Christianity in Norway
Encyclopedia
Christianity
is the largest religion in Norway. Norway has historically been called a Christian country, but according to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll
2005, only 32% of the Norwegian population say they believe there is a God. A majority of the population are members of the Church of Norway
. Many Norwegians
are secular; while 70% of the population say they have a faith, only 32% practice their respective faith. One need not go further back than the beginning of the 1900s to find a much more religious atmosphere. At numerous times in history, Norway sent more missionaries per capita than any other country. This changed considerably from the 1960s. Today, only 12% of the population attend church services each month. Citizens born in Norway to one or two Norwegian parents are automatically added to the list of Protestant Christians in Norway, and are required to "sign out" of the church. There are two categories kept in the church's books, "medlemmer" (members) and "tilhørige" (belonging to [the State church]). Members technically have to be baptised, whereas "tilhørige" are to be taken out of the books if not baptised by the age of 18. Norwegian citizens' tax funds are given to the Protestant Church until one registers as a member of another religious group, or as a member of the Humanist association.
In 1993, there were 4,981 churches and chapel
s in Norway.
The conversion of Norway to Christianity began in 1000 AD. The raids on the British Isles and the Frankish kingdoms had brought the Vikings in touch with Christianity. Haakon the Good of Norway
who had grown up in England tried to introduce Christianity in the tenth century, but had met resistance from pagan leaders and soon abandoned the idea.
Anglo-Saxon missionaries from England and Germany engaged in converting Norwegians to Christianity, but with only limited success. However, they succeeded in converting Olaf I of Norway to Christianity. Olaf II of Norway
(later Saint Olaf) had more success in his efforts to convert the population, and he is credited with Christianising Norway.
The Christians in Norway often established churches or other holy sites at places that had previously been sacred under the Norse religion. The spread of conversion can be measured by burial sites as Pagans were buried with grave goods
while Christians weren't. Christianity had become well established in Norway by the middle of the 11th century and had become dominant by the middle of the 12th century. Stave church
es were built of wood without the use of nails in the 13th century.
in the world. Below is a table that compares Norway with other countries in a regularly church attendance. In contrast to 250,000 in whole Norway, 43,500 attend just one church in the United States every week (Lakewood Church
) and 23,000 attend just one church in Australia (Hillsong Church
).
The U.S state of Alabama
has a population around the same size as Norway's population, but church attendance in Alabama
is as high as 11 times higher than in Norway.
.
The Church of Norway
(Den norske kirke in Bokmål
or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk
) is the state church of Norway. The church confesses the Lutheran
Christian faith. It has as its foundation the Christian Bible
, the Apostles' Creed
, Nicene Creed
, Athanasian Creed
, Luther's Small Catechism
and the Augsburg Confession
. The Church is a member of the Porvoo Communion
with 12 other churches, among them the Anglican Churches of Europe. It has also signed some other ecumenical texts, including the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
with the Roman Catholic Church.
The constitutional head of the Church is the King of Norway, who is obliged to profess the Lutheran faith. The Church of Norway is subject to legislation, including its budgets, passed by the Norwegian parliament, the Storting, and its central administrative functions are carried out by the Royal Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs.
The Church has a congregational and episcopal structure, with 1,284 parishes, 106 deaneries and 11 dioceses, namely:
The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
(Den Evangelisk Lutherske frikyrkja i Noreg in Norwegian) or the Free Church as it is commonly known, is a nationwide Lutheran church in Norway consisting of 81 congregations with 19,262 members in 2009. It was founded in 1877 in Moss
. It should not be confused with the Church of Norway, though both churches are members of the Lutheran World Federation
. The Free Church is economically independent.
The following numbers is from :
15,574 members in 2009, up from 7,267 in 2005.
4,237 members in 2009, up from 3,504 in 2005.
3,232 members in 2009, down from 3,410 in 2005.
2,735 members in 2009, down from 3,395 in 2005.
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
and the Curia
in Rome. There are about 57,000 - 230,000 Catholics in the country, 70% of whom were born abroad. The country is divided into three Church districts – the Diocese of Oslo
and the prelatures of Trondheim
and Tromsø and 32 parishes. The Bishop of Oslo participates in the Scandinavian Bishops Conference
. The Catholic Church in Norway is as old as the kingdom itself, dating from approximately 900 A.D., with the first Christian monarchs, Haakon I
from 934.
