Population, language, religion. What is the religion in Denmark? Religion of Denmark No central authority
The overwhelming majority of the population of modern Denmark professes Christianity of various denominations, the largest of which has become the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Danish People. More than 80% of the country's population is its parishioners.
Other Christian churches that have received the status of official religious communities are: Roman- catholic church, Danish Baptist Church, Pentecostal, Adventist, Catholic Apostolic, Methodist, Anglican and Russian orthodox church, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons and some others.
The oldest of the non-Christian communities is the Jewish one, which received official recognition back in 1814. Since the end of the twentieth century, thanks to the influx of refugees to Europe, the Muslim community has become the largest non-Christian community. According to 1998 data, the number of inhabitants of Denmark professing Islam was 119,000 people. In addition, there are a number of small organized religious communities such as Buddhists and Baha'is.
History of religion in Denmark
In pre-Christian times, in Denmark, as throughout Northern Europe, a whole pantheon of deities was worshiped, the main of which was considered Odin (or Wotan). The history of the veneration of the Northern gods is described in the Scandinavian sagas and legends that have survived to this day, for the most part only in the form of fragments. There were two groups of gods - the Aesir, who lived in the heavenly city of Asgard, specially built for them, and the Baths, who lived in Vanaheim. Most gods personified the forces of nature or embodied some human qualities. Like people, the gods fought, quarreled, loved and hated.
Spread of Christianity
Christianity penetrated into Denmark around the 7th century, but it was only in 826 that serious missionary work began, thanks to the activities of the Archbishop of Hamburg and Bremen Ansgar. He managed to persuade King Horik II to accept Christianity in 862, and the first document of the Papal See in Rome to a Danish ruler dates back to 864.
Christianity became the official religion of Denmark in 965, thanks to the efforts of Harald Bluetooth. This step was dictated, among other things, by the king’s desire to improve relations with the Holy Roman Empire and the Christian world as a whole.
Around the second half of the 11th century, during the time of King Svein Estridson, the administrative division of the country into dioceses and the creation church organization. To this day, this division has remained virtually unchanged.
From the beginning of the 11th century to the middle of the 13th century, church building flourished in Denmark. Temples were built of stone, and starting from the second half of the 12th century, of brick, and were richly decorated with frescoes. Also during that period, many monasteries were built.
The harmony and unanimity between the Church and the Crown in the 13th century gave way in the next century to a series of conflicts between the king and the archbishop. Valdemar IV Atterdag is trying to strengthen royal power and distance himself from the influence of the Roman Catholic Church, which tried to control the king through its prelates.
Reformation
The first Lutheran preachers began to appear in Denmark in the 30s of the 16th century and found the support of Christian II, who was ruling at that time, as well as Frederick I, who replaced him. Monarchs who wanted liberation from papal tutelage supported Protestant preachers. In the “count feud,” as the internecine struggle for the throne that arose after the death of King Frederick was later called, his son, the Duke of Schleswig-Holstein, won, who took the name Christian III after the coronation. In his youth, Christian attended a sermon by Martin Luther, which made an indelible impression on him.
In his duchy, and after the coronation throughout the kingdom, Christian began to actively spread the ideas of the Reformation. Under him, Catholic priests were expelled from the country, church property was confiscated in favor of the Crown, and a new church structure was approved. The king began to have power over all affairs of the church, the administration of which was transferred to state support. The most important religious reform Church services began to be conducted in Danish.
XIX – XX centuries and modern times
After the abolition of absolutism and the adoption of the Constitution of 1849, which proclaimed freedom of religion, a number of laws were approved that abolished forced baptism, compulsory attendance at the local parish church and some other restrictions.
In 1903 the Parish Council Act was passed, marking a process of democratization that is still ongoing. Since 1947, women have been able to apply for positions as priests, and in 1995 the first female bishop was elected.
Until 1969, the Norwegian, Swedish and English communities in Copenhagen, the Catholic, Russian Orthodox and Danish Reformed communities, the Baptist community and the Methodist Church, as well as the Jewish community had the right to register and issue legally valid personal documents. Since 1969, the Danish state has allowed clerics of all other recognized communities, both Christian and non-Christian, to perform legally valid wedding ceremonies, although they are required to report this to civil authorities.
