Religion in Norway. The state religion in Norway is Lutheranism. There are also significant numbers of adherents of other Protestant churches. 78.9% of the country's Evangelical Lutheran churches belong to the state Church of Norway. Thanks to the efforts of Christian missionaries, Norway gradually adopted Christianity starting around the year 1000 and completing the process by 1150. Before the Protestant Reformation, Norwegians belonged to the Catholic Church.

According to the census, many Norwegians do not have any religious beliefs. Phil Zuckerman, assistant professor of sociology at Pitzer College, estimates the number of atheists in Norway to be between 31% and 72% of the total population, based on various studies.

• 32% Norwegian citizens responded that they believe in God
• 47% replied that they believe in some kind of spirit or life force.
• 17% replied that they do not believe that there is any spirit, God, or life force".
• 4% replied that they don't know anything.

Norwegian religion

The Norwegian religion is similar in general mythology to the Germanic one. Norse mythology developed slowly. Thus, the cult of Odin in Norway was probably transmitted from western Germany. The gods are shown as insignificant. Thus shown are Ullr, the fertility god Njord and Heimdall, who were probably ancient gods of Norway who fell out of favor over time. There were other Gods (aces); It is worth mentioning the thunder god Thor and the goddess of love Freya. These gods were most likely originally historical figures who lived during the first period of Germanic civilizations in Scandinavia, and were later idolized as protectors and creators of the world for future generations.

Much of the information about Norse mythology is found in Old Norse literature including Norse literature, such as the Edda. Other information comes from the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus with fragments of the surviving legend and in old inscriptions. Unfortunately, we know relatively little about the old religious practices of Norway and other places, since most of the knowledge was lost during the process of Christianization.

Due to the nationalist movements of the late 18th century, Norwegian scholars found an increased interest in Norwegian religion, translating many myths into Danish (the language of Norway at the time) and attempting to use the translations to create a common Norwegian culture. But Christianity is already too deeply rooted in society. Currently, the revival of the Old Norse religion is called Asatru (lit. "faith in the Æsir"). It aims to reconstruct the pre-Christian faith practiced during the Viking Age.

Sami religion

Christianity

Transformation reforms

The Christianization of Norway began in the year 1000. Haakon I, who grew up in England, tried to introduce Christianity in the mid-10th century, but met resistance from pagan leaders and soon abandoned the idea.

Anglo-Saxon missionaries from England and Germany also tried to bring the Norwegians to Christianity, but achieved nothing, limiting themselves to little success. Olaf I made a great contribution to the transformation. Olaf II (later St. Olaf) was more successful in his attempts to transform the population. It is he who is credited with the Christianization of Norway.

Christians in Norway often establish churches in places that were sacred under the Norwegian religion. The spread of Christianity can be measured by burials. Thus, Christianity became known in Norway in the middle of the 11th century and began to dominate among beliefs by the middle of the 12th century. In the 13th century, frame churches were built from wood without the use of nails.

From the Reformation to 1964

In general, the program carried out by the church to Christianize the Sami in the 16th and 97th centuries was successful. The University of Oslo, established in 1811, allowed priests to study in Norway. The Norwegian Constitution of 1814 did not provide freedom of religion, so Jews and Jesuits were denied entry into Norway. In addition, joining the Evangelical Lutheran Church was mandatory. In 1845, dissenters were found, thanks to whom a law came into force allowing other Christian communities to be established in Norway. Atheism soon became permitted, and the ban on Judaism was lifted in 1851. Monasticism and Jesuitism were permitted in 1897 and 1956 respectively.

Thus, gradually, a Baha'i community was eventually formed in Norway. In 1962, a community was formed. There are currently about 1,000 Baha'is in the country.

Religion in Norway today

The Evangelical Lutheran Church remains regulated and dependent on the state. There is, however, today a political debate on the topic of separation of church and state. The state also supports religious organizations, and provides them with assistance, often financial. The bishops officially nominated the Norwegian monarch. Clergy are trained in the theological faculties of the University of Tromsø and the University of Oslo, as well as the School of Mission and Theology in Stavanger and other schools in Oslo. Men and women can become members of the clergy of the Church. The Church has two sacraments, namely Baptism and the Eucharist.

In Norway, 82.7% of the population are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, up from 96% in the 1960s. Kevin Boyle, professor of history at Ohio State University says: "Most members of the state church are not active supporters, with the exception of the rituals of baptism, Eucharist, weddings and funerals. About 3 percent on average attend church on Sundays and 10 percent on average attend church every month."

Approximately 9–10% are probably not members of any religious or philosophical communities, while 8.6% of the population are members of other religious or philosophical communities outside the Church of Norway.

Other religious groups operate freely and include Roman Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists and Sikhs, represented in very small numbers, together making up less than 1% of the population.

In 2005, a Gallup International poll of 65 countries indicated that Norway was the least religious country in the world. Western Europe 29% belong to some church, 26% are atheists, and 45% are undecided.

According to the latest Eurobarometer polls (), 32% of Norwegian citizens answered that "There is a God", while 47% answered that "there is some kind of spirit or life force" and 17% that "I don't think there is any -either spirit, God, or life force."

Religion	Number of believers	Percent	As of 2009
Christianity	4 109 595	85,6 %
Lutheranism	3 944 337	82,1 %
Catholicism	57 348	1,1 %
Pentecostals	39 590	0,8 %
Jehovah witnesses	14 976	0,3 %
Methodism	10 974	0,2 %
Baptistism	9 382	0,1 %
Orthodoxy	7 664	0,1 %
Seventh Day Adventist Church	5 086	0,1 %
Other Christian beliefs	20 238	0,4 %
Non-Christian religions	115 391	2,4 %
Islam	92 744	1,9 %
Buddhism	12 252	0,2 %
Hinduism	5 238	0,1 %
Sikhism	2 713	0,0 %
Baha'i	1 023	0,0 %
Judaism	803	0,0 %
Other religions	618	0,0 %
Pseudo-religions	574 266	11,9 %
Humanism	81 124	1,6 %
Total	4 799 252	100,0 %

