The Church of Norway (Den norske kirke in Bokmål or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk), also known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway, is the state church of Norway, to which 83%[1] of Norwegians are members. The Church of Norway professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. Crest of the Church of Norway This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... BokmÃ¥l (lit. ... Nynorsk (literally New Norwegian) is one of the two officially sanctioned orthographic standards of the Norwegian language, the other being BokmÃ¥l. ... See also civil religion. ... The Lutheran movement is a group of denominations of Protestant Christianity by the original definition. ... Topics in Christianity Movements · Denominations · Other religions Ecumenism · Preaching · Prayer Music · Liturgy · Calendar Symbols · Art · Criticism Important figures Apostle Paul · Church Fathers Constantine · Athanasius · Augustine Anselm · Aquinas · Palamas · Luther Calvin · Wesley Arius · Marcion of Sinope Archbishop of Canterbury · Catholic Pope Coptic Pope · Ecumenical Patriarch Christianity Portal This box:      Christianity is... The Porvoo Communion is an agreement between 12 European Protestant churches establishing full communion. ...

Organization

The dioceses of the Church of Norway

Country church in Sogn, Norway

The Church of Norway is established as the state church of Norway in the Constitution of Norway, and its constitutional head is the reigning monarch of Norway, who is obliged to profess himself/herself to the Lutheran faith. It is subject to legislation and budgeting passed by the Norwegian parliament, Stortinget and its central administrative functions is carried out by the Royal Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs. Image File history File links Dioceses_Church_of_Norway. ... Image File history File links Dioceses_Church_of_Norway. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2262x3356, 885 KB) Country church in Sogn,9tioiudhiuihu89u dhjkkkkkkkkkkkkuthyiu8 hjgfj gfjgfj fgj gfj j gjfgj gfj gj File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (2262x3356, 885 KB) Country church in Sogn,9tioiudhiuihu89u dhjkkkkkkkkkkkkuthyiu8 hjgfj gfjgfj fgj gfj j gjfgj gfj gj File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Constitution of Norway was first adopted on May 16, 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll (a small town north of the countrys capital, Christiania), then signed and dated May 17. ... This article is a list of rulers of Norway up until the present, including: The Norwegian kingdom (with the Faroe Islands) The Union with Iceland and Greenland (1262-1814) The Norwegian kingdom (with Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands 1262-1814) The Union of Sweden and Norway (1319-1343) The... The Storting (Stortinget, literally The Big Thing) is the Norwegian Parliament, and is located in the capital city Oslo. ...

It is subject to further governance through a congregational, synodal and episcopal structure, all based on the division of Norway into 1,284 parishes, 106 deaneries and 11 dioceses, namely:

• Oslo, seated in Oslo, also covers Asker and Bærum (Bishop Ole Christian Kvarme)
• Borg, seated in Fredrikstad covering areas southeast of Oslo (Bishop Helga Haugland Byfuglien)
• Hamar, seated in Hamar covering most of the inland areas north and east of Oslo (Bishop Solveig Fiske)
• Tunsberg, seated in Tønsberg covering coastal areas just southwest of Oslo and inland northwest (Bishop Laila Riksaasen Dahl)
• Agder og Telemark, seated in Kristiansand covering Southeastern Norway (Bishop Olav Skjevesland)
• Stavanger, seated in Stavanger covering Southwestern Norway (Bishop Ernst Oddvar Baasland)
• Bjørgvin, seated in Bergen covering parts of Western Norway (Bishop Ole D. Hagesæther)
• Møre, seated in Molde covering northern parts of Western Norway (Bishop Odd Bondevik)
• Nidaros, seated in Trondheim, covering Trøndelag (Bishop Finn Wagle)
• Sør-Hålogaland, seated in Bodø, covering southern areas of Northern Norway (Bishop Tor Berger Jørgensen)
• Nord-Hålogaland, seated in Tromsø, covering the rest of Northern Norway (Bishop Per Oskar Kjølaas)