At first, the bulk of Roman Catholic immigrants came from Germany, The Netherlands, and France. Immigration from Chile, the Philippines, and from a wide range of other countries began in the 1970s. This development has further increased in the last few years with economic immigrants from Poland and Lithuania. The official number of Catholics, however, decreased slightly in 2004. This is because the Norwegian state demands a person's social security number (fødsels-og personnummer) in order to grant the per capita subsidy. The real number of Roman Catholics in Norway is possibly as much as twice the official number of 50,000. Ethnic Norwegian Catholics are now greatly outnumbered by the immigrants, although the former tend to be far more observant and conservative, being a self-selected group largely of ex-Lutheran converts.
is the largest nontrinitarian religious organization in Norway, with a membership of 14,976 in 2009. A branch office is located in Ytre Enebakk
. Jehovah's Witnesses receive public grants in the same manner as other registered religious communities in Norway.
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
is the largest religion in Norway. Norway has historically been called a Christian country, but according to the most recent Eurobarometer Poll
Eurobarometer
Eurobarometer is a series of surveys regularly performed on behalf of the European Commission since 1973. It produces reports of public opinion of certain issues relating to the European Union across the member states...
2005, only 32% of the Norwegian population say they believe there is a God. A majority of the population are members of the Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
. Many Norwegians
Norwegians
Norwegians constitute both a nation and an ethnic group native to Norway. They share a common culture and speak the Norwegian language. Norwegian people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in United States, Canada and Brazil.-History:Towards the end of the 3rd...
are secular; while 70% of the population say they have a faith, only 32% practice their respective faith. One need not go further back than the beginning of the 1900s to find a much more religious atmosphere. At numerous times in history, Norway sent more missionaries per capita than any other country. This changed considerably from the 1960s. Today, only 12% of the population attend church services each month. Citizens born in Norway to one or two Norwegian parents are automatically added to the list of Protestant Christians in Norway, and are required to "sign out" of the church. There are two categories kept in the church's books, "medlemmer" (members) and "tilhørige" (belonging to [the State church]). Members technically have to be baptised, whereas "tilhørige" are to be taken out of the books if not baptised by the age of 18. Norwegian citizens' tax funds are given to the Protestant Church until one registers as a member of another religious group, or as a member of the Humanist association.
In 1993, there were 4,981 churches and chapel
Chapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
s in Norway.
Christianization
Haakon I of Norway
Haakon I , , given the byname the Good, was the third king of Norway and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair and Thora Mosterstang.-Early life:...
who had grown up in England tried to introduce Christianity in the tenth century, but had met resistance from pagan leaders and soon abandoned the idea.
Anglo-Saxon missionaries from England and Germany engaged in converting Norwegians to Christianity, but with only limited success. However, they succeeded in converting Olaf I of Norway to Christianity. Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II of Norway
Olaf II Haraldsson was King of Norway from 1015 to 1028. He was posthumously given the title Rex Perpetuus Norvegiae and canonised in Nidaros by Bishop Grimkell, one year after his death in the Battle of Stiklestad on 29 July 1030. Enshrined in Nidaros Cathedral...
(later Saint Olaf) had more success in his efforts to convert the population, and he is credited with Christianising Norway.
The Christians in Norway often established churches or other holy sites at places that had previously been sacred under the Norse religion. The spread of conversion can be measured by burial sites as Pagans were buried with grave goods
Grave goods
Grave goods, in archaeology and anthropology, are the items buried along with the body.They are usually personal possessions, supplies to smooth the deceased's journey into the afterlife or offerings to the gods. Grave goods are a type of votive deposit...
while Christians weren't. Christianity had become well established in Norway by the middle of the 11th century and had become dominant by the middle of the 12th century. Stave church
Stave church
A stave church is a medieval wooden church with a post and beam construction related to timber framing. The wall frames are filled with vertical planks. The load-bearing posts have lent their name to the building technique...
es were built of wood without the use of nails in the 13th century.
