Johan Magnus Almqvist (September 6, 1799 – October 9, 1873) was a Swedish
theologian
Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...
and parliamentarian.
Biography
Almqvist was born in Stockholm, Sweden, to civil servant and vicar and Gustava Brandelius. He began his studies at
Uppsala University
Uppsala University ( sv, Uppsala universitet) is a public research university in Uppsala, Sweden. Founded in 1477, it is the oldest university in Sweden and the Nordic countries still in operation.
The university rose to significance durin ...
in 1819 and thereafter studied at
Lund University
, motto = Ad utrumque
, mottoeng = Prepared for both
, established =
, type = Public research university
, budget = SEK 9 billion Skärstad Church near Jönköping and remained so until his death. From 1844 to 1866 he was a contractual provost and member of the
Riksdag of the Estates
Riksdag of the Estates ( sv, Riksens ständer; informally sv, Ståndsriksdagen) was the name used for the Estates of Sweden when they were assembled. Until its dissolution in 1866, the institution was the highest authority in Sweden next to ...
. As a politician, he was a liberal and belonged to the opposition party within the clergy against its conservative majority. With regard to criminal law, inheritance law, schools, etc., he belonged to the reformists and voted for the representation bill in the 1865 Riksdag. He was a "staunch supporter" of
Louis Gerhard De Geer
Baron Louis Gerard De Geer af Finspång (18 July 181824 September 1896) was a Swedish statesman and writer. He was born at Finspång Castle in Risinge parish. He was a lawyer, and in 1855 became president of the Göta hovrätt, or lord justice ...
, the country's first prime minister, at the 1865 Riksdag. Almqvist also worked for the cause of
temperance
Temperance may refer to:
Moderation
*Temperance movement, movement to reduce the amount of alcohol consumed
*Temperance (virtue), habitual moderation in the indulgence of a natural appetite or passion
Culture
* Temperance (group), Canadian dan ...
and was on the 1859–1860 Riksdag committee on spirits.
In a polemic with priest
Peter Wieselgren
Peter (Per) Wieselgren, born Jonasson (1 October 1800 – 10 October 1877) was a Lutheran priest, librarian, archivist, literary historian, and leader of the Swedish temperance movement who formed the first organised temperance society in Sweden. ...
(1827) concerning the church's confessional writings, Almqvist asserted "biblical faithfulness" as opposed to "confessional faithfulness", and this biblical Christianity remained his platform during many ecclesiastical battles concerning the church constitution, the new church manual, etc., when he rejected both the church theology from Lund and the
free church
A free church is a Christian denomination that is intrinsically separate from government (as opposed to a state church). A free church does not define government policy, and a free church does not accept church theology or policy definitions fro ...
revival movements. Almqvist was also an author of theological works.
He became a member of the
Order of the Polar Star
The Royal Order of the Polar Star (Swedish: ''Kungliga Nordstjärneorden'') is a Swedish order of chivalry created by King Frederick I on 23 February 1748, together with the Order of the Sword and the Order of the Seraphim.
The Order of ...
, a Swedish
order of chivalry
An order of chivalry, order of knighthood, chivalric order, or equestrian order is an order of knights, typically founded during or inspired by the original Catholic military orders of the Crusades ( 1099–1291) and paired with medieval concept ...
, in 1862.
Almqvist married Fredrika Eneström (1800–1885) on July 7, 1830. He was the brother of politician Ludvig Teodor Almqvist.
He died in Skärstad in 1873.
Bibliography
* , 1823 British Library, Historical Print Editions
* 1827 Stockholm, Bernh. Magn. Bredberg.
* , 1829 (Stockholm, published by P. A. Norstedt & Söner)
* , 1873