Samfundet som Guds rige – Velfærdsstater som kristne kulturarvinger

The welfare state is a current example of cultural heritage. However, it is under pressure, and various adjustments and variations are being discussed. What concept of justice and associated narratives and ideas underlie these? Through a Bildung theoretical and didactic analysis and an excerpt from a teaching resource, this article shows how different types of welfare states are influenced by different Christian denominations, which are thus actualized as both material and immaterial cultural heritage. There is a particular focus on the connection between the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard, the Lutheran doctrine of justification, and the universal welfare state model, which has established a generous principle of free services in the Nordic countries. This connection is contrasted by the Parable of the Talents and the so-called Matthew effect, which establishes an almost opposite principle of merit. The theoretical part contains a comparative analysis of the social studies curricula in Norway and Denmark, based on the Bildung views of Hans-Georg Gadamer and Richard Rorty, but is otherwise primarily founded on Wolfgang Klafki's categorical Bildung theory. Key words: cultural heritage, parables, curricula, welfare states, edification (Bildung)

Geography · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Society, and Development · Religious Education and Schools