By county
| County | Christians |
|---|---|
 Nord-TrøndelagNord-Trøndelag is a county constituting the northern part of Trøndelag in Norway. As of 2010, the county had 131,555 inhabitants, making it the country's fourth-least populated county. The largest municipalities are Stjørdal, Steinkjer—the county seat, Levanger, Namsos and Verdal, all with between 21,000 and... |
91.2% |
 Sogn og FjordaneSogn og Fjordane is a county in Norway, bordering Møre og Romsdal, Oppland, Buskerud, and Hordaland. The county administration is in the town of Hermansverk in Leikanger municipality while the largest town is Førde.... |
90.4% |
| Møre og Romsdal Møre og Romsdal is a county in the northernmost part of Western Norway. It borders the counties of Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Sogn og Fjordane. The county administration is located in Molde, while Ålesund is the largest city.-The name:... |
90.2% |
 NordlandNordland is a county in Norway in the North Norway region, bordering Troms in the north, Nord-Trøndelag in the south, Norrbottens län in Sweden to the east, Västerbottens län to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. The county was formerly known as Nordlandene amt. The county administration is... |
89.9% |
 OpplandOppland is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Møre og Romsdal, Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Akershus, Oslo and Hedmark. The county administration is in Lillehammer. Oppland is, together with Hedmark, one of the only two landlocked counties of Norway.... |
89.6% |
| Finnmark Finnmark or Finnmárku is a county in the extreme northeast of Norway. By land it borders Troms county to the west, Finland to the south and Russia to the east, and by water, the Norwegian Sea to the northwest, and the Barents Sea to the north and northeast.The county was formerly known as Finmarkens... |
89.2% |
 HedmarkHedmark is a county in Norway, bordering Sør-Trøndelag, Oppland and Akershus. The county administration is in Hamar.Hedmark makes up the northeastern part of Østlandet, the southeastern part of the country. It includes a long part of the borderline with Sweden, Dalarna County and Värmland County. The... |
89.1% |
| Troms Troms or Romsa is a county in North Norway, bordering Finnmark to the northeast and Nordland in the southwest. To the south is Norrbotten Län in Sweden and further southeast is a shorter border with Lapland Province in Finland. To the west is the Norwegian Sea... |
88.8% |
 Aust-AgderAust-Agder is a county in Norway, bordering Telemark, Rogaland, and Vest-Agder. In 2002, there were 102,945 inhabitants, which is 2.2% of the total population in Norway. Its area is . The administrative center of the county is in Arendal.... |
87.5% |
 HordalandHordaland is a county in Norway, bordering Sogn og Fjordane, Buskerud, Telemark and Rogaland. Hordaland is the third largest county after Akershus and Oslo by population. The county administration is located in Bergen... |
87.3% |
 Sør-TrøndelagSør-Trøndelag - References :... |
86.7% |
 TelemarkTelemark is a county in Norway, bordering Vestfold, Buskerud, Hordaland, Rogaland and Aust-Agder. The county administration is in Skien. Until 1919 the county was known as Bratsberg amt.-Location:... |
86.6% |
 Vest-AgderVest-Agder In the 16th century, Dutch merchant vessels began to visit ports in southern Norway to purchase salmon and other goods. Soon thereafter the export of timber began, as oak from southern Norway was exceptionally well suited for shipbuilding... |
85.6% |
 RogalandRogaland is a county in Western Norway, bordering Hordaland, Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder. It is the center of the Norwegian petroleum industry, and as a result of this, Rogaland has the lowest unemployment rate of any county in Norway, 1.1%... |
85.4% |
 VestfoldVestfold is a county in Norway, bordering Buskerud and Telemark. The county administration is in Tønsberg.Vestfold is located west of the Oslofjord, as the name indicates. It includes many smaller, but well-known towns in Norway, such as Larvik, Sandefjord, Tønsberg and Horten. The river Numedalslågen runs... |
84.8% |
| Østfold Østfold is a county in southeastern Norway, bordering Akershus and southwestern Sweden , while Buskerud and Vestfold is on the other side of the bay. The seat of the county administration is Sarpsborg, and Fredrikstad is the largest city.Many manufacturing facilities are situated here. Moss and... |
84.6% |
 Norway |
84.2% |
 BuskerudBuskerud is a county in Norway, bordering Akershus, Oslo, Oppland, Sogn og Fjordane, Hordaland, Telemark, and Vestfold. The county administration is located in Drammen.-Geography:... |
83.0% |
| Akershus Akershus - Geography :The county is conventionally divided into the traditional districts Follo and Romerike, which fill the vast part of the county, as well as the small exclave west of Oslo that consists of Asker and Bærum... |
81.4% |
 OsloOslo Oslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King... |
65.8% |
Church attendance
Norway has one of the lowest church attendanceChurch attendance
Church attendance refers to the reception of religious services offered by a particular church, or more generally, by any religious organisation.-Participation statistics:...
in the world. Below is a table that compares Norway with other countries in a regularly church attendance. In contrast to 250,000 in whole Norway, 43,500 attend just one church in the United States every week (Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church
Lakewood Church is a non-denominational Christian megachurch located in Houston, Texas. It is the largest congregation in the United States, averaging more than 43,500 in attendance per week. The 16,800-seat Lakewood Church Central Campus, home to four English language services and two Spanish...
