Deacony is one of the main responsibilities of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland according to the Finnish Church Law

Raija Pyykkö 28.3.2006

23^rd Nordic Sociological Conference

Turku, 18.-20.8.2006

THE REFORM OF PARISH DIACONAL WORK – REDEFINING THE DIVISION OF LABOR OF THE CHURCH´S OCCUPATIONS

The aim of my dissertation is to study the jurisdiction of parish diaconal work. The theoretical base is Andrew Abbott´s (1988) interactionist theory of the system of professions. According to Abbott each profession is bound to a set of tasks by ties of jurisdiction. Professions are constantly changing, negotiating and competing for their jurisdictions within a system. They are constantly redefined in the legal system, public opinion and in the workplace. Changes in the jurisdiction of an occupation are made by redefining the boundaries between occupations. The boundaries create entities. I use the concept “boundarywork” - which was originally developed within the sociology of science – to show the processes which create, maintain and break down boundaries between the different occupations (Gieryn 1983).

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is undergoing a process called the diaconate process, whereby the division of labour of the church´s occupations is redefined. I have analysed the committee report Palvelijoiksi vihityt (2000) and the statements about the report. The committee preparing the reform proposes that a special ministry of service should be set up within the church´s particular, spiritual ministry. The new ministry of service, to be known as the diaconate, would include the offices of deacon, and cantor as well as the offices in the field of educational work. These occupations would have the rights to assist at Holy Communion, to preach at services, and have same rights that ministers have in church ceremonies and in administration. I have asked how the jurisdiction of parish diaconal work is seen in these documents and what kind of arguments are being presented. In my presentation I am going to concentrate on the boundarywork through which the documents are defining the diaconate. Which occupational groups are included within the diaconate and through what kind of arguments? The documents have different kinds of views about the occupations that should be included in the diaconate.

In the discussion about the reform of the diaconate there is a discussion about the borderline between the occupation of deacon and the clergy and between the occupation of deacon and the occupation of youth workers. Diaconal workers and youth workers are said to have a similar education and work.