Always too Much, and Never Enough? Nordic Laws and the Bible

This article examines the complex relationship between the Bible and Nordic law, focusing on its evolving legal reception in increasingly secular societies. Once foundational to legal and social frameworks, the Bible’s role in Nordic law today is fragmented and context-dependent. Drawing on examples from hate speech law, religious community regulations, asylum cases, and protections for sacred materials, the article explores how the Bible operates as an object of veneration, a source of internal rules for religious communities, and a contested text in legal debates. Unlike the “liberal” or “cultural” Bible identified by scholars like Yvonne Sherwood, the “legal Bible” lacks coherence, reflecting the displacement of its authority in modern jurisprudence. While still relevant in specific contexts, such as asylum claims or religious freedom, the Bible is no longer central to legal regulation but is treated as one of many religious texts subjected to legal scrutiny. Nordic law, thus, engages with the Bible pragmatically rather than reverentially

Biblical studies · Legal culture · Legal history · Religious community · Historical Legal Studies and Society · Media, Religion, Digital Communication · Religion and Society Interactions