{"id":4328,"date":"2024-07-22T05:41:41","date_gmt":"2024-07-21T21:41:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/?page_id=4328"},"modified":"2025-03-19T10:30:20","modified_gmt":"2025-03-19T02:30:20","slug":"solideogloria","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/solideogloria\/","title":{"rendered":"Soli Deo Gloria"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-ef2um4-137133cc61acae440406701b85df6470\">\n.avia-section.av-ef2um4-137133cc61acae440406701b85df6470{\nbackground-color:#f8f8f8;\nbackground-image:unset;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div id='av_section_1'  class='avia-section av-ef2um4-137133cc61acae440406701b85df6470 main_color avia-section-no-padding avia-no-border-styling  avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  avia-bg-style-scroll container_wrap fullsize'  ><div class='container av-section-cont-open' ><main  role=\"main\" itemprop=\"mainContentOfPage\"  class='template-page content  av-content-full alpha units'><div class='post-entry post-entry-type-page post-entry-4328'><div class='entry-content-wrapper clearfix'>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-bxqrak-9c5d9758ea0f0719f194155da87ad2d2\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-bxqrak-9c5d9758ea0f0719f194155da87ad2d2{\nheight:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-bxqrak-9c5d9758ea0f0719f194155da87ad2d2 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_one_full  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-bembcc-482a3503e79fc4a8225fa127eaca5ca5\">\n.flex_column.av-bembcc-482a3503e79fc4a8225fa127eaca5ca5{\npadding:70px 17% 70px 17%;\nbackground-color:#ffffff;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='flex_column av-bembcc-482a3503e79fc4a8225fa127eaca5ca5 av_one_full  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr  first flex_column_div  '     ><section  class='av_textblock_section av-8rc3os-5219c9c01087775ae3ed0f2f4cd69e93 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><h3>Soli Deo Gloria<\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; color: #a7a7a7; line-height: 16px; margin-bottom: 18px; letter-spacing: -0.002;\">July 21, 2024<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-73e6i4-2d4132487524c9d471761b501a861eb5\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-73e6i4-2d4132487524c9d471761b501a861eb5{\nheight:10px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-73e6i4-2d4132487524c9d471761b501a861eb5 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_textblock  el_before_av_textblock '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-5mayho-fba2562d5eb6af125dad4e222342da32\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-5mayho-fba2562d5eb6af125dad4e222342da32 .avia_textblock{\nfont-size:16px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-5mayho-fba2562d5eb6af125dad4e222342da32 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/CreativeWork\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p style=\"font-size: 16px; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 20px;\">\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4329 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2060\" height=\"1374\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large.jpg 2060w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-1030x687.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-1500x1000.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/soli_deo_gloria_large-705x470.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2060px) 100vw, 2060px\" \/>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-40q4ks-79e5d032feab961d74d2f6fba4be483d\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-40q4ks-79e5d032feab961d74d2f6fba4be483d{\nheight:20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-40q4ks-79e5d032feab961d74d2f6fba4be483d hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-6  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n<p>The Swedish countryside is dotted with beautiful churches and abbeys, some of them dating back almost a thousand years. The oldest trace their origins to the arrival of Christianity in Northern Europe, when the ancient Nordic religions where slowly replaced by Catholicism.<\/p>\n<p>Many of Sweden&#8217;s churches sprang up in the 16th and 17th centuries following the Reformation when Lutheranism was established as the country&#8217;s official religion. Words associated with this transformation \u2014 like <em>Soli\u00a0Deo Gloria<\/em> which called on Christians to always seek God&#8217;s glory above all else \u2014 can still be found inscribed on walls and carved into stones.<\/p>\n<p>While many of Sweden&#8217;s medieval churches continue to serve as places of worship today, regular attendance has been on a sharp decline over the last century. Today Sweden is often described as one of the least religious nations in the world. The influx of non-Christian ideas and influences has certainly played a part. But the primary reason for Sweden&#8217;s secular turn is a rejection of religious authority and the rise of a more scientific worldview.<\/p>\n<p>Sweden&#8217;s seculization is especially interesting in light of the rich cultural heritage preserved in its churches. While they served primarily as places of worship, devotion and communion, their function was not exclusively religious or spiritual. They were also vibrant civic spaces where people came together to celebrate holidays, marriages, births and deaths. They were often intimate and unpretentious, nurturing a sense of belonging, stewardship and common purpose.