Helge Ljungberg
Helge David Ljungberg (25 November 1904 – 24 November 1983) was a Swedish religious historian and Bishop of Stockholm from 1954 to 1971.
The Right Reverend Helge Ljungberg | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Stockholm | |
 Helge Ljungberg (right) installs Arne Branderud as vicar of Brännkyrka in 1957. | |
| Church | Church of Sweden |
| Diocese | Stockholm |
| In office | 1954–1971 |
| Predecessor | Manfred Björkquist |
| Successor | Ingmar Ström |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 25 November 1904 |
| Died | 24 November 1983 (aged 78) Stockholm, Sweden |
| Buried | Danderyd Church Cemetery |
| Nationality | Swedish |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| Parents | David Ljungberg, Hilda Jansson |
| Spouse | Ruth Sterner |
| Children | 3 |
Early life and education
Ljungberg was born in Enköping in Uppsala County, Sweden, the son of David Ljungberg, a priest, and Hilda Jansson.[1] His sister was the politician Blenda Ljungberg.
At Uppsala University he earned Bachelor of Arts degrees in philosophy in 1926 and theology in 1928, and a doctorate in theology in 1938 with a dissertation on the Christianisation of Scandinavia.[1]
Academic career
From 1938 to 1950, Ljungberg was a docent in the history and psychology of religion at Uppsala University.[1] He was a scholar of Swedish pre-Christian religion and published several books on the subject, including in 1980 the popular work Röde Orm och Vite Krist (Red Serpent and White Christ). He became a member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Uppsala in 1958.[1]
Career in the church
In 1947 he became a vicar at Oscar's Church, and in 1950 pastor of Engelbrekt Parish, both in Stockholm. He also served as a military chaplain. In 1954 he was appointed Bishop of Stockholm.[1] In this capacity, in 1960, he ordained one of the first three woman priests in the Church of Sweden, Elisabeth Djurle.[2] He edited the magazine Vår Lösen from 1941 to 1951 and headed the organisation Pro Fide et Christianismo from 1974 to 1983.[1]
Personal life and death
Ljungberg married Ruth Sterner in 1928; they had two sons and a daughter.[1] He died on 24 November 1983 and was buried in the cemetery of Danderyd church.[3]
Selected publications
- Den nordiska religionen och kristendomen (1938; doctoral dissertation)
- Fornnordisk livsåskådning (1943)
- Ansgar och Björke (1945)
- Hur kristendomen kom till Sverige (1946)
- Tor I (1947; first volume of a projected series on Thor and other thunder gods)
- Herdabrev till Stockholms stift (1954; pastoral letters)
- Röde Orm och Vite Krist (1980)
References
- "LJUNGBERG, HELGE D", Vem är Vem? Stor-Stockholm, 1962 ed. (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 1 November 2021.
- "Prästvigda kvinnor 50 år!", Svenska kyrkan, 9 April 2010, (in Swedish). Archived from the original on 12 October 2015.
- "Ljungberg, Helge David", Svenska Gravar, retrieved 24 December 2021 (in Swedish).
- Bra Böckers Lexikon, 1977
