The ministry dealt with matters concerning the church, education, science, culture, medical and general health care as well as poorhouses.
Attempts the reign of Gustavus Adolphus, Christina's guardian, and the Age of Liberty to establish a special central board of administration for the church and the educational institutions, the so-called Consistorium ecclesiasticum generale, failed as a result of opposition from the clergy.
But after Charles XII's death, they came again, according to the chancellery orders of 29 May 1719 and 14 June 1720, to be treated by the Kanslikollegium and were presented by the state secretary at the Inrikesexpeditionen ("Home Office").
In 1786, Gustav III separated the clerical promotion issues from the Civilexpeditionen [sv] ("Civil Office") and handed over their report to a so-called Ecclesiastical Committee (Ecklesiastikberedning).
[3] According to the royal charter of 31 March 1900 regarding the distribution of matters between the state ministries, with amendments of 30 January 1903 and 30 September 1904, matters relating to church affairs, the exercise of the priesthood, the clergy's and church service's salary rights and calculation of years of service, construction and maintenance of the church and parsonage were added to the ecclesiastical ministry; foundations and institutions for the sciences, general education and teaching with the exception partly of those belonging to the military, partly also of the special schools for the trades, which according to the said statute belong to another ministry; establishing, revoking, changing or explaining such municipal constitutions, which refer to the church or educational system; foundations and institutions for learnedness and fine arts; The National Archives and regional archives (landsarkiv); public libraries, academies and museums with the exception of those relating to land defence, naval defence or industries; foundations which does not accrue under another ministry, authority or institution.
At the same time, it required the administrative officer, whom the Royal Majesty appointed for that purpose, to prepare for presentation, on his own responsibility, the state regulations concerning matters concerning higher education, which would be submitted to the Riksdag.