Sweden has long had the reputation of being a super-secular nation. Less than 3% of the population attends church. But, within the last few days, it seems that God has made His presence known in Sweden.

It all began when a Swedish hotel guest checked into his room and found that the room was outfitted with a copy of the New Testament. He protested to the hotel chain. The chain ordered all Bibles removed from their hotels. A conservative bishop called for a boycott of the hotel’s chain. A former young radical who is now a devout Christian and host of a popular talk show denounced the hotel’s action in newspaper columns and on television. A young Evangelical Christian organized an electronic letter-writing campaign, asking the hotel chain to justify its action in banning the Bible while running ads for pay porn.

The Scandic hotel chain bowed to the pressure. It put the Bible back into guest rooms.

Forwarding the News

Thoughtful, balanced reporting from the Forward and around the web, bringing you updated news and analysis each day.

Terms(Required)

I agree to the Forward's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

Email(Required)

All this has been going on in a nation that made history when it announced that it had “a third way” to go in the battle between socialism and capitalism. In essence, it proposed to accept the capitalist concepts of production and exchange while pressing for the socialist concept of national income distribution.

Sweden was doing very nicely until in the post-World War II era world manufacture went global. Products once “made in Sweden” were now being made in China and India for Swedish companies.

Sweden found itself in a hole. And, as the old saying goes, there are no atheists in a foxhole. When nothing seems to work, people turn to prayer.

A message from our Publisher & CEO Rachel Fishman Feddersen

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning, nonprofit journalism during this critical time.

The coming year promises to be filled with more complex and historic developments. We are entering an era where independent, fact-based Jewish journalism will be more important than ever. We need to be ready for whatever 2025 will bring, and with your help, we can be.

We’ve set a goal to raise $260,000 by December 31. That’s an ambitious goal, but one that will give us the resources we need to invest in the high quality news, opinion, analysis and cultural coverage that isn’t available anywhere else.

If you feel inspired to make an impact, now is the time to give something back. Join us as a member at your most generous level.

—  Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO

With your support, we’ll be ready for whatever 2025 brings.

$36 $500

$120 $180 Other amount