The Bishop of Strängnäs

The origin of the Christian use of the word lies in the Bible, which regards a bishop as a kind of spiritual overseer. The Bishop exercises oversight, over and cares for the life of the whole diocese. His/her main task is to proclaim the Gospel in word and deed, in such a way as to make the Love of God visible in the world.

Included in the tasks of the bishop is also to inspire priests, deacons and all the people of God in their calling and to ordain deacons and priests.

The bishop also represents the Church in wider community.
The Bishop chairs both the Chapter and the Diocesan Board.

Bishop Johan F Dalman

Bishop Johan F Dalman was born in 1960 in Gothenburg. In the 1980's, Dalman studied theology, art history and philosophy in the University of Uppsala. In 1989 he presented his Doctoral thesis God's address as beauty. The theological aestetics of the third Earl of Shaftsbury. 1990-1991 he conducted further research at Harris Manchester College, Oxford.

Johan Dalman was ordained priest in the Church of Sweden for the archdiocese of Uppsala in 1990 and served in the parish of Enköping from 1991. In the period 1994-2000, he was Secretary for Theology in Church of Sweden before his interest in literature made him take the position as Publisist in Verbum AB, where he worked 2000-2003. Between 2003 and 2008 Johan Dalman came back to the national level in the Church of Sweden as responsible for the Ecumenical department, where he, among other things, was the chairman in the dialogue between Church of Sweden and the Swedish Mission Church. Since 2008, he has been the Dean of Strängnäs and the initiator of the project Domkyrkans framtid - The future Cathedral, with the purpose of making the Cathedral of Strängnäs a spot of interest not only for the parishes of the Diocese, but also for the locals in Strängnäs.  

Johan Dalman has participated in several publications. A most dear subject for Dalman's later writings and speaches is the Universe of the Frälsarkransen, a transformed rosary, invented by the former bishop in Linköping Martin Lönnebo, that Dalman has presented in Frälsarkrasen - Pärlor för livet (Verbum 2015).  

In the spring of 2015, Johan Dalman was elected the 58th bishop in the history of the diocese and was ordained bishop on September 6th.