Church of norway

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

• Apostolic Creed
• Nicene Creed
• Afanasyevsky Creed
• Augsburg Confession
• The Small Catechism of Martin Luther

Understanding Scripture

The Church of Norway adheres to Lutheran teachings, according to which the Bible tells about the requirements and gifts of God, or about the law and the gospel. In practice, this means that the Old Testament is a story about God's law, the violation of which man atones for by sacrifice , while the New Testament speaks of the atonement of 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 fulfilled the 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 carried out exclusively by faith . This question was one of the reasons for the breakdown of Lutheranism with the Roman Catholic Church . According to the teachings of the Church of Norway, a person cannot be saved by his actions or his 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 practiced, which are considered sacraments in other churches, such as ordination . The Church of Norway adopts the doctrine of consubstantiation (coexistence).

Baptism

Baptism is considered the cleansing of all sins, and the baptized person enters the church, becoming God's son. The baptismal rite includes watering. The Church of Norway practices the baptism of children, as well as non-baptized adults.

Communion

According to Lutheran teachings, in the sacrament of the sacrament, Jesus Christ is present in bread and wine, but bread and wine from the point of view of substance do not cease to be such ( consubstantiation , or coexistence), unlike Catholicism, where the doctrine of transubstantiation (transubstantiation) is accepted, according to whose bread and wine, in terms of substance, become the body and blood of Christ. Communion is absolution and gives strength to continue the Christian life. The Church of Norway allows communion of people belonging to other religious communities.

Worship ( Nor. Gudstjeneste , or høymesse ) is a 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 a parish priest serves several churches, some services may not have Sunday services. Baptism, communion and confirmation (anointing) are carried out as part of the regular service, but for other ceremonies (for example, funeral services or weddings ), special procedures exist. In most parishes, they are guided by the Liturgical Book of the Church of Norway ( Norwegian Gudstjenestebok for den norske kirke ), however, in some parishes, experiments with other types of worship or of a looser form are carried out. In 2010, a revision of the order of worship is planned.

The order of the liturgy is based on the Catholic Mass, and thus in its basis differs little from the order of worship in other churches.

Standard worship is organized as follows ^[2] :

• Introductory part with an opening psalm , greeting and introductory words. Often during the singing of the first psalm a solemn procession takes place. Then comes the confession of sins , sung by Kyrie, eleison and Gloria in excelsis Deo .
• Liturgy of the word with prayer for the day, two biblical readings, reading of the Creed (usually apostolic ) and a sermon . This is followed by Eucharistic prayers and a thankful sacrifice.
• Communion (“liturgy of the table”): The liturgy of the sacrament consists of the priest and flock exchanging necessary words and singing part of chapter 6 of Isaiah . Then follows the prayer of the priest and the common prayer of our Father . After that, the priest pronounces the necessary words and everyone sings Agnus Dei .
• Completion and blessing. Sometimes the liturgy can end with a solemn procession.

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

Confirmation

During the rite of confirmation, the church prays for a person accepting anointing. Its meaning is to confirm ( lat. Confirmatio) baptism - God confirms the promise made to man in the sacrament of baptism. Protestants deny the Catholic and Orthodox understanding of confirmation as a sacrament, but retain it as a necessary stage of preparation for the sacrament, although now the faithful can proceed to the sacrament, even if they did not pass confirmation. In 1736, confirmation became mandatory for all Norwegian citizens, and this order has been maintained for a long time. Confirmation also plays an important role in the catechesis process: since the Church of Norway practices infant baptism, the basics of faith are taught after baptism, usually just before confirmation. Since 1978, the period of catechization before confirmation usually lasts eight months.

Confession

Unlike Catholicism and Orthodoxy, in Lutheranism, not only a priest, but anyone who is faithful can accept confession and remit sins. Martin Luther himself believed that confession is important as a way of recognizing one's sins and at the same time carrying out pastoral duties. There is a rite of confession in the Church of Norway, which has been gaining popularity in recent years. Usually, confession takes place in the priest’s office or in the confessor’s house, and in some parishes it is possible to set up confessional . A particularly important role is played by confession in Lestadianism , prevalent in northern Norway (in Tromsø and Finnmark ). Lestadians usually confess to the faithful whom they most trust, not necessarily the priest.

Marriage

According to Lutheran teachings, marriage is primarily a civil issue, but it is confirmed as part of a special church ceremony. There is also a special prayer ceremony for spouses who have previously married through a civil ceremony.

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

The Church of Norway can hold a wedding ceremony, even if only one of the spouses is part of it, but the priest may refuse to hold such a wedding.