) and 23,000 attend just one church in Australia (Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church
Hillsong Church is a Pentecostal megachurch affiliated with Australian Christian Churches and located in Sydney, Australia. The church's senior pastors, Brian and Bobbie Houston, began the church in 1983 as the Hills Christian Life Centre in Baulkham Hills...
).
The U.S state of Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
has a population around the same size as Norway's population, but church attendance in Alabama
Alabama
Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west. Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland...
is as high as 11 times higher than in Norway.
| Country | Regularly church attendance (%) | Regularly church attendance (number) |
|---|---|---|
 Alabama |
58% | 2,700,000 |
 Poland |
56.7% | 21,600,000 |
 Texas |
49% | 12,140,000 |
 United StatesChristianity in the United States Christianity is the largest and most popular religion in the United States, with around 77% of those polled identifying themselves as Christian, as of 2009. This is down from 86% in 1990, and slightly lower than 78.6% in 2001. About 62% of those polled claim to be members of a church congregation... average |
42% | 120,000,000 |
 California |
32% | 11,830,000 |
 Canada |
25% | 7,800,000 |
 Vermont |
24% | 140,000 |
 France |
15% | 9,800,000 |
 United Kingdom |
10% | 6,000,000 |
 AustraliaChristianity in Australia Christianity is the largest religion listed by Australians in the national census. In the 2006 Census, 63.9% of Australians were listed as Christian. Australia has no official state religion and the Australian Constitution protects freedom of religion. The presence of Christianity in Australia... |
7.5% | 1,500,000 |
| Norway |
5% | 250,000 |
Importance of religion
Below is a table that compares Norway with other countries in importance of religionImportance of religion by country
This is a list of countries by importance of religion based on a Gallup Poll. The Gallup poll has a broad question: the question "Is religion important in your daily life?" was asked; the "yes" and "no" answers are represented below. Discrepancies are due to the "Don't Know" and "Refused" answers...
.
| Country | People who say religion is important | Percent Christian of total population (%) |
|---|---|---|
 Democratic Republic of the Congo Congo DR |
98.5% | 95.1% |
 Philippines Philippines |
95.5% | 92.4% |
 Brazil Brazil |
86.5% | 90.4% |
 Iran Iran |
82.5% | 2.0% |
 Cyprus Cyprus |
75% | 98.1% |
 Greece Greece |
71.5% | 98.0% |
 Republic of Ireland Ireland |
53.5% | 92.3% |
 South Korea South Korea |
42.5% | 34.6% |
 Albania Albania |
32.5% | 20.0% |
 Finland Finland |
28% | 82.2% |
| Norway Norway |
20.5% | 85.6% |
 Denmark Denmark |
18% | 89.4% |
 Sweden Sweden |
16.5% | 79.9% |
 Estonia Estonia |
16% | 27.8% |
World Values Survey
| Religious Affiliation/Identification | 1982 | 1990 | 1996 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent belonging to a religious denomination | 95.9% | 90.2% | 90.7% | -- |
| Percent identifying as a religious person | 48% | 47.5% | 46.9% | 41.3% |
| Percent raised religious | -- | 45.7% | 41.4% | -- |
| Religious Behaviors | 1982 | 1990 | 1996 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent attending religious services at least once a month | 15.4% | 12.7% | 12.5% | 10.8% |
| Percent that meditate or pray | 61.6% | 64.4% | -- | 33.2% |
| Percent active in a church or religious organization | -- | -- | 8.3% | 8.3% |
| Religious Beliefs | 1982 | 1990 | 1996 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent believing in God | 75.5% | 65% | 68.8% | -- |
| Percent believing in heaven | 51.9% | 43.8% | 46.7% | -- |
| Percent believing in hell | 23.5% | 19.2% | 19.7% | -- |
| Percent believing in life after death | 50.7% | 44.7% | 47.3% | -- |