County	Christians	Non-religious	Muslims	Buddhists	Other
Akershus	82,63 %	14,77 %	1,84 %	0,33 %	0,10 %
Aust-Agder	88,16 %	10,99 %	0,62 %	0,21 %	0,02 %
Buskerud	83,97 %	12,18 %	3,04 %	0,30 %	0,51 %
Finnmark	90,28 %	9,32 %	0,25 %	0,11 %	0,04 %
Hedmark	89,81 %	9,34 %	0,63 %	0,18 %	0,04 %
Hordaland	88,50 %	10,44 %	0,72 %	0,20 %	0,14 %
Møre og Romsdal	91,31 %	8,12 %	0,34 %	0,09 %	0,14 %
Nord-Trøndelag	91,57 %	7,99 %	0,34 %	0,07 %	0,03 %
Nordland	91,58 %	8,00 %	0,35 %	0,05 %	0,02 %
Oppland	90,39 %	8,78 %	0,64 %	0,14 %	0,05 %
Oslo	67,03 %	24,32 %	7,38 %	0,50 %	0,77 %
Rogaland	86,42 %	11,87 %	1,44 %	0,20 %	0,07 %
Sogn og Fjordane	91,88 %	7,71 %	0,32 %	0,03 %	0,06 %
Sør-Trøndelag	87,88 %	10,83 %	0,86 %	0,27 %	0,16 %
Telemark	87,31 %	11,02 %	1,41 %	0,22 %	0,04 %
Troms	90,08 %	9,38 %	0,40 %	0,11 %	0,03 %
West-Agder	86,59 %	11,87 %	1,20 %	0,30 %	0,04 %
Vestfold	85,54 %	12,76 %	1,36 %	0,23 %	0,11 %
Estfall	85,74 %	11,19 %	2,55 %	0,42 %	0,10 %

Jehovah witnesses

Religious education

Religious media

Attending church in randomly selected countries

A country	Regular church attendance (%)
Poland 22x20px Poland (Religion in Poland)	56,7 %
USA 22x20px USA (Religion in the USA)	21 % Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]]
Canada 22x20px Canada (Religion in Canada)	10 % [[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]]
France 22x20px France (Religion in France)	15 % [[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]][[K:Wikipedia:Articles without sources (country: Lua error: callParserFunction: function "#property" was not found. )]] or 5%????
Great Britain 22x20px Great Britain (Religion in Great Britain)	10 %
Australia 22x20px Australia (Religion in Australia)	7,5 %
Norway 22x20px Norway	5% in 1995 since then this figure has dropped to???

“Church attendance data in the United States was verified against actual values ​​using two different methods. Actual numbers show that only about 21% of Americans and 10% of Canadians actually go to church one to several times a week. Many Americans and Canadians tell pollsters that they attend church even when they don't. Does this happen in other countries? different cultures, is difficult to predict.” . In the table above for France, attendance is 15%; however, according to a recently published study, attendance at the Roman Catholic Church is already 4.5% (2006), and is on the decline.

see also

External links

• )

Write a review on the article "Religion in Norway"

Notes

5. Zuckerman Phil. Atheism - Modern Issues and Practice // / Michael Martin. - Cambridge University Press -, 2006. - P. 47–50. - ISBN 0521842700.
6. (PDF). Retrieved May 5, 2007. .
9. (Norwegian)
10. (Norwegian)
11. . Official website of the Bahá'ís of Norway. National Spiritual Assembly of Norway (2007-8). Retrieved April 27, 2008. .
12. 'Abdu'l-Bahá.. - Paperback. - Wilmette, Illinois, USA: Bahá"í Publishing Trust, 1991. - P. 43. - ISBN 0877432333.
13. . Official website of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Norway. National Spiritual Assembly of Norway (25 March 2008). Retrieved April 27, 2008. .
14. , compiled Hands of the Cause Residing in the Holy Land, pp. 22 and 46.
15. . Church of Norway and other religious and life stance communities(inaccessible link - ). Statistics Norway (2008). Retrieved April 26, 2008.
16. See Church-State Relations.
17. "Monarch" - here, a word from the Norwegian constitution. This issue is usually decided by the government.
18. Freedom of Religion or Belief: World Report(Routledge, 1997), p. 351.
19. , 2007 figures
20. (inaccessible link - ). Retrieved July 23, 2008. .
21. (PDF). Retrieved May 5, 2007. .
23. Human-Etisk Forbund - (Norwegian)
24. See Norwegian Wikipedia: Kristendoms-, religions- og livssynskunnskap
27. .
28. "One in 10" attends church weekly publisher = BBC News.
29. NCLS releases latest estimates of church attendance], National Church Life Survey, Media release,
31. . Religious tolerance site. .

