The Church Association for the Inner Mission in Denmark
Encyclopedia
The Churchly Association for the Inner Mission in Denmark , or in short Inner Mission (Danish: Indre Mission) is a conservative Lutheran Christian
organisation in Denmark
. It is the largest revival movement within the Danish National Church
. Despite its name, people do not belong to the Inner Mission as members separate from other congregations. Instead the group is organised as a foundation to support congregational activities and is led by a self-supplying board.
in the village of Stenlille on Zealand. The movement had its background in pietist and Lutheran orthodox traditions. The term Inner Mission in the name implied domestic mission, directed at Christened people, as opposed to the many organisations dedicated to mission in foreign countries and among pagans.
The movement was influential in temperance work, various collective initiatives in rural communities, and otherwise efforts to 'civilise' the people of the 19th century. Many poor people found in the movement a community where they could be on equal terms with more wealthy members of society, as it stressed the creation of Christian fellowship through a variety of group activities. As a movement within the National Church, the Inner Mission is believed to have halted the outflow of church members to charismatic free church
es and sect
s. In Denmark, these never got the following they did in other countries, for example Sweden
.
The founding family of the LEGO
company and many of its workers in the central Jutland village of Billund
were adherents of the Inner Mission movement. In 1952 the company produced a glow in the dark cross, one of its only known religious artifacts.
Traditionally, Inner Mission had its stronghold in rural western Jutland
, but many communities elsewhere in Denmark, such as Haslev
on Zealand and some towns, have been influenced by the movement. It is now a minority in most parishes where it is represented. Once it had about 1,000 so-called mission houses around Denmark, of which about 400 remain in use. These were (and are) meeting houses for Sunday school
, prayer, spiritual and revivalist lectures, etc. Today the headquarters is in Fredericia
.
", taking place in WWII Nazi-occupied Denmark, is set in West Jutland community dominated by the Inner Mission. The protagonist - a rebellious young man - comes into a head-on conflict with his father, a strict clergyman. In later parts of the book, the conflict is resolved when the protagonist becomes involved in the anti-Nazi resistance and is supported by his father.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
organisation in Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
. It is the largest revival movement within the Danish National Church
Church of Denmark
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, Church of Denmark or Danish National Church, is the state church and largest denomination in Denmark and Greenland...
. Despite its name, people do not belong to the Inner Mission as members separate from other congregations. Instead the group is organised as a foundation to support congregational activities and is led by a self-supplying board.
History
The movement was founded 13 September 18611861 in Denmark
-Incumbents:* Monarch – HM Frederick VII* Prime minister – Carl Christian Hall-Events:* July – The archaeological excavations at the Jelling Stones are resumed under supervision of Jens Jacob Asmussen Worsaae and later that month visited by King Frederik VII personally.* August 25...
in the village of Stenlille on Zealand. The movement had its background in pietist and Lutheran orthodox traditions. The term Inner Mission in the name implied domestic mission, directed at Christened people, as opposed to the many organisations dedicated to mission in foreign countries and among pagans.
The movement was influential in temperance work, various collective initiatives in rural communities, and otherwise efforts to 'civilise' the people of the 19th century. Many poor people found in the movement a community where they could be on equal terms with more wealthy members of society, as it stressed the creation of Christian fellowship through a variety of group activities. As a movement within the National Church, the Inner Mission is believed to have halted the outflow of church members to charismatic free church
Free church
The term "free church" refers to a Christian denomination that is intrinsically separated from government . A free church does not define government policy, nor have governments define church policy or theology, nor seeks or receives government endorsement or funding for its general mission...
es and sect
Sect
A sect is a group with distinctive religious, political or philosophical beliefs. Although in past it was mostly used to refer to religious groups, it has since expanded and in modern culture can refer to any organization that breaks away from a larger one to follow a different set of rules and...
s. In Denmark, these never got the following they did in other countries, for example Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
.
The founding family of the LEGO
Lego
Lego is a line of construction toys manufactured by the Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of colorful interlocking plastic bricks and an accompanying array of gears, minifigures and various other parts...
company and many of its workers in the central Jutland village of Billund
Billund, Denmark
Billund is the second largest town in Billund Municipality, Region of Southern Denmark, Denmark with a population of 6,139 .-Overview:...
were adherents of the Inner Mission movement. In 1952 the company produced a glow in the dark cross, one of its only known religious artifacts.
Contemporary movement
A substantial number of adherents, but not all, can be described as Bible fundamentalists. It also stressed Lutheran teachings, so was not an ecumenical movement. In recent years less uniform doctrines have emerged. Traditional dogmas were opposition to drinking, dancing, card play, swearing and Sunday work.Traditionally, Inner Mission had its stronghold in rural western Jutland
Jutland
Jutland , historically also called Cimbria, is the name of the peninsula that juts out in Northern Europe toward the rest of Scandinavia, forming the mainland part of Denmark. It has the North Sea to its west, Kattegat and Skagerrak to its north, the Baltic Sea to its east, and the Danish–German...
, but many communities elsewhere in Denmark, such as Haslev
Haslev
Haslev, a town in Faxe municipality, lies in the southern part of Zealand, Denmark. About from Copenhagen, it has a population of 11,088 .Haslev is popularly known as the school town with the green surroundings...
on Zealand and some towns, have been influenced by the movement. It is now a minority in most parishes where it is represented. Once it had about 1,000 so-called mission houses around Denmark, of which about 400 remain in use. These were (and are) meeting houses for Sunday school
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
, prayer, spiritual and revivalist lectures, etc. Today the headquarters is in Fredericia
Fredericia
Fredericia is a town located in Fredericia municipality in the eastern part of the Jutland peninsula in Denmark, in a sub-region known locally as Trekanten, or The Triangle...
.
In Fiction
The earlier part of Ken Follet's novel "Hornet FlightHornet Flight
Hornet Flight is a World War II based spy thriller written by British author Ken Follett. It was published in 2002 by Macmillan in the UK and Dutton in the US.-Plot introduction:...
", taking place in WWII Nazi-occupied Denmark, is set in West Jutland community dominated by the Inner Mission. The protagonist - a rebellious young man - comes into a head-on conflict with his father, a strict clergyman. In later parts of the book, the conflict is resolved when the protagonist becomes involved in the anti-Nazi resistance and is supported by his father.