All ecclesiastical and religious matters in the kingdom are subject to the Constitution. According to its provisions, the Church of the Danish People is provided with state support, both moral and political (for example, the law on the observance of the resurrection and legislation on church affairs), and financial (contribution to the salaries and pensions of clergy, collection of church taxes). The Church is governed by Parliament and the Ministry of Spiritual Affairs. Formally, the head of the Church is the king, who is the bishop of Copenhagen. The Kingdom of Denmark is divided into 12 dioceses, including one each in Greenland and the Faroe Islands (the latter became independent in 2007).
Despite the fact that about 80% of the population of Denmark are parishioners of the Church of the Danish People and regularly pay church taxes, according to some studies, less than 3% regularly attend the temple. Such low figures lead to the fact that some churches are closed by decision of the diocesan council, and the buildings are put up for sale.
Gradually, the Church of the Danish People loses its significance as a religious institution, reserving only the administrative function of civil registration.
Christianity in the form of the Evangelical Lutheran Church is not only the dominant but also the official religion of Denmark. Therefore, this country is not secular as there is a clear connection between church and state with the position of minister for spiritual affairs. The reigning monarch serves as the highest secular authority of the Danish National Church, otherwise called the People's Church (Dansk Folkekirke). This status and name, as well as state support for the official church, were determined by the Danish Constitution of 1849. Although membership in a national religion is considered a voluntary right in the country, as of January 1, 2017, 75.9% are members of Dansk Folkekirke. However, the Danes cannot be called a particularly religious people, and the structure of the state church is conservative.
Lack of central authority
In practice, the Danish People's Church has no official positions on political or other government issues, since its structure lacks a central governing body or spiritual leader who could define such principles. Bishops have the final say on doctrinal matters in their dioceses.
The Queen (actually the Minister of Religious Affairs) and Parliament are the dominant body, which generally sticks to administrative matters and refrains from interfering in Danish religious affairs. Church laws rarely change, and when they do, only administrative matters are affected. The administration of church affairs is carried out through the episcopate, dioceses, parishes and voluntary communities.
Primacy and dioceses
The Danish Church continues to be supported by the historical episcopate. Theological authority is vested in eleven bishops - ten on the mainland and one in Greenland, each of whom controls his own diocese. There is no archbishop in the structure. The Bishop of Copenhagen (currently Peter Skov-Jacobsen) acts as primus inter pares, that is, senior among equals in office. Eleven dioceses are divided into 111 deaneries and 2,200 parishes. There are approximately 2,400 ordained priests or pastors serving in the country.
Parishes and voluntary communities
Each parish has its own council, elected by church members for a four-year term. The parish council manages the practical affairs of the local church and decides on the employment of personnel, including pastors, musicians and other church workers. The pastor is subordinate to the council, with the exception of spiritual matters such as the conduct of church services and pastoral care. Deaneries, parish councils and pastors report to the bishop of the diocese.
A feature of the main religion of Denmark is the possibility of creating voluntary communities within churches, which account for several percent of the Church membership. These associations can elect their own parish council and pastor, whom they are willing to pay out of their own pockets. In turn, members of voluntary communities are exempt from church tax, but, like the pastor they hire, are subject to the bishop of the diocese. Today, voluntary congregations are often a solution for members who find the idea of a free church attractive but want to maintain a connection to a national religion.
History and traditions
Briefly about the religion of Denmark, we can say that in the 9th century, Ansgar, the archbishop of Hamburg and Bremen, the so-called Apostle of the North, began to spread Christianity in the country. In the 10th century, Harald II converted to Christianity and began building and organizing churches. By the 11th century, the Christian religion was generally accepted throughout the kingdom. After the Reformation in the country, the Church of Evangelical Lutheranism was recognized as a state church, while maintaining most of its former liturgical traditions. The Constitution of 1849 defined the Danish People's Church and provides for its state support.
The monarch, as the supreme secular authority of the state church, is obliged to be a member of it, according to the sixth constitutional article. This also applies to Danish princes and princesses, but is not considered mandatory for their spouses. Traditionally, however, every foreigner who becomes a member royal family, becomes a convert to the Danish Church. Thus, the Catholic Prince Consort Henrik decided to become a follower of the official religion of Denmark before marrying the Queen in 1968. Mary Donaldson also converted from Presbyterianism before her marriage to Crown Prince Frederick in 2004.