| Percent believing that there are clear guidelines on good and evil | 31.4% | 31.6% | 29.1% | -- |
| Percent believing that politicians who do not believe in God are unfit for public office | -- | -- | -- | 3.8% |
| Percent believing that religious leaders should not influence people's vote | -- | -- | -- | 8.9% |
| Percent believing that things would be better if there are more people with strong religious beliefs | -- | -- | -- | 6.2% |
| Percent believing church gives answers to people's spiritual needs | 64.3% | 55% | -- | 48.2% |
| Percent believing church gives answers on family life problems | 36.5% | 29.1% | -- | 16.1% |
| Percent believing churches give answers to moral problems | 47.5% | 40.9% | -- | 28.7% |
| Percent believing churches give answers to social problems | -- | 18.5% | -- | 11.7% |
| Percent believing that religious leaders should influence the government | -- | -- | -- | 79.4% |
| Percent believing that people have a soul | 59% | 54.4% | 59.6% | -- |
| Percent believing in the concept of sin | 59.2% | 44.2% | 45.4% | -- |
| Percent believing religious services are important for deaths | -- | 81.1% | -- | -- |
| Percent believing religious services are important for births | -- | 66.3% | -- | -- |
| Percent believing religious services are important for marriages | -- | 70.4% | -- | -- |
| Percent believing in a personal God | 39.2% | 29.8% | -- | -- |
| Percent believing in re-incarnation | 38.4% | 15.2% | -- | -- |
| Percent believing in the devil's existence | 30.2% | 24% | 28% | -- |
| Percent that think that religious faith is an important quality in children | -- | -- | -- | 8.6% |
| Percent that agree: We depend too much on science and not enough on faith | -- | -- | -- | 25.8% |
| Percent that do not trust people of other religions | -- | -- | -- | 20.4% |
| Percent that often think about meaning and purpose of life | -- | -- | -- | 20.2% |
| Religious Experiences | 1982 | 1990 | 1996 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent finding comfort and strength from religion | 48.5% | 35.6% | 39.5% | -- |
| Attitudes | 1982 | 1990 | 1996 | 2005 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent considering religion important | -- | 40.3% | 38.2% | 32.8% |
| Percent considering that God is not at all important in their life | 19.6% | 24.8% | 22.1% | 27.9% |
| Percent confident in religious organizations | 49.6% | 44.6% | 53.5% | 50.5% |
Other
| Born again Christian | 1997 | 2010 |
|---|---|---|
| Percent who report Born-again Christian | 19% | 26% |
| People who report Born-again Christian | 835,000 | 1,263,000 |
Statistics Norway
| Religion | Members | Percent | As of 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | 4,093,358 | 84.2% | |
| Lutheranism | 3,919,571 | 80.6% | |
| Catholicism | 66,972 | 1.3% | |
| Pentecostalism | 39,923 | 0.8% | |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | 11,640 | 0.2% | |
| Methodism | 11,082 | 0.2% | |
| Baptism | 9,749 | 0.2% | |
| Orthodoxy | 8,492 | 0.1% | |
| Brunstad Christian Church | 6,879 | 0.1% | |
| Seventh-day Adventist Church | 5,136 | 0.1% | |
| Other Christianity | 20,793 | 0.4% | |
| Total | 4,858,199 | 100.0% |
The Association of Religion Data Archives
| Denomination | Percent |
|---|---|
| Christian | 92.0% |
| Agnostic | 3.5% |
| Muslim Muslim A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable... |
2.8% |
| Buddhist | 0.7% |
| Atheist | 0.6% |
| Baha'i | 0.1% |
| Neo-pagan | 0.1% |
Operation World 2001
| Denomination | Percent |
|---|---|
| Christianity | 93.7% |
| Protestant | 89.4% |
| Other Christian | 2.0% |
| Independent | 1.2% |
| Roman Catholic | 0.8% |
| Non-religious | 5.0% |
| Islam Islam Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~... |
1.0% |
| Buddhism Buddhism Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th... |
0.2% |
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...