View this template Policy Symbols Economy Geography Culture Connection

An excerpt characterizing Religion in Norway

I just couldn’t believe it... This little brave girl voluntarily left her beautiful and kind “floor” to live in this cold, terrible and alien world, protecting her mother, who was very “guilty” in some way! I don’t think there would be many people so brave and selfless (even adults!) who would dare to undertake such a feat... And I immediately thought - maybe she just didn’t understand what she was going to doom herself to?!
– How long have you been here, girl, if it’s not a secret?
“Recently...” the black-eyed baby answered sadly, tugging at a black lock of her curly hair with her fingers. - I got into this beautiful world when she died!.. He was so kind and bright!.. And then I saw that my mother was not with me and rushed to look for her. It was so scary at first! For some reason she was nowhere to be found... And then I fell into this terrible world... And then I found her. I was so scared here... So lonely... Mom told me to leave, she even scolded me. But I can’t leave her... Now I have a friend, my good Dean, and I can already somehow exist here.
Her “good friend” growled again, which gave Stella and me huge “lower astral” goosebumps... Having collected myself, I tried to calm down a little and began to take a closer look at this furry miracle... And he, immediately feeling that he was noticed, he terribly bared his fanged mouth... I jumped back.
- Oh, don't be afraid, please! “He’s smiling at you,” the girl “reassured.”
Yeah... You'll learn to run fast from such a smile... - I thought to myself.
- How did it happen that you became friends with him? – Stella asked.
– When I first came here, I was very scared, especially when such monsters as you were attacking today. And then one day, when I almost died, Dean saved me from a whole bunch of creepy flying “birds”. I was also scared of him at first, but then I realized what a heart of gold he has... He is the best friend! I never had anything like this, even when I lived on Earth.
- How did you get used to it so quickly? His appearance is not quite, let’s say, familiar...
– And here I understood one very simple truth, which for some reason I did not notice on Earth - appearance does not matter if a person or creature has a good heart... My mother was very beautiful, but at times she was very angry too. And then all her beauty disappeared somewhere... And Dean, although scary, is always very kind, and always protects me, I feel his kindness and am not afraid of anything. But you can get used to the appearance...
– Do you know that you will be here for a very long time, much longer than people live on Earth? Do you really want to stay here?..
“My mother is here, so I have to help her.” And when she “leaves” to live on Earth again, I will also leave... To where there is more goodness. In this terrible world, people are very strange - as if they don’t live at all. Why is that? Do you know anything about this?
– Who told you that your mother would leave to live again? – Stella became interested.
- Dean, of course. He knows a lot, he’s lived here for a very long time. He also said that when we (my mother and I) live again, our families will be different. And then I won’t have this mother anymore... That’s why I want to be with her now.
- How do you talk to him, your Dean? – Stella asked. – And why don’t you want to tell us your name?
But it’s true – we still didn’t know her name! And they didn’t know where she came from either...
– My name was Maria... But does that really matter here?
- Surely! – Stella laughed. - How can I communicate with you? When you leave, they will give you a new name, but while you are here, you will have to live with the old one. Did you talk to anyone else here, girl Maria? – Stella asked, jumping from topic to topic out of habit.
“Yes, I talked...” the little girl said hesitantly. “But they are so strange here.” And so unhappy... Why are they so unhappy?
– Is what you see here conducive to happiness? – I was surprised by her question. – Even the local “reality” itself kills any hopes in advance!.. How can you be happy here?
- Don't know. When I’m with my mother, it seems to me that I could be happy here too... True, it’s very scary here, and she really doesn’t like it here... When I said that I agreed to stay with her, she yelled at me and said that I’m her “brainless misfortune”... But I’m not offended... I know that she’s just scared. Just like me...
– Perhaps she just wanted to protect you from your “extreme” decision, and only wanted you to go back to your “floor”? – Stella asked carefully, so as not to offend.
- No, of course... But thank you for Nice words. Mom often called me not very good names, even on Earth... But I know that this was not out of anger. She was simply unhappy that I was born, and often told me that I ruined her life. But it wasn't my fault, was it? I always tried to make her happy, but for some reason I wasn’t very successful... And I never had a dad. – Maria was very sad, and her voice was trembling, as if she was about to cry.
Stella and I looked at each other, and I was almost sure that similar thoughts visited her... I already really didn’t like this spoiled, selfish “mother”, who, instead of worrying about her child herself, did not care about his heroic sacrifice at all I understood and, in addition, I also hurt her painfully.
“But Dean says that I’m good, and that I make him very happy!” – the little girl babbled more cheerfully. “And he wants to be friends with me.” And others I've met here are very cold and indifferent, and sometimes even evil... Especially those who have monsters attached...
“Monsters—what?..” we didn’t understand.
- Well, they have terrible monsters sitting on their backs and telling them what they must do. And if they don’t listen, the monsters mock them terribly... I tried to talk to them, but these monsters won’t allow me.
We understood absolutely nothing from this “explanation,” but the very fact that some astral beings were torturing people could not remain “explored” by us, so we immediately asked her how we could see this amazing phenomenon.
- Oh, yes everywhere! Especially at the “black mountain”. There he is, behind the trees. Do you want us to go with you too?
- Of course, we will be only too happy! – the delighted Stella immediately answered.
To be honest, I also didn’t really smile at the prospect of dating someone else, “creepy and incomprehensible,” especially alone. But interest overcame fear, and we, of course, would have gone, despite the fact that we were a little afraid... But when such a defender as Dean walked with us, it immediately became more fun...
And then, after a short moment, real Hell unfolded before our eyes, wide open with amazement... The vision was reminiscent of the paintings of Bosch (or Bosc, depending on what language you translate it into), a “crazy” artist who once shocked the whole world with his art world... He, of course, was not crazy, but was simply a seer who for some reason could only see the lower Astral. But we must give him his due - he portrayed him superbly... I saw his paintings in a book that was in my dad’s library, and I still remembered the eerie feeling that most of his paintings carried...
“What a horror!..” whispered the shocked Stella.
One could probably say that we have already seen a lot here, on the “floors”... But even we were not able to imagine this in our most terrible nightmare!.. Behind the “black rock” something completely opened up unthinkable... It looked like a huge, flat “cauldron” carved into the rock, at the bottom of which crimson “lava” was bubbling... The hot air “burst” everywhere with strange flashing reddish bubbles, from which scalding steam burst out and fell in large drops to the ground, or to the people who fell under it at that moment... Heartbreaking screams were heard, but immediately fell silent, as the most disgusting creatures sat on the backs of the same people, who with a contented look “controlled” their victims, not paying the slightest attention to their suffering... Under the naked feet of people, hot stones turned red, the crimson earth, bursting with heat, bubbled and “melted”... Splashes of hot steam burst through huge cracks and, burning the feet of human beings sobbing in pain, were carried into the heights, evaporating with a light smoke ... And in the very middle of the “pit” flowed a bright red, wide fiery river, into which, from time to time, the same disgusting monsters unexpectedly threw one or another tormented entity, which, falling, caused only a short splash of orange sparks, and then but, turning for a moment into a fluffy white cloud, it disappeared... forever... It was real Hell, and Stella and I wanted to “disappear” from there as soon as possible...
“What are we going to do?” Stella whispered in quiet horror. - Do you want to go down there? Is there anything we can do to help them? Look how many there are!..
We stood on a black-brown, heat-dried cliff, observing the horror-filled “mash” of pain, hopelessness, and violence stretching below, and we felt so childishly powerless that even my warlike Stella this time categorically folded her ruffled “wings.” “and was ready at the first call to rush off to her own, so dear and reliable, upper “floor”...
And then I remembered that Maria seemed to be talking to these people, so cruelly punished by fate (or by themselves)...
- Tell me, please, how did you get down there? – I asked, puzzled.
“Dean carried me,” Maria calmly answered, as a matter of course.
– What so terrible did these poor fellows do that they ended up in such hell? – I asked.
“I think this concerns not so much their misdeeds as the fact that they were very strong and had a lot of energy, and this is exactly what these monsters need, since they “feed” on these unfortunate people,” the little girl explained in a very adult way.
“What?!..” we almost jumped. – It turns out that they just “eat” them?
– Unfortunately, yes... When we went there, I saw... A pure silvery stream flowed out of these poor people and directly filled the monsters sitting on their backs. And they immediately came to life and became very happy. Some human beings, after this, almost couldn’t walk... It’s so scary... And nothing can be done to help... Dean says there are too many of them even for him.
“Yeah... It’s unlikely that we can do anything either...” Stella whispered sadly.
It was very hard to just turn around and leave. But we understood perfectly well that this moment we are completely powerless, and simply watching such a terrible “spectacle” did not give anyone the slightest pleasure. Therefore, having once again looked at this terrifying Hell, we unanimously turned in the other direction... I cannot say that my human pride was not wounded, since I never liked losing. But I also long ago learned to accept reality as it was, and not to complain about my helplessness if I was not yet able to help in some situation.
