Cemeteries as Spaces of Interreligious Encounter? The Use of Different Types of Neutrality in the Context of Graveyards in Scandinavia

Abstract

In Scandinavia, the loss of members in established (or formerly established) churches, the rise of unaffiliated, and diverse migration led to a need for new approaches to historically Christian spaces. To create all-inclusive spaces, the idea of neutrality has been adopted. Among others, burials, and cemeteries, which are still mostly run by the national churches, have been affected by this effort. The use of neutrality in this context, however, begs the question: neutral with regard to what or to whom? This article explores the concept of neutrality in Scandinavia and studies three cases to see how it works in practice. These cases include new burial and graveyard laws in Norway, the idea of a neutral ceremony room in Denmark, and the introduction of a neutral cemetery section in Sweden.