Membership, faith and church attendance
According to official statistics for January 2017, 75.9% of Danes are adherents of the People's Church. This figure ranges from 58.1% in the Copenhagen diocese to 85.2% in the Vyborg diocese. Church membership has gradually declined in recent decades, with immigration from non-Lutheran countries considered the most important reason.
Any person in Denmark, no matter what religion his parents belong to, having undergone the rite of Baptism in the church, automatically becomes its member. Believers can renounce their church affiliation, then return again if they wish. Excommunication is legally possible, but it is unusual rare occurrence, examples of which only include declared Satanists. Excommunication was once imposed on a Church member who supported reincarnation, but was overturned by a Supreme Court decision in 2005.
Doctrines, liturgy, rituals
In 1992, revised translations of the Old and New Testaments were authorized by the Queen. In 2003, a revised Hymn Book was authorized. Both the Bible translations and the Book of Hymns involved extensive public and theological debate.
Liturgy in the Danish religion remains the most important Christian service. The sacred act of communion includes three readings from the Bible: a chapter of one of the Gospels, a chapter of the Epistles or another part of the New Testament, and since 1992 a chapter has also been read Old Testament. Texts are selected from an official list after the church year. Some liturgical functions have a fixed content, but are free from the form of their presentation. Like other Lutheran churches, the Church of Denmark recognizes only two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. They are usually included in the Communion Service.
The sermon, as in other Protestant churches, is a central part of every service. The official ritual of confession still remains, but is now very rarely used. There are also formal rituals for baptisms, weddings, blessings, same-sex marriages, confirmations, and funerals. Extraordinary baptism can be performed by any Christian if necessary, and the child will later be confirmed into the Church.
Ritualism and family traditions
According to a recent survey, only 2.4% of parishioners attend services every week. On the eve of Christmas, more than a third of the country's population participates in religious services. However, the church is still widely used by most Danes exclusively for traditional family ceremonies, including baptisms, weddings, confirmations, and funerals. In 2015, the Church of Denmark conducted 33.8% of weddings and 83.7% of funerals recorded nationwide. In the same year, 71% of teenagers in grades 7-8 were confirmed, which is not surprising, because the Danes treat this ritual with more reverence than weddings.
Female clergy
The ordination of women has been discussed in the Danish Church since the 1920s. The first time this happened, despite strong opposition from the clergy, was in 1948, after the parish council was sent to the Minister of Religious Affairs, who wanted to hire a woman priest. The Minister decided that there was no legal obstacle to this. The first woman to become a bishop in Denmark was established in 1995. Today, two-thirds of theology students are female, and their numbers are expected to outnumber the male clergy in the near future. However, resistance to this trend remains among a small conservative minority.
Other church communities
What faith is recognized among Christians in Denmark besides Evangelical Lutheranism? The country has a small number of Catholics and Protestant denominations such as the Baptist Union of Denmark and the Reformed Synod of Denmark. In percentage terms, the Christian population in the country was distributed as follows:
- Protestantism - 67.4%;
- Orthodox Christianity — 2,0 %;
- Catholic Church - 1.3%;
- other Christians - 7.5%.
Other religions and beliefs
What is the most common religion in Dani after Christianity? Islam is the largest faith of Danish minorities. According to the US State Department, approximately 3.7% of Denmark's population is Muslim. Danish Foreign Ministry sources cite lower percentages. According to the BBC, there are about 270 thousand Muslims in the country, representing 4.8% of the 5.6 million people.
The Jewish community has been present in Denmark since the 17th century, when the royal government allowed Jews to reside in the state and practice their religion on an individual basis. Most Jews were completely assimilated into Danish society until late XIX century. At the beginning of the 20th century, the flow of Eastern European Jews into the country increased. Today there are approximately 10,000 ethnic Jews in Denmark, and Copenhagen is home to three synagogues.
It should also be noted that according to statistics from Aarhus University in 2009, there were 20,000 practicing Buddhists in the country. Adherents of the Baha'i faith in 2005 numbered about 1,251 people. Nationally recognized in 2003, the “Vanatri Association of Denmark”, which adheres to old Scandinavian beliefs and declares a revival of paganism, common in the country before Christianization, still has 500 registered followers. 9.1% of the country's residents consider themselves agnostics, and 10.6% consider themselves atheists.
Freedom to choose religion is responsible international law. 86% of the population consider themselves adherents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, which has been supported by the state for many centuries.
