Day 7: A Bit of Church History

A large number of Swedish-American sites are, appropriately enough, churches. For new immigrants, churches were a source of comfort and reminder of home. Members assisted these newcomers find jobs, learn English, and slowly ease into their new lives. For generations of Swedish-Americans, they served as community centers, cultural centers, and schools. In addition, many Church-based publications shared news from Sweden.

           

From the sixteenth century to the nineteenth century, it was illegal in Sweden to convert to another religion or Christian sect other than Lutheranism. When Swedish immigrants came to the U.S., they began to expand their religious perspectives to other Christian sects, such as Episcopal and Baptist. Some favored the Swedish Evangelical Free Church, which was founded in Boone, Iowa in 1884. This evangelical Christian sect places emphasis on the right of the church to self-govern. The Swedish Evangelical Covenant of America (now known simply as the Evangelical Covenant Church) was founded by Swedish immigrants who that were committed to sharing the Gospel as well as provide means for ministerial training.


There are five historical Swedish Lutheran churches in Chicago: Ebenezer, Immanuel Evangelical, Salem (a sister congregation of Immanuel Evangelical), All Saints', and Trinity Swedish Evangelical. Of the five, only Ebenezer and Immanuel Evangelical remain. The former sanctuary of Salem is now St. Jerome Croatian Catholic Church. All Saints' Lutheran Church is now Church of Christ, Presbyterian. Trinity Swedish Evangelical Lutheran has now been converted to condominiums.

Trinity Swedish Evangelical, now condominiums 

Salem Lutheran, now St. Jerome's Catholic Church

There is only one Free Church in Chicago: the First Evangelical Swedish Free Church of Chicago, which has since dropped "Swedish" from its name.