Sweden on its guard

As a priest, what is your role within the army?

I was recruited last year as a chaplain on Gotland. This position had long since disappeared, as there was no longer a regiment on the island from 2005 to 2018. My daily life is divided between my religious work at the church in Visby, Gotland’s capital, and my work with the military. I am there to help everyone. Believers or not, the soldiers in the regiment need to talk and hear a comforting word.

How do the soldiers of the regiment view the militarization of the country?

I was raised during the Cold War, so the militarization of Sweden feels like a throwback to that period.

But this is all new for the younger generations. They grew up in a world at peace, so it is very hard for them to accept this reality. Some are afraid, but at the same time very motivated to defend our democracy, the European Union and our values.

Do you find it difficult to be a priest in a world that is preparing for war?

It’s not that complicated. The hardest part is living in a world where people threaten us and therefore it is necessary to defend ourselves.