There are other Christian communities in Denmark: the Catholic Church, the Baptist Church, and the Pentecostal movement. Other world religions are also widespread - Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism. IN lately groups appeared to worship the old Viking gods.
Church representatives
The vast majority of Danes are Christians. From birth they are adherents of the national church, which entails the obligation to pay church taxes as part of their income taxes.
Since the 15th century, priests have been educated at universities. Ministers of the national church are officials working in the Ministry of Church Affairs. The official duties of religious representatives include performing church rites and maintaining a register of births, marriages and deaths. Many church leaders are involved in worldly affairs - they are involved in social care, for example.
Rituals and holy places of Denmark
Temples are located within villages, towns and cities, with cemeteries located next to them. Lutheran churches have cantors, servants, and organists. Believers attend such events as baptism, wedding, funeral and various religious holidays - Christmas, Easter, etc. Not a very large number of people go to church regularly; on weekdays, church buildings are completely empty.
Death and life after death
The Danes are not very fanatical believers in God, so their funeral rites are quite rational and practical. The dead are buried in coffins in cemeteries located next to churches, or cremated. A tombstone is placed on the grave with the name of the deceased, dates of birth and death, and flowers are placed around.
If relatives do not take care of the grave, then after twenty years there will be practically nothing left of it. Recently, a number of communities have emerged that practice communication with deceased relatives.
Danish national character
Denmark is a country where comfort, personal life and various kinds of societies and clubs are most valued. Their relationships with other people, and to some extent, their perception of themselves, are characterized by a significant degree of irony. Danes truly believe that being Danish is a privilege that makes them a special kind of people. At heart they sympathize with those who were not born Danish. They like to say that if all of Scandinavia is "a bowl of rice pudding", then Denmark is "the golden pit in the middle of that pudding, full of melted butter."
Directness and politeness are the most characteristic features character of the Danes. Don't be surprised by the large number of questions! When meeting, they introduce themselves formally and shake hands. Titles are not used often. They easily switch to “you”. Danes are reluctant to talk about their personal lives. The strongest handshakes are used as a greeting, even with children. When saying goodbye, there is also a handshake.
The Danes adore their queen, Margrethe II, and for this reason you will never hear gossip about the life of the royal family.
In Denmark you can't be late. Not at all. If you are late, the Dane will pretend that it is no big deal, but will harbor a grudge. If you yourself are expecting a visit from a Danish resident, then meet him at the door every minute - everything should be ready for his visit. The downside of Danish punctuality is the neglect of such things as holding the door for the person walking behind them. “If he wanted, he would already be ahead of me” - that’s roughly how they argue here.
If the Danes invite you to their home for dinner, take flowers to the hostess or send them ahead as soon as you receive the invitation. When visiting a Dane, you should not refuse a treat out of modesty or embarrassment - you will not be offered it a second time. It’s just that in Denmark it would never occur to anyone to refuse out of politeness: if a person refuses food, it means that he is simply not hungry. If you are invited to dinner, it would be the height of bad manners to come without a bottle of wine. No one will object if you bring Russian vodka instead of wine.
Religion of Denmark
The most famous and widespread religion in Denmark is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Danish People, which has the status of a state religion.
Education in Denmark
Education in Denmark can be public, private or with reimbursement of expenses from the state. Public schools free, lyceums on on a paid basis. For many students from the European Union, local universities are conditionally free, for example, for citizens of Russia or Ukraine, the cost of obtaining higher education about ten thousand euros per year, this includes the cost of textbooks, accommodation and food, which in itself is not cheap in this country. Many universities offer programs in English, so thirty percent of Danes speak English well or German language. Eight percent Country's GDP spent on education.
National and cultural traditions of Denmark
Denmark has many holidays, national traditions and customs. Religious holidays such as Easter, Christmas, Ascension, and Trinity are widely celebrated here. Pagan holidays, Maslenitsa and Ivan Kupala Day, are also very popular. Popularly, this day is called St. Hans Day. In his honor, folk festivals are held in cities, and bonfires are lit on the shores of the sea.
In the city of Frederiksund, which is located on the island of Zealand, a Viking festival is held every summer. On ancient land Vikings, in the open air, an interesting performance has been playing out for 50 years. About 200 bearded “Vikings” take part in it. The festival ends with a huge feast. Its participants dress in the traditional costumes of their valiant and famous ancestors. During the holiday, competitions and stylized archery battles take place. Anyone can try Danish dishes and drinks.
