Paper short abstract:

In the late 1800s and early 1900s there was a struggle between the principle of moderation and the principle of total abstinence from alcohol. How have the meetings between different approaches gone in religious settings in Sweden? How did the concepts of honor, dishonesty and shame apply?

Paper long abstract:

The principle of moderation within the Swedish state church required a clear condemnation of those who regularly exceeded the limits of what was considered acceptable. But even some priests drank more alcohol than the norm of moderation allowed. The popular outlook was evidently to tolerate this as long as the priest could perform his duties adequately.

Pro-temperance priests could encounter resistance in their locality. It was believed that priests who fought for abstinence could become victims of witchcraft. This could transform them from champions of temperance to abusers of alcohol. The folk narratives served as tools in the struggle against the principle of total abstinence.

In the late 1800s, religious revival movements that demanded total abstinence from alcohol instead of moderation were established in Sweden as free churches. My aim is to examine what steps the congregation took to uphold the norms within the group. Thus an informer system came into existence. When rumours about breaking of the rules became known to the leaders of the congregation, thorough inquiries were undertaken.

There were critical accounts among outsiders about Pentecostalists that some of them were able to drink a glass of beer or wine if they were invited. The condition was that no other Pentecostalist should notice. This shows that It is important to study folklore about breaking of the religious rules.