The Swedish Church has hit out at 'fake news' after reports it had decided to stop calling God 'he' or 'Lord'. 'It is not true,' a spokesperson told The Local.

The Church of Sweden will only refer to God in gender-neutral terms, reported several of the world's biggest news outlets on Friday, saying it had made the decision in an update of its 31-year-old handbook.

"It's not true," were a spokesperson's first words when The Local called to ask.

"It's not true," repeated Sofija Pedersen Videke, head of the Church's service of worship committee, which was heavily involved in the work on the new handbook before it went before the Church Assembly.

The Church Assembly, a 251-member decision-making body, voted on Thursday with a large majority to update the handbook, which includes the Church's aim to use language that is "more inclusive".

"The old handbook is from 1986 and the new edition is much more in line with the Swedish Bible translation made in 2000," Pedersen Videke told The Local. "God is beyond 'she' and 'he', God is so much more."

"We want variation when it comes to how you express yourself, just like in the Bible."

"Everyone who wants to call God 'Lord' can remain calm. It is still there in many places in the new handbook. We have replaced 'he' with 'God' in one place, that's all," Pedersen Videke told The Local.

She said she had been fielding calls from journalists all day, and the Swedish Church also replied to several comments on its social media accounts, emphasizing that the change is not all-encompassing. Read more via the Local