Since 1992, there has been considerable debate about the role of homosexuals in the church, in particular about the possibility of church recognition of same-sex marriage . In 2007, the Church Council left this issue to the discretion of the bishops ^[3] , and on April 11, 2016, the Synod of the Church of Norway decided on the possibility of a church combination of same-sex couples (the decision was adopted by a majority vote of 88 out of 115 people). The Local reported that “4200 people have already left the church since the beginning of 2016 ... Most believers left the church in April” ^[4] .

Ordination

The ordination, or ordination of priests, takes place as part of a blessing procedure, confirming that a person is worthy of receiving this dignity and possesses the necessary knowledge and skills. Bishop ordination takes place as part of a special ceremony. The initiation into deacons , catechetes and cantors is called in Norwegian another word ( Norwegian vigsel ), but the difference between such initiation and ordination is traditional and has no theological significance within the Norwegian church. In other words, within the framework of the parish, the most important is the difference between the services for which ordination or consecration is needed (priest, catechet, deacon, cantor) and those for which nothing of the kind is required ( ministers , etc.).

In the Church of Norway, women can be ordained (since 1961 ^[5] ), including as bishops.

The Church of Norway is an episcopal-synodal church and is divided into 11 bishoprics ( Bispedømm ) (formerly dioceses ( Stift )), bishoprics in parishes ( sokn )

• Before the 2012 reform , the King of Norway was considered the supreme head of the Church of Norway . The authority for real management was transferred to the Ministry of Church and Culture (previously there was a separate Ministry for Church Affairs). Church issues were decided by the church government of Norway , which includes only those members of the government who also belong to the Church of Norway. The existence of a church government is provided for in paragraph 2 § 27 of the Constitution of Norway , and the necessity of its formation determines the requirement, recorded in paragraph 2 § 12 of the constitution, that at least half of the members of the government belong to the Church of Norway. Storting influences the Church through the work of the parliamentary committee for church affairs and through the adoption of laws. Since 2012, the church received autonomy in the appointment of clergy and disposition of property, and control powers were transferred to the Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs. The Storting retained the right to budget control and the adoption of church laws. The presiding bishop became the head of the church. As a result of the new reform, in 2017 the Church began to be considered an institution completely independent of the state and its control bodies.

• The supreme authority is the Church Council established in 1984 ( Norwegian. Kirkemøtet ), in which all bishops and members of the diocesan councils take part.

• The Episcopal Council ( Norwegian Bispemøtet ) includes all 11 bishops of the Church of Norway. The Council cannot force individual bishops to perform or not perform certain actions: its purpose is to "jointly resolve those issues that, in accordance with the current rules, are within the competence of bishops" ^[6] . The chairman elected from among the bishops ( Norwegian preses ) represented him at the Church Council. Since 2011, in addition to 11 diocesan bishops, the post of permanent presiding bishop of the Church of Norway, also called the Norwegian, has been introduced . preses and not being the head of any diocese. Although the presiding bishop has an official residence in Trondheim , the historical capital of the country, the local diocese is headed by Bishop Nidaros. Since 2012, the presiding bishop has become the official head of the Church.

• The Church Council ( Norwegian. Kirkerådet , created in 1969, the regulations changed in 1984) prepares for the Church Council and is the highest executive body between its sessions.

• The Theological Commission ( Norwegian Den norske kirkes lærenemnd ) is responsible for matters of dogma. Its work involves 20 members.

• The Council for Inter-Church Relations is responsible for relations with Lutheran churches in other countries, as well as ecumenical activities and inter-religious contacts within Norway.

• The Sami Church Council ( Norwegian Samisk kirkeråd , established in 1992) is responsible for satisfying all religious needs in the Sami languages and maintaining a respectful attitude towards Sami traditions.

• Youth Church Council ( Ungdommens kirkemøte ) (first meeting - 1993) is an advisory body expressing the views of church youth.

Diocesan level

• The Council of the Bishopric ( Bispedømmeråd ), consists of 7 elected in direct or indirect elections of the laity, bishop and 1 cleric

• Bishop ( Biskop )

Deanery

• Probst (Prosten)

At Ward Level

• Parish meeting ( Menighetsmøte ) - consists of all adult lay people

• Parish Council ( Menighetsråd ) - consists of 4 to 10 members and rector ( prest )

• Parish Presbyter ( Soknepresten )

The Church of Norway is an autonomous Lutheran church, but participates in the work of the following organizations:

• World Lutheran Federation
• World Council of Churches
• Conference of European Churches
• The Porvoo Declaration , an organization with the participation of Lutheran churches in Scandinavia and the Baltic, as well as Anglican churches in the British Isles and episcopal churches on the Iberian Peninsula . Community participation conditions, in particular, suggest that churches recognize the validity of ordinances.

