Erling Eidem

Who was Erling Eidem?

Erling Eidem was a Swedish theologian who served as archbishop of Uppsala 1931–1950.

Eidem was son of Anders Magnus Andersson, a merchant in Gothenburg, and his spouse Pauline Eidem, whose maiden name he took. He received his filosofie kandidat degree from the University College of Gothenburg in 1903, his theology degree from Lund University in 1907, became licentiate there in 1912 and completed his doctorate of theology in 1918. He was docent of New Testament exegesis in Lund 1913-1924, and was assistant at Uppsala University 1918-1919. He was vicar of Gårdstånga parish 1924-1928 and professor of Biblical studies in Uppsala 1926-1928, and in Lund from 1928 until 1931, when he was elected archbishop of Uppsala. He married Elisabeth Eklund, a daughter of the theologian Pehr Eklund, dean of the cathedral of Lund and professor of church history at the university.

During the 1930s, Eidem expressed nationalist views, but kept a clear distance from the German Nazi regime and warned the Lutheran church in Germany for the prevalent anti-semitism. After the war years, Eidem was one of the churchmen who donated money to the high church St. Ansgar Foundation in Uppsala.