– Can I ask you where you girls are going now? – asked the saddened Maria.
“I would like to go upstairs... To be honest, the “lower floor” is enough for me today... It would be advisable to see something easier... - I said, and immediately thought about Maria - poor girl, she’s here remains!..
And, unfortunately, we could not offer her any help, since it was her choice and her own decision, which only she herself could change...
Already well-known vortices of silvery energies flickered in front of us, and as if “wrapped” in them in a dense, fluffy “cocoon”, we smoothly slipped “upwards”...
“Wow, how nice it is here!” Stella exhaled contentedly when she found herself “at home.” – And how can it be that “down there” it’s still creepy... Poor people, how can you become better while being in such a nightmare every day?! There's something wrong with this, don't you think?
I laughed:
- Well, what do you propose to “fix”?
- Don't laugh! We have to come up with something. Only I don’t know what yet... But I’ll think about it... – the little girl said quite seriously.
I really loved it, it’s not childish serious attitude to life, and an “iron” desire to find a positive way out of any problems that arise. With all her sparkling, sunny character, Stella could also be an incredibly strong, never giving up and incredibly brave little person, standing “mountain” for justice or for the friends dear to her heart...
- Well, let's take a little walk? But somehow I just can’t “move away” from the horror we just experienced. It’s hard to even breathe, not to mention the visions... - I asked my wonderful friend.
Once again, with great pleasure, we smoothly “glided” in the silvery “dense” silence, completely relaxed, enjoying the peace and caress of this wonderful “floor”, and I still could not forget the little brave Maria, who we had involuntarily left in that terribly joyless and dangerous world, only with her scary furry friend, and with the hope that maybe her “blind” but beloved mother will finally take it and see how much she loves her and how much she wants to make her happy for that period of time that remained for them until their new incarnation on Earth...
“Oh, just look how beautiful it is!” Stella’s joyful voice pulled me out of my sad thoughts.
I saw a huge, cheerful golden ball flickering inside, and in it beautiful girl, dressed in a very bright colorful dress, sitting in the same brightly blooming meadow, and completely merging with incredible cups of some absolutely fantastic flowers, wildly flaming with all the colors of the rainbow. Her very long, light hair, like ripe wheat, fell down in heavy waves, enveloping her from head to toe in a golden cloak. Deep blue eyes looked welcomingly straight at us, as if inviting us to speak...
- Hello! We won't bother you? – not knowing where to start and, as always, a little shy, I greeted the stranger.
“Hello to you too, Svetlaya,” the girl smiled.
- Why do you call me that? – I was very surprised.
“I don’t know,” the stranger answered affectionately, “it just suits you!.. I am Isolde.” What is your real name?
“Svetlana,” I answered, a little embarrassed.
- Well, you see - you guessed right! What are you doing here, Svetlana? And who is your sweet friend?
– We’re just walking... This is Stella, she’s my friend. And you, what kind of Isolde is the one who had Tristan? – Having already gained courage, I asked.
The girl's eyes became round in surprise. She apparently never expected that someone in this world knew her...
“How do you know this, girl?” she whispered quietly.
“I read a book about you, I liked it so much!” I exclaimed enthusiastically. – You loved each other so much, and then you died... I was so sorry!.. And where is Tristan? Is he no longer with you?
- No, honey, he’s far away... I’ve been looking for him for so long!.. And when I finally found him, it turned out that we couldn’t be together here either. “I can’t go to him...” Isolde answered sadly.
And suddenly a simple vision came to me - he was on the lower astral plane, apparently for some of his “sins”. And she, of course, could go to him, she just, most likely, did not know how, or did not believe that she could.
“I can show you how to go there, if you want, of course.” You can see it whenever you want, but you have to be very careful.
-Can you go there? – the girl was very surprised.
I nodded:
- And you too.
– Please forgive me, Isolde, but why is your world so bright? – Stella couldn’t contain her curiosity.
- Oh, it’s just that where I lived, it was almost always cold and foggy... And where I was born, the sun always shone, there was a smell of flowers, and only in winter there was snow. But even then it was sunny... I missed my country so much that even now I can’t enjoy it to my heart’s content... True, my name is cold, but that’s because I got lost when I was little, and they found me on the ice. So they called Isolde...
“Oh, it’s true – it’s made of ice!.. I would never have thought of it!..” I stared at her, dumbfounded.
“What’s that!.. But Tristan didn’t have a name at all... He lived his whole life anonymously,” Isolde smiled.
– What about “Tristan”?
“Well, what are you talking about, dear, it’s just “possessing three camps,” Isolde laughed. “His whole family died when he was still very small, so they didn’t give him a name, when the time came - there was no one.
– Why do you explain all this as if in my language? It's in Russian!
“And we are Russians, or rather, we were then...” the girl corrected herself. – But now, who knows who we’ll be...
– How – Russians?.. – I was confused.
– Well, maybe not exactly... But in your mind, they are Russians. It’s just that there were more of us then and everything was more diverse - our land, our language, our life... That was a long time ago...
- But how does the book say that you were Irish and Scots?!.. Or is this all not true again?
- Well, why isn’t it true? This is the same thing, it’s just that my father came from “warm” Rus' to become the ruler of that “island” camp, because the wars there never ended, and he was an excellent warrior, so they asked him. But I always longed for “my” Rus'... I always felt cold on those islands...
– Can I ask you how you really died? If it doesn't hurt you, of course. All the books write differently about this, but I would really like to know how it really happened...
“I gave his body to the sea, that was their custom... And I went home myself... But I never got there... I didn’t have enough strength.” I really wanted to see our sun, but I couldn’t... Or maybe Tristan “didn’t let go”...
- But how do they say in the books that you died together, or that you killed yourself?
– I don’t know, Svetlaya, I didn’t write these books... But people always loved to tell each other stories, especially beautiful ones. So they embellished it to stir my soul more... And I myself died many years later, without interrupting my life. It was forbidden.
– You must have been very sad to be so far from home?
– Yes, how can I tell you... At first, it was even interesting while my mother was alive. And when she died, the whole world darkened for me... I was too young then. But she never loved her father. He only lived by war, even I had only value for him that he could exchange me for marriage... He was a warrior to the core. And he died like that. But I always dreamed of returning home. I even saw dreams... But it didn’t work out.
– Do you want us to take you to Tristan? First we’ll show you how, and then you’ll walk on your own. It’s just...” I suggested, hoping in my heart that she would agree.
I really wanted to see this whole legend “in full”, since such an opportunity arose, and although I was a little ashamed, I decided this time not to listen to my very indignant “inner voice”, but to try to somehow convince Isolde to “take a walk” on the lower “floor” and find her Tristan there for her.
I really really loved this “cold” northern legend. She won my heart from the very minute she fell into my hands. The happiness in her was so fleeting, and there was so much sadness!.. Actually, as Isolde said, they apparently added a lot to it, because it really touched the soul very strongly. Or maybe that’s how it was?.. Who could really know this?.. After all, those who saw all this had not lived for a long time. That’s why I so strongly wanted to take advantage of this, probably the only opportunity, and find out how everything really was...
Isolde sat quietly, thinking about something, as if not daring to take advantage of this unique opportunity that had so unexpectedly presented itself to her, and to see the one whom fate had separated from her for so long...
– I don’t know... Is all this necessary now... Maybe we should just leave it like that? – Isolde whispered in confusion. – This hurts greatly... I shouldn’t be mistaken...
I was incredibly surprised by her fear! This was the first time since the day I first spoke to the dead that someone refused to talk or see someone they once loved so deeply and tragically...
- Please, let's go! I know you will regret it later! We'll just show you how to do it, and if you don't want to, you won't go there anymore. But you must still have a choice. A person should have the right to choose for himself, right?
Finally she nodded:
- Well, let's go, Svetlaya. You're right, I shouldn't hide behind the "back of the impossible", this is cowardice. But we never liked cowards. And I was never one of them...
I showed her my defense and, to my greatest surprise, she did it very easily, without even thinking. I was very happy, as this made our “hike” much easier.
“Well, are you ready?” Stella smiled cheerfully, apparently to cheer her up.
We plunged into the sparkling darkness and, after a few short seconds, we were already “floating” along the silvery path of the Astral level...
“It’s very beautiful here...” Isolde whispered, “but I saw it in another, not so bright place...”
“It’s here too... Just a little lower,” I reassured her. - You'll see, now we'll find him.
We “slipped” a little deeper, and I was ready to see the usual “terribly oppressive” lower astral reality, but, to my surprise, nothing like that happened... We found ourselves in a rather pleasant, but, indeed, very gloomy and what It's a sad landscape. Heavy, muddy waves splashed on the rocky shore of the dark blue sea... Lazyly “chasing” one after another, they “knocked” on the shore and reluctantly, slowly, returned back, dragging behind them gray sand and small, black, shiny pebbles. Farther away could be seen a majestic, huge, dark green mountain, the top of which was shyly hidden behind gray, swollen clouds. The sky was heavy, but not frightening, completely covered with gray clouds. Along the shore, in places, scant dwarf bushes of some unfamiliar plants grew. Again, the landscape was gloomy, but quite “normal”, in any case, it resembled one of those that could be seen on the ground on a rainy, very cloudy day... And that “screaming horror”, like the others we saw on on this “floor” of the place, he did not inspire us...

