Church of Norway

The Church of Norway ( Den norske kirke ), also known under the name of evangelic Church and Lutheran of Norway , is the Church of State of the Norway. 86% of the Norwegians belong to it. The Church of Norway east of confession Lutheran.

History

The Church of Norway finds its origin at the 9th century, during the introduction of the Christianisme into the country. The conversion of the Norway took several centuries and did not go without difficulty, as the Bataille testifies some to Stiklestad. Nevertheless, as from the end of the 12th century, the catholic archbishop's palace of Nidaros (today Trondheim) succeeds in covering the totality of the country as well as a great number of grounds under Norwegian domination: Iceland, Greenland, island of Man, the Orkneys, the Shetland, Faroe Islands, Hébrides…

The Reform Lutheran, in Norway, was decided as of 1537, when the king Christian III of Denmark imposed the new belief like official Religion of Norway and the Denmark. The crown seized the goods of the Catholic church, and some places of worship were given up or destroyed. These events, as in England, concretized the fusion of the Church and the State, which perdure until today.

From 1660, the clergy was made up people designated by the reigning king, but the theological questions were left with the care of the bishops.

In Norway, the movement pietist, incarnated on the whole by Hans Nielsen Hauge, was used to bring closer the believers and the members to the clergy, a tendency being observed always today. In 1873, the Church accepted in its center the laic congregations, although while granting to them the beginning only little influence. Informal meetings started to take place every two years, and acquired an official statute in 1982.

During the Second world war, the vast majority of the Norwegian clergy disunited government collaborationnist of Vidkun Quisling, being satisfied to assure of simple functions of pastors the level of the parishes.

Since, a certain number of changes in the structure of the Church intervened, in particular to institutionalize the participation of the laymen in his operation.

Organization

The Church of Norway is recognized like Église of State in the constitution of the country. Its supreme governor is the reigning king, which thus has the obligation to be of Lutheran confession. The laws governing the operation and the budget of the Church of Norway are voted by the Parliament, and are carried out by the ministry for the Churches.

The direction of the Church moreover is ensured by two structures, one synodical and the other episcopal. (see low)

Subdivisions

The Church of Norway counts 1600 churches or vaults. The country is divided into 1298 Paroisse rural S and 100 deaneries. With the head of each parish Pasteur and a parochial council elected by the community are.

But the general structure of the Church rests especially on the division of the country in eleven dioceses, with a bishop with the head of each one of them.

General synod

The General Synod , as a more high authority representative of the Church, meets once per annum. It is composed of 85 members, at a rate of a delegation of seven or eight people per diocese. One finds in a delegation:

the bishop
Four laic members of the Church, named by the local congregations
Another laic member designated by the local employees of the Church
a member of the clergy, designated by its pars
For the two most septentrional dioceses, a representative of the Lappish community

In addition to the 11 delegations diocésaines, representatives of other affiliated organizations are present, like the three seminars which account the Church or the association of the young people.

Conference of the bishops

The conference of the bishops , gathering the eleven bishops of the Church, meets three times per annum. It is about a consultative body, emitting opinions on varied subjects, being able to go from the daily life of the Church to theological questions.

National council

The National council meets five times per annum. It includes/understands fifteen members, including ten laymen, four members of the clergy and a bishop. Its task in particular consists to study and prepare the day order of the General Synod, then to take care of the execution of the decisions of this same synod. The National council has several permanent work groups, dedicated to the study of various topics such as education, youth…

The Church of Norway today

The possible separation of the Church and the State is the permanent debate object in Norway, although a majority, at the same time at the Parliament and in the public opinion, seems to support the maintenance of the current location. Even if the majority of the Norwegians have recourse to the Church only for the great events of the life, the religious traditions and institutions remain very appreciated. In addition, the Church of Norway often plays the part of a social security as a last resort, and the pastors are socially vital at the local level.

The Church of Norway tends sometimes to influence questions Politique S, which causes polemics regularly. According to any probability, the responsibilities and the institutions of the Church could know new reforms in the years to come.

External bonds

Official site of the Church of Norway (in Norwegian and English)

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