<\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-2a0yw0-06a991cd4417f68dcf0ce90f5c5f9718\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-2a0yw0-06a991cd4417f68dcf0ce90f5c5f9718{\nheight:20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-2a0yw0-06a991cd4417f68dcf0ce90f5c5f9718 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-7  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone wp-image-4330 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2060\" height=\"1335\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details.jpg 2060w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-300x194.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-1030x668.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-768x498.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-1536x995.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-2048x1327.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-1500x972.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/kyrkor_details-705x457.jpg 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2060px) 100vw, 2060px\" \/><\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-254sao-e2c9bd648e2b75b720686bcc2d6ec807\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-254sao-e2c9bd648e2b75b720686bcc2d6ec807{\nheight:20px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-254sao-e2c9bd648e2b75b720686bcc2d6ec807 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-8  el_after_av_hr  el_before_av_hr '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p>In the summer of 2024, I teamed up with distinguished filmmaker <a href=\"https:\/\/sv.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mattias_L\u00f6w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Mattias L\u00f6w<\/a> to document the enduring allure of these medieval churches for a forthcoming book on the subject.<\/p>\n<p>SVT, Sweden\u2019s national television broadcaster, took an interest in our work and put together a short news segment about the project. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.svt.se\/nyheter\/lokalt\/ost\/amerikansk-fotograf-dokumenterar-ostgotska-kyrkor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View the clip here<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Freely translated from the Swedish, the text of the accompanying article follows below.<\/p>\n<div  class='hr av-2e1veg-7a94629204b7b247ee1bdd2f563dc2df hr-default  avia-builder-el-9  el_after_av_hr  avia-builder-el-last '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.svt.se\/nyheter\/lokalt\/ost\/amerikansk-fotograf-dokumenterar-ostgotska-kyrkor\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft wp-image-4331 size-medium\" style=\"padding-right: 15px;\" src=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt-300x225.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt-1030x773.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt-705x529.jpg 705w, https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/07\/svt.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><em>Scott London is an American photographer and author who has worked on a wide range of projects, from photojournalism to portraiture to landscape photography.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>His Swedish roots have brought him back to work with noted filmmaker Mattias L\u00f6w. The two of them are traveling throughout Sweden documenting its medieval churches and abbeys for a forthcoming book.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cThese churches represent a vital cultural heritage,&#8221; London says. &#8220;They provide a fascinating window into medieval history and offer insight into the spiritual foundations of Swedish society.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>London and L\u00f6w are currently traveling in the \u00d6sterg\u00f6tland region of southeastern Sweden.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>\u201cIt\u2019s difficult to do justice to these churches with just images,&#8221; says Mattias L\u00f6w. &#8220;They must be experienced. We hope that the photos will inspire people to visit and experience these cultural treasures for themselves.&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-2spjto-1a7b9ba096988ba9e53ea825ff71a9b5\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-2spjto-1a7b9ba096988ba9e53ea825ff71a9b5{\nheight:200px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-2spjto-1a7b9ba096988ba9e53ea825ff71a9b5 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-10  el_after_av_one_full  avia-builder-el-last '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the summer of 2024, I teamed up with filmmaker Mattias L\u00f6w to document the enduring allure of Sweden&#8217;s medieval churches and abbeys for a forthcoming book on the subject.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4329,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"iawp_total_views":62,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4328","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4328","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4328"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4328\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4916,"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4328\/revisions\/4916"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4329"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.scottlondon.com\/photography\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4328"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}