Religious composition of the population

The state religion of Norway is Evangelical Lutheranism. By law, the King of Norway and at least half of the ministers must profess Lutheranism. As of 2006, according to official statistics, 3,871,006 people or 82.7% of the population belong to the state Church of Norway. However, only about 2% of the population regularly attends church. Another 8.6% of the population as of 2007 belong to other faiths and teachings. Among them, the most numerous are adherents of Islam (1.69% of the population), the Roman Catholic Church (1.1%) and Pentecostalism (0.86%).

Population structure in Norway

Norway is one of the sparsely populated countries in Europe (13.83 people per 1 sq. km). Its most populated southeastern part is Estland, where half the population lives. Its density reaches 50 people per 1 square. km. The plateaus of the southern part are almost deserted. The northern part is extremely sparsely populated (only 10% of the population). The average population density there is less than one person per 1 square. km. The population is concentrated in coastal cities and towns. In the summer, the Sami roam the mountains with herds of reindeer. Between the southern and northern parts of Norway there is a low area around the Tronnheimsfjord, where the average density reaches 4-5 people per 1 sq. km. The distribution of the population throughout Norway is shown in Fig. 2.1.

More than 50% of the population lives in cities. Big cities: Oslo, Bergen (230 thousand people), Trondheim (150 thousand), Stavanger (120 thousand), Narvik (80 thousand), Kristiansand (72 thousand), Fredrikstad (70 thousand), Drum-man (55 thousand), Tromso (60 thousand). Norway is characterized by small towns. There are 532 urban settlements, and only 32 of them have more than 10 thousand inhabitants. Most Norwegian cities are located on the sea coast. Only a few small towns are found in the Estland valleys. Rural population lives either on farms or in small fishing villages. Rural residents often combine work on their plots with fishing or with work at enterprises in a nearby city.

Religion in Norway

Norway has an official state church based on the evangelical teachings of Luther. Although there is no separation between state and church in Norway, all citizens have the right to free exercise of religion, according to a 1964 constitutional amendment. Eight out of ten Norwegians are members of the Norwegian state church.
Norwegians are not inclined to advertise their religiosity. Although many claim that faith is very important to them, this is not reflected in the active participation of Norwegian citizens in organized religious events. While approximately 88% of the population belongs to the state church of Norway, only 10% attend church services or other religious events more than once a month.