(Den norske kirke in Bokmål
Bokmål
Bokmål is one of two official Norwegian written standard languages, the other being Nynorsk. Bokmål is used by 85–90% of the population in Norway, and is the standard most commonly taught to foreign students of the Norwegian language....
or Den norske kyrkja in Nynorsk
Nynorsk
Nynorsk or New Norwegian is one of two official written standards for the Norwegian language, the other being Bokmål. The standard language was created by Ivar Aasen during the mid-19th century, to provide a Norwegian alternative to the Danish language which was commonly written in Norway at the...
) is the state church of Norway. The church confesses the Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
Christian faith. It has as its foundation the Christian Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
, the Apostles' Creed
Apostles' Creed
The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...
, Nicene Creed
Nicene Creed
The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...
, Athanasian Creed
Athanasian Creed
The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century...
, Luther's Small Catechism
Luther's Small Catechism
Luther's Small Catechism was written by Martin Luther and published in 1529 for the training of children. Luther's Small Catechism reviews The Ten Commandments, The Apostles' Creed, The Lord's Prayer, The Sacrament of Holy Baptism, The Office of the Keys & Confession, and The Sacrament of the...
and the Augsburg Confession
Augsburg Confession
The Augsburg Confession, also known as the "Augustana" from its Latin name, Confessio Augustana, is the primary confession of faith of the Lutheran Church and one of the most important documents of the Lutheran reformation...
. The Church is a member of the Porvoo Communion
Porvoo Communion
The Porvoo Communion is a communion of 12 mainly northern European Anglican and Lutheran churches. It was established in 1992 by an agreement entitled the Porvoo Common Statement which establishes full communion between and among the churches...
with 12 other churches, among them the Anglican Churches of Europe. It has also signed some other ecumenical texts, including the Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification
The Joint Declaration on the Doctrine of Justification is a document created by and agreed to by the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity and the Lutheran World Federation in 1999, as a result of extensive ecumenical dialogue...
with the Roman Catholic Church.
The Church has a congregational and episcopal structure, with 1,284 parishes, 106 deaneries and 11 dioceses, namely:
- OsloDiocese of OsloOslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...
, seated in OsloOsloOslo is a municipality, as well as the capital and most populous city in Norway. As a municipality , it was established on 1 January 1838. Founded around 1048 by King Harald III of Norway, the city was largely destroyed by fire in 1624. The city was moved under the reign of Denmark–Norway's King...
, also covers AskerAskerAsker is a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. It is part of the Viken traditional region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Asker. The municipality is a suburb of Oslo, the national capital...
and BærumBærumis a municipality in Akershus county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Sandvika. Bærum was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838. A suburb of Oslo, Bærum is located on the west coast of the city....
(Bishop Ole Christian KvarmeOle Christian KvarmeOle Christian Mælen Kvarme is the Bishop of Oslo in the Lutheran Church of Norway since 2005. As Bishop of Oslo, Kvarme is the personal prelate of the Norwegian Royal Family....
) - BorgDiocese of BorgBorg is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The diocese includes parishes in the counties of Østfold and Akershus, excluding Asker and Bærum . It was created in 1969 by separation from the Diocese of Oslo. The cathedral city is Fredrikstad....
, seated in FredrikstadFredrikstadis a city and municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Fredrikstad....
covering areas southeast of Oslo (Bishop Helga Haugland Byfuglien) - HamarDiocese of HamarHamar is a present Lutheran diocese, named after its episcopal see, the Norwegian city of Hamar.There are 164 parishes in the diocese.-Lutheran diocese:...
, seated in HamarHamaris a town and municipality in Hedmark county, Norway. It is part of the traditional region of Hedmarken. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Hamar. The municipality of Hamar was separated from Vang as a town and municipality of its own in 1849...
covering most of the inland areas north and east of Oslo (Bishop Solveig FiskeSolveig FiskeSolveig Margrete Fiske is a bishop in the Church of Norway in the Diocese of Hamar, seated in Hamar.Originally from Frei in Møre og Romsdal, she graduated from the MF Norwegian School of Theology in 1980, and completed her practical training there in 1981...
) - TunsbergDiocese of TunsbergTunsberg is a diocese of the Church of Norway. It includes parishes located within the counties of Vestfold and Buskerud, with the cathedral city located in Tønsberg.-History:...