The Danes have a lot of unique customs and traditions. For example, dogs in the kingdom are prohibited from even barking at the postman. The state provides special subsidies for postal employees to buy dog treats. Otherwise, if the dog starts barking and at the same time wakes up the neighbors, it may be euthanized.
In Denmark, there is still a tradition that causes strong protest almost all over the world - this is the annual, traditional slaughter of dolphins in the Faroe Islands. “I would like to mention that this is not the only murder in which children are involved in the Faroes. Sheep farming is very common on the islands, and the slaughter of sheep is a family event in which all family members also participate. In front of the children, the sheep is cut and butchered, and the children then fiddle with the guts with a smile on their faces. They take video and photographs of the process. It happens that they do similar things in kindergartens. They bring a sheep or some kind of sea animal to the kindergarten and butcher it together with the children. They hand out trophies to the children - guts and so on,” writes Ekaterina Shcherbatova.
Denmark hosts numerous festivals throughout the year - Copenhagen hosts International Film Festival, in the summer - the Roskilde Festival, the largest music festival in northern Europe, the Viking Festival, the Jazz Festival, the rock festival and the summer Copenhagen Festival.
Lucia Day in Denmark
December 13th is Lucia's day. It is celebrated throughout the country in kindergartens, hospitals, schools and other institutions. A small group of mostly girls walks through the hallways singing "Santa Lucia." The girls are dressed in white dresses, and on the head of the one who leads the procession is a crown of lighted candles. She is Lucia. This custom is of Swedish origin and appeared in Denmark during the German occupation in 1944, thanks to the Nordic Association society of northern European countries.
Useful little things
In Copenhagen, you can rent a bicycle for free; to do this, you need to put a 20 kroner coin into the machine at the bicycle stand and pick up the bike; when you return it, the coin will be returned to you.
Who can tell what is the capital of Denmark? And what is their religion? and got the best answer
Answer from KARISHKA[guru]
Copenhagen is the capital of Denmark!
The first mention of Copenhagen dates back to XII century. The city was founded by Bishop Absalon (1128-1201). Copenhagen gets its name from the words koben-havn, which translates as "trading pier", due to its location on the Øresund Strait, a strait between Denmark and Sweden that guards the entrance to the Baltic.
In the 20th century, Copenhagen became a developed and prosperous city, the largest in Scandinavia.
The main religion is Lutheranism.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church is the official church of Denmark and is supported by the state. However, freedom of religion is guaranteed by law. The Lutheran Church is supported by a special tax that is levied on all Lutherans in the country, who make up 87% of the population. However, everything larger number Danes formalize their departure from the official church legally to avoid paying taxes. The most significant of the religious minorities are Muslims (74 thousand people). Other minorities are Catholics (33 thousand), Baptists (6 thousand), Jews (5 thousand) and Jehovah's Witnesses.
Reply from Lavina[guru]
Copenhagen. there is a mixture of ver. mostly Catholics and Protestants in my opinion...
Reply from Advokatus[guru]
Copenhagen is the capital. religions are Lutheranism, Protestantism, and to a lesser extent Catholicism.
Reply from N.[guru]
There are no Catholic and Protestant religions; Catholics, Protestants, Lutherans, Baptists and Orthodox have one religion: Christian.
And the capital is Copenhagen.
Reply from Vyacheslav Popadeikin[active]
capital is Copenhagen!! But as for faith confession, it’s difficult to answer unequivocally
Reply from Elena[guru]
Copenhagen (Danish: København, ancient: Køpmannæhafn = “Harbor of Merchants”, Latin: Hafnia) is the capital of Denmark and the cultural and economic center of the country. The population is 0.5 million people, the urbanized area is up to 1.9 million inhabitants.
According to official statistics, 84.3% of Danes are members of the state church, the Danish People's Church (Den Danske Folkekirke), also known as the Church of Denmark, a form of Lutheranism; the rest of the population professes mainly other denominations of Christianity, about 3% are Muslims. Over the past ten years, the Danish People's Church has seen its membership decline.
Reply from VOLNA[guru]
Copenhagen. Lutherans - 91%, Catholics - 2%.
Reply from 3 answers[guru]
Hello! Here is a selection of topics with answers to your question: Who can say what is the capital of Denmark? And what is their religion?
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