About 5.9% of Norway's population are members of other religious communities, and 6.2% do not follow any particular religion at all. The largest religious and social movements outside the state church of Norway are the Humanist Movement represented by the Norwegian Humanist Association (63,000 people), Islam (60,000 people), the Pentecostal Movement (45,000 people), the Roman Catholic Church (more than 40,000 people). people), Evangelical Lutheran Free Church (20,000 people), Methodists (13,000 people) and several smaller independent churches.
The Christianization of Norway began around the year 1000 and was the result of trade contacts with Christian European countries and Viking campaigns. The missionary work of the Anglo-Saxon Church, as well as Germany and Denmark, helped Christianity take precedence over the deities of traditional Scandinavian mythology and the nature worship of the Sami.
The Roman Catholic Church was the state church of Norway until the Reformation in 1537. In 1842, a ban on secular preaching was issued, which contributed to the emergence of several free churches and a strict secular hierarchy within the state church of Norway. As a result, Norwegian church society became closely associated with a conservative understanding of Christianity and an active missionary movement.
Source: Compiled based on data from the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia

publishing house Aschehoug&Gyldendal/ Einar

Source: Official page Norway in Russia, website of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in Moscow:

CATHEDRAL OF NIDAROS

Photo: www.adressa.no

Photo: Gorm Kallestad/ Scanpix

Christ Church, Oslo (18th century, active)

2002/2011

Church in Bodø

Photo: Wiki

BRIEF HISTORY OF RELIGION AND CHURCH

In 1537, King Christian III introduced Lutheranism as the state religion of Denmark (and Norway, which then belonged to it). Newly appointed Lutheran bishops traveled around the country and taught local priests the new faith at local synods. The church was the instrument for the introduction of the Danish language (through liturgy, catechism, translated Bible).

In 1814, when Norway became an independent state (in union with Sweden), the Evangelical Lutheran Church remained state. A significant influence on the church was exerted by the preacher Hauge, whose initially persecuted Pietist doctrine was integrated into the state church from the mid-19th century. Since 1845, independent churches were allowed to organize. In 1938, a law was passed on the right of women to hold the post of priest, but the first female priest appeared only in 1961.

In 1984, the General Synod was created, and in 1989 the power to appoint pastors passed from the government to the diocesan councils. However, parliament still makes church laws, manages finances and appoints bishops.

In 1999, 3.78 million Norwegians (86% of the country's population) considered themselves Lutherans (with Sunday worship attendance at a very low 3-5%). The Church is divided into 11 dioceses, has 1,350 communities (comprising 627 parishes), 1,700 churches, 1,200 state-paid pastors.

Dioceses:

Diocese of Oslo (first among equals)
Diocese of Adger
Diocese of Borg
Diocese of Bjorgvin
Diocese of Nidaros
Diocese of More
Diocese of Stavanger
Diocese of Tunsberg
Diocese of North Halogaland
Diocese of Southern Halogaland
Diocese of Hammar

Opening of the Synod in Lillehammer in November 2003

Service in a new style Photos: www.kirken.no

State Church of Norway

The state church of Norway is the Protestant Church, headed by the King of Norway, and the Storting acts as supreme legislature. The Royal Family must profess Lutheranism.

Mogreina church in Ullensaker (Akershus district)

Photo:

That is, the King bears almost all responsibility for governing the church. The Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs has all administrative powers, while the Storting (Norwegian National Parliament) is responsible for passing all laws and budgets related to church activities. All bishops and priests are appointed by the government. The supreme church body is the General Synod.

Before the Reformation, the state church of Norway was the Roman Catholic Church until a Royal Decree was passed in 1537. It was then that Protestantism became the state religion in the country. In the 18th century, the Church of Norway came under the influence of the Pietism movement, a Lutheran "revivalism" movement originating in Germany, which Special attention focused on the connection between belief and action. The Pietists tried to convey Christian faith and ethics down to every person. For example, they introduced the rite of confirmation (1736) and the concept of the People's School (1739). During this period, the Pietists paid special attention to missionary activity, mainly in Greenland and the Sami areas in northern Norway.

Lutheranism has been the state religion since the beginning of the 17th century, and for a long time all religions except the state religion were prohibited. A surge in the country's religious life occurred in the 1800s when secular preachers—not ordained priests without spiritual training—began preaching the Bible without permission from official religious authorities. The ban on secular preaching was adopted in 1842. The religious surge of the 1800s allowed the Pietists to become even more established. They called the situation the indifferent religiosity of the ordained clergy. Unlike the state churches of Denmark and Sweden, Norway was strongly associated with pietism and a strong secular movement.

The ideals of the secular movement and its conservative interpretation of Christianity gradually began to influence the Norwegian clergy. Norwegian Christian societies in the early 20th century were characterized by tension between people of liberal and conservative views, especially regarding historical views of the Bible. Since the early 1980s, however, more contradictions have been revealed in views on the issues of the church and God.

The legalization of secular preaching opened the way for a variety of Christian free societies. The largest of these are the Pentecostal Movement, as well as other free churches such as the Free Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway and the Norwegian Baptist Union. The Roman Catholic Church, which was reborn in Norway in the 1850s, is thriving and its membership is growing steadily.

Source: Compiled based on data from the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia published by Aschehoug&Gyldendal

Members church council, elected at the 2010 Synod.

Photo:

Church of Norway

The Church of Norway (Norwegian Den norske kirke, nynoshk Den norske kyrkja) is one of the Lutheran churches, the official church of Norway. Not separated from the state, until 1969 it was called the “state church” (Norwegian statskirken). The head of the church is officially the King of Norway, and it is administered by the Norwegian Ministry of Cultural and Church Affairs.

Religion

The Church of Norway belongs to the Lutheran churches, and considers exclusively the Bible to be the basis of its faith. In addition, the Church of Norway recognizes the following scriptures as fundamental:

* Apostles' Creed
* Nicene Creed
* Afanasiev Creed
* Augsburg Confession
* Luther's Small Catechism

Understanding Scripture

The Church of Norway adheres to Lutheran teaching, according to which the Bible talks about the requirements and gifts of God, or about Law and Gospel. In practice this means that the Old Testament is a story about God's law, the violation of which a person atones for by sacrifice, while the New Testament speaks of the atonement for human sins by the death of Jesus Christ on the cross.

Like other branches of Christianity, the Lutheran Church recognizes that the coming of Jesus was the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah.

The basis of Lutheran theology, and thus the theology of the Church of Norway, is the thesis that salvation is achieved solely by faith. This question became one of the reasons for the break between Lutheranism and Roman Catholic Church. According to the teachings of the Church of Norway, a person cannot be saved by his own actions or his own righteousness, but only by faith in Jesus as Savior.

Sacraments

Sacraments in the Church of Norway include baptism and communion. At the same time, other rites are also practiced that are considered sacraments in other churches, such as ordination. The Church of Norway accepts the doctrine of consubstantiation (co-existence).

