ABSTRACT
This chapter is based on a research project called “Singing the Lord’s Song in a Strange Land: African 1 Churches in Sweden between Segregation and Integration”, funded by Sweden’s Central Bank, Riksbankens Jubileumsfond. It is a study of the migrant churches and Christian communities established by African immigrants that are found all over Sweden. At the time that this study started, little was known about African churches in Sweden, therefore, one of the aims is to fill this lacuna and shed some light on the proliferation of African Christian communities and examine the role of these churches in the integration of African immigrants into the Swedish society. In order to do this, using ethnographic methods, we conducted research across a wide variety of religious groups and communities across Sweden. During the fieldwork, 27 churches, groups and fellowships were followed closely between 2008 and 2012. In addition to these, frequent visits were made to other groups and church projects and activities organized by or for African migrant Christians. This chapter will focus on how the emerging African Christian communities in Sweden interrogate the migration situation through their understanding of being accommodated in the Swedish religious space. To illustrate this, we use data obtained in three African churches: Immanuel International Fellowship at Immanuel Church (part of former Mission Covenant Church or Svenska Missionskyrkan) in central Stockholm, Smyrna International Church “connected” with Smyrnakyrkan (Pentecostal Church) in Gothenburg and Grace Connection hosted by Pyngstkyrkan (Pentecosatal Church) in Uppsala.
