A Secular State and a Multi-Faith Country

Sweden is a secular state, meaning that the state is religiously neutral and does not take a position for or discriminate against any religion — the state guarantees everyone the right to decide for themselves whether or not they want to belong to a particular religion. Freedom of religion has not always been a given historically: for a long time the Protestant Lutheran church was the only permitted religion, and it was not until 1860 that Swedes were allowed to leave the Church of Sweden (Svenska kyrkan) — but only if they simultaneously joined another Christian denomination. The final breakthrough for religious freedom came with the Freedom of Religion Act (religionsfrihetslagen) in 1951, which made it possible for people to freely choose a religion, or to belong to no religion at all. In 2000 the state and the Church of Sweden were separated, and the Church of Sweden became one of several religious communities in society — it remains the largest Christian denomination in Sweden. According to regeringsformen, one of Sweden's grundlagar, everyone has the right to practice their religion, and no one may be discriminated against because of their faith or religious views. Religious education (religionskunskap) in Swedish schools is meant to give pupils a broad understanding of different religions, beliefs, and worldviews from around the world, with the goal of promoting understanding, tolerance, and respect for differences.

Christianity has shaped Sweden through the centuries and left many cultural traces. Membership in the Church of Sweden is declining, but many Swedes still celebrate Christian holidays such as Christmas and Easter, even if they do not consider themselves religious, and religious rituals such as baptism, church weddings, and Christian funerals are still common, even among those who do not describe themselves as believers. The role of religion in society has diminished, while religion and religious issues have received more attention in recent times. As immigration has increased, the range of religions practiced in Sweden has also grown, and today almost all of the world's religions are represented in the country.

Christianity is today the world's largest religion. In present-day Sweden there are many different Christian denominations representing different traditions and beliefs, for example the three main branches: the Orthodox churches, the Catholic Church, and various Protestant churches. The Church of Sweden has about five million members and has historical roots in the Lutheran, Protestant tradition founded in the 1500s — before that, during the Middle Ages, Sweden was a Catholic country, and there are still many old, often medieval, churches across the Swedish landscape.

The history of Judaism in Sweden can be traced back to the 1700s, when Jews first gained the right to live and practice their religion in the country. Antisemitism was long widespread across Europe, and it was not until 1870 that Jews received full civil rights in Sweden. Judaism is today the smallest of the world religions in Sweden, with several Jewish congregations and synagogues in present-day Sweden offering different ways to practice Jewish faith and culture, and which play an important role in preserving and promoting Jewish tradition and community.

Contact with Hinduism and Buddhism in Sweden began mainly during the 1900s, partly through travel to Asia and growing interest in meditation and yoga; today Hindus and Buddhists are found mainly among immigrants from countries where these religions are widespread, and there are both Buddhist and Hindu congregations and temples in various places in Sweden. In the early 1900s there were only a small number of Muslims in Sweden — it was not until after the Second World War that the number of Muslims increased through immigration, and Sweden's first mosque was built during the 1970s. Islam is now the second-largest religion in the country, with mosques and prayer facilities throughout Sweden. Swedish Muslim congregations and organizations reflect several different currents and traditions within Islam, such as Sunni and Shia, and offer prayer, teaching, and community.