Participle

According to Lutheran teaching, in the sacrament of communion, Jesus Christ is present in bread and wine, but at the same time, bread and wine from the point of view of substance do not cease to be such (consubstantiation, or co-existence), in contrast to Catholicism, where the doctrine of transubstantiation (transubstantiation) is accepted, according to by which bread and wine, from the point of view of substance, become the body and blood of Christ. Communion is the remission of sins and gives strength to continue the Christian life. The Church of Norway allows communion for people belonging to other religious communities.

Divine service

Worship (Norwegian: gudstjeneste, or høymesse) is the central event in the life of the parish. In Norway it usually takes place at 11.00 on Sundays, but in some cases additional services and/or services are held at other times. If one parish priest serves several churches, some churches may not hold services on Sunday. Baptism, communion and confirmation (confirmation) are carried out as part of the regular service, but for other rites (for example, funeral or wedding) there are special procedures. Most parishes follow the Liturgical Book of the Church of Norway (Norwegian Gudstjenestebok for den norske kirke), but some parishes are experimenting with other types of services or more free forms. A revision of the order of worship is planned for 2010.

The order of the liturgy is based on the Catholic Mass and is fundamentally little different from the order of worship in other churches.

The standard worship service is organized as follows:

* Introductory part with entrance psalm, greeting and introductory words. Often during the singing of the first psalm there is a solemn procession. Then follows the confession of sins, the Kyrie, eleison and Gloria in excelsis Deo are sung.
* Liturgy of the word with prayer for a given day, two Bible readings, reading the Creed (usually the Apostolic Creed) and a sermon. This is followed by Eucharistic prayers and a sacrifice of thanksgiving.
* Communion (“liturgy of the table”): The liturgy of communion consists of the priest and congregation exchanging the necessary words and singing part of chapter 6 of the Book of Isaiah. This is followed by the priest's prayer and the general prayer of the Lord's Prayer. After this, the priest says the necessary words and everyone sings Agnus Dei.
* Finals and blessings. Sometimes the liturgy may end with a solemn procession.

If baptism is necessary during the liturgy, it usually occurs after the Gloria or Eucharistic prayers, but other options are possible.

Church rituals

Confirmation

During the rite of confirmation, the church prays for the person receiving confirmation. Its meaning lies in the confirmation (lat. confirmatio) of baptism - God confirms the promise given to a person in the sacrament of baptism.

Protestants deny the Catholic and Orthodox understanding of confirmation as a sacrament, but retain it as a necessary step in preparation for communion, although now the faithful can begin communion even if they have not been confirmed. In 1736, confirmation became mandatory for all Norwegian citizens, and this order was maintained for a long time. Confirmation also plays an important role in the catechesis process: since the Church of Norway practices infant baptism, teaching the basics of the faith occurs after baptism, usually just before confirmation. Since 1978, the period of catechesis before confirmation usually lasts eight months.

Baptism

Photo:

Confession

Unlike Catholicism and Orthodoxy, in Lutheranism not only a priest, but any faithful person can accept confession and absolve the sins of a penitent. Martin Luther himself believed that confession was important as a way of recognizing one's sins and at the same time fulfilling pastoral duties. In the Church of Norway there is a ritual of confession, which last years gain popularity. Typically, confession takes place in the priest's office or in the home of the person confessing, and in a number of parishes it is possible to install confessionals. Confession plays a particularly important role in Laestadianism, widespread in northern Norway (Tromso and Finnmark). Laestadians usually confess to whomever they trust most among the faithful, not necessarily a priest.

Marriage

According to Lutheran teaching, marriage is primarily a civil matter, but it is confirmed in a special church ceremony. There is also a special rite of prayer for spouses who were previously married through a civil ceremony.

Previously, the Church of Norway considered marriage indissoluble, but during the 20th century this position changed, and now most priests recognize the right to divorce. According to Norwegian marriage law, if a priest does not recognize the right of divorced people to marry, he can refuse to perform the ceremony.

The Church of Norway can perform a wedding ceremony even if only one of the spouses is a member, but the priest can refuse to perform such a wedding.

Since 1992, there has been considerable debate about the role of homosexuals in the church, in particular the possibility of recognition of homosexual marriages. At the last meeting of the Church Council in 2007, this issue was left to the discretion of the bishops.

Ordination

Ordination, or the ordination of priests, occurs as part of a blessing procedure confirming that a person is worthy to receive this order and has the necessary knowledge and skills. Ordination to the rank of bishop takes place as part of a special ceremony. Ordination to the ranks of deacons, catechists and cantors is called a different word in Norwegian (Norwegian vigsel), but the difference between such ordination and ordination is traditional and has no theological significance within the Norwegian Church. In other words, within a parish, the most important difference is between ministries for which ordination or consecration is necessary (priest, catechist, deacon, cantor) and those for which nothing of the kind is required (ministers, etc.).

The Church of Norway allows the ordination of women, including as bishops. The Church of Norway is an Episcopal-Synodal Church and is divided into 11 dioceses.

SJOEMANNSKIRKEN - Church for sailors abroad

, or Church for Sailors Abroad (Sjømannskirken - Norsk kirke i utlandet) is a voluntary society founded on August 31, 1864 on the initiative of the Mission for Sailors Abroad. The first church was founded in 1865 in Leith (Scotland).

Norwegian churches abroad are affiliated with the Norwegian State Church. The head office is located in Bergen. Branches of Sjømannskirken - Lutheran Norwegian churches - are scattered throughout the world.

As the name suggests, initially the main target group for pastors were sailors overseas. Nowadays the church works with all Norwegians and Scandinavians living outside their homeland. In recent years, church activity in Spain has been particularly active, due to the fact that many Norwegians, especially older ones, move there or live there in the winter.

The church employs about 200 employees, among whom, in addition to ordinary priests, are pastors who work with students and sailors. The work of the organization is not only and not so much preaching as it is social.
At services held outside Scandinavia, Norwegians and their neighbors come together, which helps to establish contacts and adapt to the sometimes difficult conditions of living and working in another country.

It is no coincidence that the church uses the phrase Ditt hjem i utlandet - “Your home abroad” as a “subtitle” to its name and main slogan. At events held with the participation of church pastors, a truly Norwegian atmosphere is created, the important components of which are strong Norwegian coffee and traditional baked waffles.
These waffles are baked in the shape of hearts - which emphasizes the sincerity and openness of the pastors, always ready to help or just chat - and not necessarily in the form of a religious sermon.