The General Synod is convened once a year as the highest representative body of the church. It consists of 85 representatives, of which 7 or 8 are sent from each of the dioceses. Of these, 4 are lay members of the church, appointed by the congregations; 1 is a lay member appointed by Church employees; one member of the clergy, appointed by his/her peers; a representative from the Sami community in the two northernmost dioceses; and the bishop. In addition, representatives from the three theological seminaries of the church, representatives from the Youth Council, and other members of the National Council are members. Oslo is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... This article is about the capital of Norway. ... County District Viken Municipality NO-0220 Administrative centre Asker Mayor (2005) Morten Gunnar Strand (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 385 101 km² 97 km² 0. ... View of most of Bærum from Holmenkollen in Oslo County Akershus District Viken Municipality NO-0209 Administrative centre Sandvika Mayor (2005) Odd Reinsfelt (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 334 192 km² 189 km² 0. ... Ole Christian Kvarme in a church service Ole Christian Mælen Kvarme is bishop in the diocese of Oslo since 2005. ... Borg is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County Østfold District Municipality NO-0106 Administrative centre Fredrikstad Mayor (2006) Ole Haabeth (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 283 288 km² 283 km² 0. ... Hamar is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County Hedmark District Hedemarken Municipality NO-0403 Administrative centre Hamar Mayor (2004) Einar Busterud (By- og bygdelista - The City and Rural areas Party) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 257 351 km² 338 km² 0. ... Solveig Fiske Solveig Fiske (born October 26, 1952) is a bishop in the Church of Norway in the Diocese of Hamar, with its seat in Hamar. ... Tunsberg is a diocese in the Church of Norway It covers Vestfold and Buskerud. ... County Vestfold District Viken Municipality NO-0704 Administrative centre Tønsberg Mayor (2004) Per Arne Olsen (FrP) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 381 107 km² 106 km² 0. ... Lailia Riksaasen Dahl (born March 7. ... The Diocese of Agder og Telemark consists of the counties Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. ... County District Sørlandet Municipality NO-1001 Administrative centre Kristiansand Mayor (2004) Jan Oddvar Skisland (KrF) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 287 277 km² 259 km² 0. ... Stavanger is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County District Jæren Municipality NO-1103 Administrative centre Stavanger Mayor (1995-) Leif Johan Sevland (H) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 406 71 km² 68 km² 0. ... Ernst Oddvar Baasland, (c) Kirkeinfo Ernst Oddvar Baasland (born April 3, 1945 in Kristiansand, Norway) is bishop in the diocese of Stavanger in the Church of Norway since 1998. ... Bjørgvin is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County Hordaland District Midhordland Municipality NO-1201 Administrative centre Bergen Mayor (2004) Herman Friele (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 215 465 km² 445 km² 0. ... Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway, and has its bishop residing, and cathedral located, in the county administrative center, Molde. ... County Møre og Romsdal District Romsdal Municipality NO-1502 Administrative centre Molde Mayor (2005) Jan Petter Hammerø (H) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 254 363 km² 355 km² 0. ... Odd Bondevik (b. ... Nidaros is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County District Municipality NO-1601 Administrative centre Trondheim Mayor (2003-) Rita Ottervik (AP) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 258 342 km² 322 km² 0. ... Finn Wagle (born June 19, 1941 in Oslo, Norway) is the current bishop of the Diocese of Nidaros in the Church of Norway. ... Sør-HÃ¥logaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County District Salten Municipality NO-1804 Administrative centre Bodø Mayor (2005) Odd-Tore Fygle (Ap) Official language form BokmÃ¥l Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 62 1,392 km² 1,308 km² 0. ... Tor Berger Jørgensen (born 27th December 1945) is the bishop of the Diocese of Sør-HÃ¥logaland in the Church of Norway. ... Nord-HÃ¥logaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. ... County District Municipality NO-1902 Administrative centre Tromsø Mayor (2004) Herman Kristoffersen (Ap) Official language form Neutral Area  - Total  - Land  - Percentage Ranked 18 2,566 km² 2,519 km² 0. ... Per Oskar Alfred Kjølaas (born may 25. ... The Sami people (also Sámi, Saami, Lapps, sometimes also Laplanders) are the indigenous people of Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. ...

The National Council, the synods executive body, is convened five times a year and comprises 15 members, of which 10 are lay members, four are clergy, and one is a bishop. It prepares matters for decision-making elsewhere and puts into effect those decisions. The National Council also has working and ad hoc groups as part of its mandate, including those addressing issues such as church service, education, youth issues, etc. The Council on Ecumenical and International Relations is the executive in international and ecumenical matters and the Sami Church Council is responsible for the Church of Norway work among Norways indigiounes three main sami peoples.