, seated in TønsbergTønsbergis a city and municipality in Vestfold county, southern Norway, located around north-east of Sandefjord. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tønsberg....
covering coastal areas just southwest of Oslo and inland northwest (Bishop Laila Riksaasen DahlLaila Riksaasen DahlLailia Riksaasen Dahl is the current bishop of the Diocese of Tunsberg in the Church of Norway.Riksaasen Dahl is a graduate from both the University of Oslo and MF Norwegian School of Theology . Dahl worked as a teacher from 1970 to 1980, and as a Christian educator from 1980 to 1984...
) - Agder og TelemarkDiocese of Agder og TelemarkThe Diocese of Agder og Telemark Agder og Telemark bispedømme) is a diocese of the Church of Norway, covering the counties of Telemark, Aust-Agder and Vest-Agder in Norway...
, seated in KristiansandKristiansand-History:As indicated by archeological findings in the city, the Kristiansand area has been settled at least since 400 AD. A royal farm is known to have been situated on Oddernes as early as 800, and the first church was built around 1040...
covering Southeastern Norway (Bishop Olav Skjevesland) - StavangerDiocese of StavangerStavanger is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers Rogaland. The cathedral city is Stavanger, and the bishop since 2009 is Erling Johan Pettersen.-History:...
, seated in StavangerStavangerStavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
covering Southwestern Norway (Bishop Erling Pettersen) - BjørgvinDiocese of BjørgvinBjørgvin Diocese is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers churches located in the counties of Hordaland and Sogn og Fjordane. The cathedral city is Bergen. Bergen Cathedral, formerly the Church of Saint Olaf, serves as the seat of the presiding Bishop...
, seated in Bergen covering parts of Western Norway (Bishop Halvor Nordhaug) - MøreDiocese of MøreThe Diocese of Møre is a diocese in the Church of Norway which geographically consists of Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. Its bishop and cathedral are located in the county administrative center of Molde...
, seated in MoldeMoldeis a city and municipality in Møre og Romsdal county, Norway. It is part of the Romsdal region. The municipality is located on the Romsdal Peninsula, surrounding the Fannefjord and Moldefjord...
covering northern parts of Western Norway (Bishop Ingeborg Midttømme) - NidarosDiocese of NidarosNidaros is a diocese in the Lutheran Church of Norway. It covers Nord-Trøndelag and Sør-Trøndelag counties and its cathedral city is Trondheim, which houses the well-known Nidaros Cathedral. The diocese is divided into 12 deaneries . Finn Wagle was the bishop from 1991 to 2008...
, seated in TrondheimTrondheimTrondheim , historically, Nidaros and Trondhjem, is a city and municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. With a population of 173,486, it is the third most populous municipality and city in the country, although the fourth largest metropolitan area. It is the administrative centre of...
, covering Trøndelag (Bishop Tor SingsaasTor SingsaasTor Singsaas is a Norwegian Lutheran minister and the current bishop in the Diocese of Nidaros.-Background:Singsaas was born and baptized in Hølonda, Norway and grew up in Buvika and Melhus. His father was a general store manager, and Singsaas grew up in and around these stores, which were...
) - Sør-HålogalandDiocese of Sør-HålogalandSør-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The Diocese covers the Lutheran Church of Norway churches located within Nordland county in Norway...
, seated in BodøBodøis a city and a municipality in Nordland county, Norway. It is part of the Salten region.The city of Bodø was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838 . Bodin was merged with Bodø on 1 January 1968. Skjerstad was merged with Bodø on 1 January 2005...
, covering southern areas of Northern Norway (Bishop Tor Berger JørgensenTor Berger JørgensenTor Berger Jørgensen is the Bishop of the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland in the Church of Norway.Jørgensen was named the new bishop of Sør-Hålogaland on 17 November 2006 and took over those duties from Øystein Ingar Larsen on 28 January 2007...
) - Nord-HålogalandDiocese of Nord-HålogalandNord-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers Lutheran churches in the counties of Troms, Finnmark and Svalbard. The cathedral city is Tromsø, and the bishop since 2002 is Per Oskar Kjølaas...
, seated in TromsøTromsøTromsø is a city and municipality in Troms county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the city of Tromsø.Tromsø city is the ninth largest urban area in Norway by population, and the seventh largest city in Norway by population...
, covering the rest of Northern Norway (Bishop Per Oskar KjølaasPer Oskar KjølaasPer Oskar Alfred Kjølaas is the current bishop of the Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland in the Church of Norway.Kjølaas studied at the MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo, having graduated as cand. theol...