There is no branch of Sjømannskirken in Moscow as such, but priests regularly come to the Russian capital to conduct services for all Scandinavians living and working in Moscow (usually these services are held at embassies and are timed to coincide with major church holidays - Easter, Christmas, etc. ). Pastors of Sjømannskirken provide assistance and assistance, including financial assistance, to Russian orphanages.

It is important to note that this, again, is not meant as propaganda of Lutheranism and religion in general, but is only part of a broad social work conducted by the church. The church service in the Norwegian Church reports that a new system will be introduced for the main church service from 2011. According to the president of the bishops' conference, Helga Haugland Byfuglien, the new mechanism will introduce diversity, expand the capabilities of the community, and parishioners will have more influence on the life of the community and the church.

The starting point for the introduction of a new service system in the Norwegian Church is the 1st Sunday of Advent 2011.

for the main worship service. April 2011.

Photo:

The new church service scheme includes:
- main religious services;

- ceremony for baptism;
- rules for service church life;
- textbooks;
- music of brass bands;
- new collection of hymns and koralbok (planned to be published in 2013)

In an address to parishioners-members of the Church regarding the new service system, it is said, in particular:

“You can choose from several alternative prayers and various musical and visual expressions of the church service. Such freedom is already inherent in many other church communities..."

IN new system All parishioners can participate in the parish meeting, services will be held in such a way that people of different ages and physical condition (meaning disabled people) participated in the life of the church and to some extent influenced the choice of service (music, prayers, etc.)

Thus, it is now possible to use liturgical music of various genres - former church music, Gregorian chant, classical, as well as rhythmic popular music, folk music. The singing of community members will be accompanied by an organ and other musical instruments.

The new pattern of worship places greater emphasis on aesthetics - the presence of paintings, drama and liturgical dance. The church room where the service is held is now more spacious - this is convenient for church processions and other events.

A flash presentation of the worship form can be viewed here:

Despite the fact that Norway has a state church, there is complete freedom of religion in the country. This means that everyone can practice their religion without fear of persecution or punishment for doing so. This also means that every person is free to choose the religion to which he or she wants to belong. Equally important is that a person can choose not to belong to any religion.

Norway's largest religious community is the Church of Norway, whose members comprise about 70% of the population. A high percentage of membership does not mean that religion occupies a significant place in the lives of all people. Statistics, for example, show that only 12% of Norwegians go to church more than once a month. 37% say they never go to church. However, the church still occupies important place for most residents during ceremonies such as baptisms, confirmations, weddings and funerals, not to mention Christmas.

Various religious communities receive money from the state for their work

Religious communities and ideological societies can receive economic assistance from the state and the commune. Officially approved religious communities and worldview societies receive the same economic support for each of their members as the Church of Norway.

Norway is a multicultural and secular state

Norway adopted Christianity about 1,000 years ago, and since the Reformation in the 16th century, Lutheranism (Protestantism) has remained the dominant religion in Norway.

In earlier times, Norwegians were prohibited from leaving the state church, and it was only about a hundred years ago that it became possible for non-Christian religious communities to organize in Norway.

Today society is becoming more and more secular. This means that religion has less importance in society than before - both among the population and in shaping the laws of the country.

Various religious and ideological groups in Norway

About 30% of Norway's population is not a member of the state church. Approximately half of them are members of other religious communities and ideological societies, and the remaining half do not belong to any of these societies.

The 10% of the population belonging to one of the religious or ideological societies outside the Norwegian Church is distributed as follows:

DATA

People's Church

• The Norwegian Church is a folk church. It is the largest religious community in Norway, professing Lutheran-Protestant Christianity.
• Previously, the Church of Norway had the status of the state church of Norway.
• Norway no longer has a state religion.

Norwegians are direct descendants of the famous Vikings. Once upon a time their religion was called Northern tradition. Today this country can be called Christian. Her ancient beliefs remained only in some rituals, way of life and holidays, and campaigns on longships sank into oblivion in Norwegian waters.

Norwegian religion: history

The multicultural state adopted Christianity more than 1,000 years ago. Before this, the northern gods ruled the minds and hearts of people. Odin was considered the Supreme God, then the pantheon was divided into Aesir and Vanir, gods of the new generation.

In Scandinavian mythology there were also more ancient creatures, thanks to which, according to the ancient Norwegians, our land appeared. Even in these lands, the God Thor was highly revered. They also addressed prayers and requests to the Goddess Freya, asking her for love and prosperity.

The ancestors of modern Norwegians did not begin any important business without the blessing of the Gods. In their honor, festivals with sacrifices were held, bonfires were lit, and mass celebrations were held. In the name of the Gods they killed and died in battle.

Until the 15th century, the Sami religion was widespread in Norwegian territories. It was based on shamanism, as well as belief in natural gods who personified the powers of the four main elements: earth, water, wind and fire. In addition to the main gods, the Sami believed in the power of the moon and the sun. They worshiped fertility, thunder, and revered death itself. Under the influence of the Christian church, many Sami people changed their religion, but some of them even now engage in shamanic practices and rituals. Today, the Sami community is a functioning association with its followers, leaders and adherents.

From the 16th century Lutheranism came to Norway. For a long time, this Christian religious movement remained the only and dominant one in this state. Then Islam was introduced into the country, as well as other branches of the Christian religion.

Freedom of religion led to the emergence of Protestantism in Norway, as well as various religious communities that can be called pagan. Shamanism was also developed in some regions.

Religion and numbers

The number of adherents of a particular church can only be estimated approximately. Many people don't want to answer the religious affiliation question because it's too personal. According to official data, the situation with religion in Norway is as follows:

• 80% Lutheran;
• 4% atheists;
• 16% belonging to other religions.

The Norwegian state provides material support to the Lutheran Church, and also supports all state communities that are officially registered.

Over the years, society in this state has become more and more secular. Only a few percent of Norwegians attend church regularly. The rest, being Christians, do not observe all religious rituals. They go to church no more than once a month, or even don’t come to services at all for years.

Baha'is and Jews are those religious movements that were brought to the Norwegian state from the East. The Vikings always traveled a lot, fought and traded, so they brought a lot of new things to their native culture from the countries they visited.

The Constitution strongly protects freedom of religion in Norway. For inciting conflicts on religious grounds, a person will face big troubles here. Norwegians believe that many of the world's beliefs can peacefully coexist side by side, and no one will be disadvantaged or humiliated. This multicultural country is considered a tolerant and tolerant state.