Flodberg Circle

Last updated

The Flodberg Circle (Swedish: Flodbergskretsen) was a Swedish Christian ecumenical circle of friends with an interest in mysticism in Stockholm around the turn of the 20th century and for the next 30 years.

Contents

History

The circle gathered around lantern lighter Carl Flodberg  [ sv ] (1848–1933) and customs officer Henrik Schager  [ sv ] (1870–1934). Schager had previously been part of the Swedish Holiness Union's conference and mission school. The group met in a small room at Köpmangatan 10 in Gamla Stan, Stockholm, where they engaged in spiritual and social activities. [1] [2] Those who met were a mixed group of people from even the lowest social classes. Here they differ from Carl Henrik Bergman  [ sv ]'s mystical circle, known as the Bergman Circle  [ sv ], which it otherwise closely resembles. The Bergman Circle consisted mostly of priests and people from higher social classes, while the Flodberg Circle had a greater social breadth. Schager was, however, in contact with Bergman's circle of friends. From there, the Flodberg Circle was supplied with Christian mystical writings in new translations and editions that had not previously appeared in Swedish. [3]

The circle's mystical interest centered on the Holiness movement, Quietism and Radical Pietism.

The Flodberg Circle's most famous figure was David Petander  [ sv ], about whom at least seven books have been written and who has been called a "Swedish Francis". [4] Many in the Flodberg Circle saw themselves as his disciples. Two of these have also become famous in Swedish church history, Nils Peter Wetterlund  [ sv; de ] (1852–1928) and Hjalmar Ekström  [ sv ] (1885–1962). [5] Ekström came into contact with the circle in 1922. In 1924 and 1926, Ekström and Schager jointly published the journal Det fördolda livet ('The Hidden Life'), which included translations of writings by Christian mystics as well as their own articles. Ekström also became the pastor for many of the friends of the Flodberg Circle. [3]

Women played a crucial role in the Flodberg Circle, such as Stina Svensk, Emilia Ullstard, Elsa Nilsson, Fanny von Otter and hymnwriter Linnea Hofgren  [ sv ], all of whom were called mothers in Christ. [6]

One of the members of the Flodberg Circle, Ulrika Ljungman  [ sv ] (1906–2002), wrote a small book about the circle, Gud – och intet mer. Levnadsteckningar och brev från den mystika flodbergskretsen (Artos 1984). Swedish Pentecostal pastor Peter Halldorf has also written about it in his 1997 book Hädanefter blir vägen väglös (Trots Allt/Pilgrim), [5] and has been strongly influenced by the group's spirituality. [7]

Hjalmar Ekström's book collection was donated to the Sigtuna Foundation, where it is now available to the public. This collection gives insight into what was read in the circle. It includes a range of books from old Catholic mystics such as Madame Guyon, François Fénelon, Thomas à Kempis and Franz Xaver von Baader to Lutheran mystics such as Jakob Böhme, Carl Olof Rosenius, Søren Kierkegaard and Waldemar Rudin  [ sv; nl ]. [3]

Influence

The Flodberg Circle has had a great influence on Nordic church life. [7] For example, the founder of Brunstad Christian Church, Johan Oscar Smith, visited the Flodberg Circle in the early 1930s and took away significant influences from them.

Others from more recent times who have been influenced by the circle are Bible teacher Poul Madsen  [ sv ] and bishop Martin Lönnebo. The latter wrote both about Hjalmar Ekström (Religionens fem språk, 1975) and about Henrik Schager (En annan väg än den där mange gå, 1987). [7]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natanael Beskow</span> Swedish theologian

Fredrik Natanael Beskow was a Swedish theologian and school headmaster. He was also active as a preacher, writer, artist, pacifist and social activist. Beskow published a number of collections of sermons. He also made substantial contributions as a hymn writer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ernst-Hugo Järegård</span> Swedish actor

Ernst-Hugo Alfred Järegård was a Swedish actor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sigtuna</span> Place in Uppland, Sweden

Sigtuna is a locality situated in Sigtuna Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden with 8,444 inhabitants in 2010. It is the namesake of the municipality even though the seat is in Märsta. Sigtuna is for historical reasons often still referred to as a stad.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Signhildsberg</span> Building in Upplands-Bro Municipality, Stockholm County, Sweden

Signhildsberg is a manor that formerly was a royal estate, located in the parish of Håtuna approximately 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of the modern town of Sigtuna, by Lake Mälaren in Sweden. Although the location is nearly forgotten, it has a central role in Norse mythology, according to which it was founded by the Norse god Odin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sven-Bertil Taube</span> Swedish singer and actor (1934–2022)

Sven-Bertil Gunnar Evert Taube was a Swedish singer and actor. Internationally, he was perhaps better known for his acting career. Taube played Henrik Vanger in the film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, and the lead role in Puppet on a Chain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jan Fridegård</span> Swedish writer

Jan Fridegård, born Johan Fridolf "Fride" Johansson, was a Swedish writer of the proletarian school. Fridegård wrote a trilogy of novels about the Viking Era in Sweden : Trägudars land, Gryningsfolket and Offerrök.