)
| As of 2008 | Percent | |
|---|---|---|
| Members | 3,874,823 | 81.8% |
| Participation in worship services, Sundays and holidays | 5,069,341 | |
| Baptism | 42,599 | |
| Confirmation | 41,655 | |
| Consecration | 10,536 | |
| Funeral | 38,832 |
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
The Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway
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 and 21,817 baptized members. It was founded in 1877 in Moss. It should not be confused with the Church of Norway, though both churches are...
(Den Evangelisk Lutherske frikyrkja i Noreg in Norwegian) or the Free Church as it is commonly known, is a nationwide Lutheran church in Norway consisting of 81 congregations with 19,262 members in 2009. It was founded in 1877 in Moss
Moss, Norway
is a coastal city and a municipality in Østfold county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Moss. The city of Moss was established as a municipality on 1 January 1838...
. It should not be confused with the Church of Norway, though both churches are members of the Lutheran World Federation
Lutheran World Federation
The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...
. The Free Church is economically independent.
The following numbers is from :
The Swedish Margareta Congregation in Oslo
15,574 members in 2009, up from 7,267 in 2005.
The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Congregation
4,237 members in 2009, up from 3,504 in 2005.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church Community
3,232 members in 2009, down from 3,410 in 2005.
The Icelandic Evangelical Lutheran Congregation in Norway
2,735 members in 2009, down from 3,395 in 2005.
Brunstad Christian Church
Brunstad Christian Church is the largest international Christian movement founded in Norway.Roman Catholicism
The Catholic Church in Norway is part of the worldwide Catholic ChurchRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
, under the spiritual leadership of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
and the Curia
Roman Curia
The Roman Curia is the administrative apparatus of the Holy See and the central governing body of the entire Catholic Church, together with the Pope...
in Rome. There are about 57,000 - 230,000 Catholics in the country, 70% of whom were born abroad. The country is divided into three Church districts – the Diocese of Oslo
Roman Catholic Diocese of Oslo
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Oslo is an exempt diocese located in the city of Oslo in Norway.-History:* 1070?: Established as Diocese of Oslo* 1537: Suppressed...
and the prelatures of Trondheim
Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim
Trondheim, Norway is the seat of the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim, which before March 1979 was the Apostolic Vicariate of Central Norway. The prelature leadership is currently vacant following the resignation of Bishop Georg Müller in 2009 and is being administered by Bernt...
and Tromsø and 32 parishes. The Bishop of Oslo participates in the Scandinavian Bishops Conference
Scandinavian Bishops Conference
The Scandinavian Bishops Conference is an episcopal conference of Roman Catholic bishops covering the Nordic countries of Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Iceland. At present, it has 12 members who represent all seven of the Catholic dioceses in the Nordic countries...
. The Catholic Church in Norway is as old as the kingdom itself, dating from approximately 900 A.D., with the first Christian monarchs, Haakon I
Haakon I of Norway
Haakon I , , given the byname the Good, was the third king of Norway and the youngest son of Harald Fairhair and Thora Mosterstang.-Early life:...
from 934.
At first, the bulk of Roman Catholic immigrants came from Germany, The Netherlands, and France. Immigration from Chile, the Philippines, and from a wide range of other countries began in the 1970s. This development has further increased in the last few years with economic immigrants from Poland and Lithuania. The official number of Catholics, however, decreased slightly in 2004. This is because the Norwegian state demands a person's social security number (fødsels-og personnummer) in order to grant the per capita subsidy. The real number of Roman Catholics in Norway is possibly as much as twice the official number of 50,000. Ethnic Norwegian Catholics are now greatly outnumbered by the immigrants, although the former tend to be far more observant and conservative, being a self-selected group largely of ex-Lutheran converts.
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's WitnessesJehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
is the largest nontrinitarian religious organization in Norway, with a membership of 14,976 in 2009. A branch office is located in Ytre Enebakk
Ytre Enebakk
Ytre Enebakk is a village and a forest and farming village in the municipality Enebakk in Akershus. The village has 3,359 inhabitants as of 1 January 2009, and is located 10 kilometers southwest of the municipal center of Kirkebygda and 30 kilometers from Oslo, Norway's capital...
. Jehovah's Witnesses receive public grants in the same manner as other registered religious communities in Norway.