Award presented for educational biblical material

9.6.2026 10:44:26 | Church of Sweden | Press release

Barnens Bästa Bibel is a children’s bible with texts by Sören Dalevi, Bishop of Karlstad diocese, and pictures by illustrator Marcus-Gunnar Pettersson. Kristina Stolare, diocesan educator in Karlstad, and communications officer Maria Stenberg have produced material for preschools and compulsory schools, based on the Lgr 22 curriculum, which links to the book’s stories – from the Creation to the death of Jesus.

The material includes explanations of words and concepts, in-depth information on historical and religious contexts, and creative elements such as pictures to colour in, emotion maps and quizzes. The material (in Swedish) can be downloaded free of charge from the Barnens Bästa Bibel website: Barnens Bästa Bibel – Lärarstöd |

In its statement, the nomination group for the Church of Sweden Learning and Teaching Award writes: “Through their pedagogical work on producing supporting material for teachers regarding Barnens Bästa Bibel, Kristina Stolare and Maria Stenberg have both enabled and made available a tangible way of working with bible stories in school teaching. Through this work, they have contributed to the educational mission of teaching the stories of the bible as well as to strengthening church-school relations in the local community.”

Bishop Sören Dalevi chairs the nomination group. As the author of Barnens Bästa Bibel, he was not involved in the decision, but is pleased that this year’s award clearly focuses on the young.

“Learning and teaching concerns how we can be a church in the present and in the future,” he says. “About how we can communicate Christian faith and life to new generations in new ways. It is gratifying to be able to recognise work that is innovative while clearly forming part of a long tradition.”

The Church of Sweden Learning and Teaching Award

The Learning and Teaching Award was established by the General Synod to encourage the work of learning and teaching about the Christian faith. The award can be presented to an individual, group or parish within the Church of Sweden. It is presented every two years. The prize money is SEK 50 000. The award ceremony takes place during the second session of the General Synod in November.

Read more about the Church of Sweden Learning and Teaching Award (swedish).