<i>Among Gnomes and Trolls</i> Swedish folklore and fairy tales annual

Among Gnomes and Trolls, is a popular Swedish folklore and fairy tales annual and children's fairy tale anthology published since 1907. One of the most noted of the early illustrators is artist John Bauer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ljugarn</span> Place in Gotland, Sweden

Ljugarn is a locality on the Swedish island of Gotland, with 200 inhabitants in 2014. It is located at the east coast of the island in Ardre south of Slite. It is regarded as a popular and quiet area as well as holiday village for tourists and vacationers. Ljugarn is the oldest seaside resort in Gotland, and was formerly a port, fishing village, pilot station and the county seat of Ljugarn County. The 1.5 km (0.93 mi) long flat sandy beach, one of the longest in Gotland, is visited throughout the year. Since the early 20th century the village has had pensions, restaurants, hostels, coffee-shops and a grocery store.

There are remarkably few Bible translations into Swedish that have been made before the last two centuries. The Latin common Bible is known to have been used by the Catholic Church during the Christian part of the middle ages, but at least paraphrases in Swedish of some parts of the Bible were made at the time. However, no complete translation has been preserved, and the earliest, certainly known, complete Bible was not made until the Reformation, on commission by Gustav Vasa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kim Anderzon</span> Swedish actress

Kerstin Kristina Birgitta "Kim" Anderzon was a Swedish actress active in film and theatre.

Hjalmar Sundén (1908–1993) was a Swedish psychologist, known for his contributions to the psychology of religion and for his development of "role theory".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Carl Olof Rosenius</span> Swedish preacher and author

Carl Olof Rosenius was a Swedish lay preacher, author and editor of the monthly Pietisten from 1842 to 1868. He was one of the country's most widely-heard preachers of his day and has been described as being of "extraordinary importance for the low-church evangelical revival not only in Sweden but also in the other Nordic countries".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Göran Graffman</span> Swedish actor and film director

Eric Göran Graffman was a Swedish actor and film director from Gothenburg). He was the father of the actor Per Graffman, the director Emil Graffman and Mats Graffman.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Halldorf</span>

Peter Halldorf is a Swedish Pentecostal pastor, self-taught theologian, and writer. He is known for exploring Patristics, particularly the Desert Fathers, within a Pentecostal context. His interest has led him to be dubbed "The Pentecostal Monk" and sometimes prays in Coptic monasteries. He is a third-generation Pentecostal preacher who became interested in the Desert Fathers out of concerns Pentecostalism could fall into worldliness or shallowness. He also found an ultimate "gentleness" in much of the Desert Fathers' stories. Halldorf has both written about and been influenced by the Flodberg Circle, an early 20th-century Swedish circle of people interested in mysticism.

"Bereden väg för Herran" is a Christian hymn with lyrics by Frans Michael Franzén in 1812. Britt G. Hallqvist later rewrote the final verse lyrics. Describing Jesus coming into Jerusalem, it is a popular Advent song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Esaias Tegnér Jr.</span> Swedish linguist (1843–1928)

Esaias Tegnér Jr. was a Swedish linguist. He was professor of eastern languages at Lund University 1879-1908, lead editor of Svenska Akademiens ordbok 1913-1919, member of the Bible Commission 1884-1917, and member of the Swedish Academy from 1882 onward. Tegnér was the grandson of the well-known poet Esaias Tegnér, also his namesake, and was brother-in-law to the poet and composer Alice Tegnér.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Committee on the Constitution</span> Swedish parliamentary committee

The Committee on the Constitution (KU) is a parliamentary committee in the Swedish Riksdag. The committee's responsibilities include examining issues relating to the Swedish Constitution and Administrative laws, as well as examining the Prime Minister's performance of duties and the handling of government matters. The committee's activities are regulated by the Riksdag.

Agatha Rosenius was a Swedish hymnwriter.

The Swedish Holiness Union was a Swedish free church denomination from 1887 to 1994.

References

Notes

  1. ↑ Bogdan, Henrik; Hammer, Olav, eds. (2016). "Christian Theosophy in Sweden". Western Esotericism in Scandinavia. Leiden: Brill. pp. 142–143. ISBN   9789004302419.
  2. ↑ Halldorf, Joel (2012). Av denna världen? Emil Gustafson, moderniteten och den evangelikala väckelsen. Skrifter utgivna av Svenska Kyrkohistoriska Föreningen 2 (in Swedish). Skellefteå: Artos. p. 217. ISBN   978-91-7580-594-8.
  3. 1 2 3 "Hjalmar Ekström". Sigtuna Stiftelsen (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2023-05-25.
  4. ↑ Tägt, Nils (1996). David Petander – en svensk Franciskus: en bok om exemplets makt (in Swedish). Visby: Guteböcker. ISBN   9789187524325.
  5. 1 2 Ekström, Maja (Fall 2014). En ton från himmelen: En studie om Linnea Hofgren och mystikernas modersmål (Thesis) (in Swedish). Lund University.
  6. ↑ Halldorf, Peter (1997). Hädanefter blir vägen väglös (in Swedish). Göteborg: Pilgrim. p. 37. ISBN   9789186082567.
  7. 1 2 3 Ekström, Maja (Spring 2016). Tystnadens lovsång (Thesis) (in Swedish). Lund University.

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.