Between the State and the Eucharist

"e;In the world, but not of the world"e;--this has been the motto of the Free Church tradition. But to what extent can freedom and independence from "e;the world"e; be realized in modernity, and how have these churches fared so far? These are the questions with which this book wrestles. The particular focus is Sweden, where a state-facilitated hypermodernity has created what some call "e;the most modern nation in the world."e; The Swedish free churches have in many ways succumbed to the pressure of the modern welfare state and as a consequence lost their distinctive voice. The argument of this book is that the rediscovery of practices left behind might be a way for these churches to recover a solid, particular, and deeply Christian identity. In dialogue with William T. Cavanaugh, the authors argue for a return to concrete, social practices: asceticism, table grace, written prayers, a turn to tradition, and the Eucharist. Here are lost treasures that might prove invaluable for the modern church at large, with her dual citizenship in the modern nation-state and the kingdom of heaven.