Until recently, the largest Scandinavian country was among the most welcoming to refugees from Syria and elsewhere. Now, as border controls are tightened and the political rhetoric turns nasty, Swedish church leaders are challenging the Government’s unimaginative response towards the end of 2015, Swedish volunteers and charity workers spontaneously came to the assistance of thousands of refugees arriving at the central stations of Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm. Then, they were praised for their initiative, courage, hospitality and generosity. Now the stations have gone quiet and the public attitude is no longer so welcoming.On 4 January, the Swedish Government reintroduced border checks in the Oresund region, and Denmark quickly followed suit, leading to a significantly smal