The Bishops' Conference convenes three times a year and consists of the eleven bishops in the church. It is a deliberative body that issues opinions on various issues related to church life, theological issues, etc.

The church also convenes committees and councils both at the national (e.g. The Doctrinal Commission), diocese, and local levels, addressing specific issues to education, ecumenical matters, the Sami minority, and youth.

There are 1,600 Church of Norway churches and chapels. Parish work is led by a minister and an elected parish council. There are more than 1200 clergy (19 % women) in the Church of Norway.

History

An old private altar in Hedmark, Norway

The Church of Norway traces its origins to the introduction of Christianity to Norway in the 800s. Norway was christianized partly as a result of individual conversions, partly by force. Still, it took several hundred years to convert Norway to Christianity, culminating in 1030 with the Battle of Stiklestad. The Nordic churches were initially subordinate to the archbishop of Bremen, until a Nordic archdiocese of Lund was established in 1103. The separate Norwegian archdiocese of Nidaros (in today's Trondheim) was created in 1152, and by the end of the 1100s covered all of Norway, parts of present Sweden, Iceland, Greenland, the Isle of Man, the Orkney Islands, the Shetland Islands, the Faroe Islands, and the Hebrides. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3056x2144, 669 KB)Farm altar in Hedmark, Norway; Photography by Leif Knutsen File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (3056x2144, 669 KB)Farm altar in Hedmark, Norway; Photography by Leif Knutsen File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Events July 29 - Battle of Stiklestad in Norway. ... The Battle of Stiklestad (Old Norse Stiklarstaðir) in 1030 is one of the most famous battles in the history of Norway. ... Disambiguation Norden - town in Lower Saxony, Germany, Carl Norden - For the bombsight designed by Carl Norden, see Norden bombsight. ... This article is about the city in Germany. ...   IPA: is a city in SkÃ¥ne in southern Sweden. ... Events April 27 - Anselm, Archbishop of Canterbury, goes into exile after falling out with Henry I of England Amadeus III becomes Count of Savoy Bohemund I of Antioch is released from imprisonment among the Turks The Scandinavian city of Lund becomes a see within the Roman Catholic Church Births February... Nidaros was the old name of Trondheim, Norway, in the middle ages. ... Events March 4 - Frederick I Barbarossa is elected King of the Germans Eleanor of Aquitaine has her marriage to Louis VII annulled May 18 - Eleanor of Aquitaine marries Henry of Anjou Church of Ireland acknowledges Popes authority Almohad Dynasty conquers Algeria Establishment of the archbishopric of Nidaros (Trondheim), Norway... The Orkney Islands, usually called simply Orkney, are one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. ... The Shetland Islands, also called Shetland (archaically spelled Zetland) formerly called Hjaltland, comprise one of 32 council areas of Scotland. ... This article is about the Hebrides islands in Scotland. ...

The Reformation in Norway was accomplished in 1537 when Christian III of Denmark and Norway decreed Lutheranism as the official religion of Norway and Denmark. Monastic orders were suppressed, and the crown took over church property, while some redundant churches were destroyed or abandoned. The archdioce was abolished, and bishops (initially called superintendents) were appointed by the king. This created the integration between church and state that today's arrangement reflects. After the introduction of absolute monarchy in 1660 all clerics were civil servants appointed by the king, but theological issues were left to the hierarchy of bishops and other clergy. The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... Christian III Christian III (August 12, 1503–January 1, 1559), king of Denmark and Norway, was the son of Frederick I of Denmark and his first consort, Anne of Brandenburg. ... Lutheranism is a major branch of Protestant Christianity that identifies with the teachings of the sixteenth-century German reformer Martin Luther. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box:      Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the monarch has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. ... // Events January 1 - Colonel George Monck with his regiment crosses from Scotland to England at the village of Coldstream and begins advance towards London in support of English Restoration. ...

When Norway regained national independence in 1814, the Norwegian Constitution recognized the Lutheran church as the State Church. Year 1814 (MDCCCXIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... The Constitution of Norway was first adopted on May 17, 1814 by the Norwegian Constituent Assembly at Eidsvoll (a small town north of the countrys capital, Christiania). ...

