeral homily, that is to say, the dogmatic content of the funeral homily. The priests’ faith interpretations and orientation towards their listeners are examined also in relation to the general Christian- and the Evangelical-Lutheran faith perspectives. Finally, the pastoral theological analysis examines how the funeral homily functions as an interpretive element in the funeral service, that is, the funeral homily is examined in an integrated comprehensive perspective. To be able to see what chances the different perspectives of the funeral homily have to be able to function in a pastoral context, the study examines how some of the perspectives in the funeral homily interact with the priest’s interpretation of faith, the pre-funeral conversation, the liturgy, the hymns and quotations from the Bible.