The Church of Norway has been separated from the state since May 21, 2012, according to a constitutional amendment adopted by the Norwegian Parliament. In recent years, the question of the difference between church and state has been widely discussed, and several reports have been prepared on this subject. The latest was a commission report led by politician Kore Jonnes submitted in January 2006. Most of the authors of the report recommend changing the current situation. In 2006, the report of the Jönnes Commission was reviewed by several thousand departments as part of the preparation of the government report to the Storting . Initially, the government was supposed to introduce a new policy in December 2007, but in reality it only happened in April 2008.

The government report was adopted by all seven parties represented in the Storting. The report provides for the church to have greater internal autonomy, in particular the right to appoint bishops. This requires, in particular, the strengthening of internal democracy and an increase in the turnout in church elections. It is assumed that the church can be completely separated from the state only in 2020 ^[7] . The transition plan for 2012–2020 is published on the official website of the Church of Norway ^[8] .

The transfer of authority from the state to the church itself began in the 1920s . Created more commissions and councils responsible for various aspects of church activities. In a number of important areas, such as liturgy and dogma, the church has already achieved full independence. At the same time, the king is formally responsible for the appointment of bishops and priests, and the Storting is formally responsible for church legislation.

Responsibility for maintaining church buildings in good condition and paying for priests lies with the state and local authorities ^[9] , 2/3 of the church is funded directly from local budgets (community level) ^[10] , but many parishes themselves pay salaries to employees hired beyond the state, often at the expense of parishioners.

Reformation

The Reformation in Denmark and Norway occurred in 1536 - 1537 , when Lutheranism was adopted by King Christian III . In 1537, he made it the state religion in his kingdom.

Catholic bishops were replaced by Lutheran superintendents , and pretty soon the official church became Lutheran. Among the population, the new religion did not take root so quickly. Lutheranism became a “people's faith” only towards the end of the 16th century .

By the time of the Reformation, more than half of all Norwegian lands belonged to the church. It all went to the state, and later most of it was sold to wealthy citizens. The church in Denmark and Norway broke with Rome and became a national church led by a king. The first law, the so-called “Church Ordinance” was adopted in 1537. It provides for the separation of powers between the church and the king: the church testifies of the word of God and sends the sacraments, and the king defines the framework in which this happens. The adoption of laws governing church activities falls within the purview of the king: this state of affairs is still preserved in Norwegian law.

After the Reformation

After the Reformation, power over the church gradually passed into the hands of the king. In 1660, an absolute monarchy was established in the Danish-Norwegian state, and for two hundred years after that the leadership of the church was carried out by state bodies, and the king was directly responsible for the appointment of priests and bishops. According to the constitution of 1814, the Evangelical Lutheran religion became the state religion of Norway, which it remains to this day.

The Swedish-Norwegian Union did not have a significant impact on the development of the Church of Norway. In the 19th century, reformist movements gained strength. A ministry for church affairs was also created, while the influence of the bishop of Oslo grew.

An important role in the reform of the church was played by the participation of the laity in church life. In particular, in 1873 parish meetings were allowed, and then the first informal meetings were held with the participation of representatives of all dioceses.

WWII Church of Norway

During World War II, the church was temporarily separated from the state. The legitimate government of Norway was in exile in the UK. The church opposed Nazism . В 1942 году , когда от неё потребовали провести торжественное богослужение в Нидаросском соборе по случаю вступления Видкуна Квислинга в должность министра-президента , епископы во главе с главой епархии Осло выступили с посланием «Основа церкви», в котором отказались от своих государственных должностей. В результате все епископы и часть священников Церкви Норвегии были интернированы до конца войны. Около 90 % всех священников последовали примеру епископов и порвали с государственной властью, однако продолжали совершать таинства и церковные обряды. В результате посещаемость церквей значительно выросла, кроме тех приходов, где священники выступили на стороне коллаборационистов.

An important role in church resistance ( Norwegian. Kirkekampen ) was played by Oslo Bishop Eivind Berggrav. The so-called “church front” ( Norwegian Kirkefronten ) included representatives of the laity and “free churches” ( Norwegian Frikirker ; Protestant denominations outside the Church of Norway). An important role in this movement was played by professor of theology and missionary and preacher .

• Church of the Danish People
• Church of Iceland
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
• Church of sweden

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