The pietistic movement in Norway (embodied to a great extent by Hans Nielsen Hauge) served to reduce the distance between lay and clergy in Norway, which persists to this day. In 1873 lay congregational meetings were accepted in church life, though initially with limited influence. Unofficial plenary sessions took place every other year, and after 1982 these became official parts of church life. Hans Nielsen Hauge (1771-1824) was a revivalist Norwegian lay preacher who spoke up against the Church establishment in Norway. ... 1873 (MDCCCLXXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

After Vidkun Quisling was made head of state by the Nazi occupiers during World War II, the vast majority of Norwegian clergy and all Norwegian bishops disassociated themselves from the government, stating that they would only function as pastors for their congregations. The bishops were interned for the duration of the war, but congregational life continued more or less as usual. Vidkun Abraham Lauritz Jonssøn Quisling, (July 18, 1887 – October 24, 1945) was a Norwegian army officer and fascist politician. ... National Socialism redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Since World War II, a number of structural changes have taken place within the Church of Norway, mostly to institutionalize lay participation in the life of the church.

Current issues

There is continuous discussion about separating church and state in Norway, and currently it appears there is a majority both within Stortinget and the public to separate it. Currently, the possibility of holding a referendum about the separation is being debated. While most Norwegians use the church only for lifecycle events, a great many appreciate the tradition and institutions of the church. Although 83% of the Norwegian population belongs to the state church, only about 3% attend church services or other religious meetings more than once a month. Baptism of newborns fell from 96.8% in 1960 to 75.9% in 2005. The proportion of young people to enter into confirmation fell from 93% in 1960 to 66.2% in 2005. The proportion of all weddings to be conducted through the Church of Norway fell from 85,2% in 1960 to 45.5% in 2005. Only the proportion of funerals has remained on a high level, in 2005 93.4% of all funerals took place in the Church of Norway. [2][3] The Storting main building The Storting, or Stortinget, (the Great Assembly), is the parliament of Norway, and is located in Oslo. ... Baptism in early Christian art. ... See Reform Judaism article about its Confirmation ceremony. ...

It has recently been revealed that due to a poor quality of the membership register, around 75,000 Norwegians who are members of other religious or humanist organisations have wrongfully been registered as members of the church. [4] An equally large number of persons who are not members of any faith-based organisation might also be registered as members of the church without their knowledge, as a result the official membership numbers are slightly inflated compared to the real figures. [5] Although there is no indication that this has been a conscious policy of the church, the inaccurate membership register has led to the church possibly receiving unlawfully hundreds of millions of Norwegian Crowns (NOK) over the last decade, as the Norwegian state contributes between 500 and 600 NOK to religious and humanist organisations for each registered member. Naturally, this has led to stark criticism from organisations that might have lost income due to the inaccuracy of the membership register of the Norwegian church. Religious is a term with both a technical definition and folk use. ... This article discusses Humanism as a non-theistic life stance. ...

In spite of the relative low level of religious practice in Norwegian society, the church in many cases functions as a provider of social services of last resort, and local clergy often play important social roles outside their spiritual and ritual responsibilities. In 2004 a survey conducted by Opinion AS showed that only 47% of the responders actually considered themselves Christians, while 49% did not consider themselves Christians. [6] Another survey conducted by Gallup International in 65 countries in 2005 found that Norway was the least religious among the Western countries surveyed, only 36% of the population considered themselves religious. However, only 9% explicitly stated that they were atheists, while the biggest group, 46%, were those that considered themselves neither religious nor atheists. [7] Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... For information about the band, see Atheist (band). ...

Certain bishops' stance on whether gay and lesbians can serve as ministers is under continuous debate, [8] and the church has weighed in on political issues from time to time, resulting in considerable controversy.[9]

See also

• Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
• Lutheran World Federation
• Sjømannskirken

The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church, or the Free Church as it is commonly known, is a nationwide Lutheran church in Norway consisting of 81 congregations with approximately 21,000 members. ... LWF logo The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) is a global association of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. ... Sjømannskirken, The Norwegian Church Abroad The Norwegian seamen’s churches is a religious organisation serving Norwegians and other Scandinavians travelling abroad. ...

External links

• Church of Norway web-site