Church of Denmark

Dioceses

The Church of Denmark is organized into eleven dioceses, each led by a bishop, including one for Greenland (the Faroe Islands was a twelfth diocese until 29 July 2007). The most senior bishop (primus inter pares) is the bishop of Copenhagen, currently Peter Skov-Jakobsen. The further subdivision includes 111 deaneries and 2,200 parishes. There are about 2,400 ordained pastors (Danish: præst).^[7]

Parishes

Each parish has a parochial council, elected by church members in four-year terms. The parochial council leads the practical business of the local church and decides employment of personnel, including the pastors, musicians, verger, and sacristan. The pastor (Danish: præst) is subordinate to the council, except in spiritual matters such as conducting church services and pastoral care. Parishes in the same local area are grouped into deaneries, with one priest serving as Rural Dean. Deaneries, parochial councils, and pastors are all subordinate to the bishop of the diocese.

Membership

Quick Facts year, population ...

Church of Denmark

year	population	members	percentage	change annually
1984	5,113,500	4,684,060	91.6%
1990	5,135,409	4,584,450	89.3%	0.4
2000	5,330,500	4,536,422	85.1%	0.4
2010	5,534,738	4,479,214	80.9%	0.6
2020	5,822,763	4,327,018	74.3%	0.4
2023	5,932,654	4,276,271	72.1%	1.1
2024	5,961,249	4.253.575	71.4%	0.7
Statistical data: 1984,[8] 1990–2024,[2] Source: Kirkeministeriet

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According to official statistics from January 2023, 72.1% of the inhabitants of Denmark are members of the Church of Denmark, 1.1 percentage points less than the previous year.^[2] Membership rates vary from 54.4% in the Diocese of Copenhagen to 82.0% in the Diocese of Viborg. In recent decades, the percentage of Danes that are members of the church has been slowly declining, the most important reasons being immigration from non-Lutheran countries, withdrawal of some members, and a somewhat lower rate (56.2%) of Danish infants being christened.^[9]

Any person who is baptised (usually infant baptism) into the Church of Denmark automatically becomes a member. Members may renounce their membership and later return if they wish. Excommunication is legally possible but a rare occurrence. Examples include declared Satanists. A church member supporting reincarnation was excommunicated, but the Supreme Court overturned the excommunication in 2005.

Faith and church attendance

According to the latest inquiry about 2.4%^[10] of church members attend services every week, although on Christmas Eve more than a third of the population attends. The church is still widely used for traditional family ceremonies including christenings and confirmations. In the year 2022, 31.2% of weddings^[11][12] and 80.7% funerals were performed in the Church of Denmark,^[13] and 66.5% of children in grade 7–8 were confirmed.^[14] The level of weekly church attendance is similar to that in Norway and Sweden.

According to a 2009 poll, 25% of Danes believed Jesus is the Son of God, and 18% believed he is the saviour of the world.^[15]

Liturgy

The Communion Service includes three readings from the Bible: a chapter from one of the Gospels, from one of the Epistles or another part of the New Testament and, since 1992, from the Old Testament. Texts are picked from an official list following the church year. Some liturgical features have a fixed content but are free to the form. This accounts for the Common Prayer following the sermon, where the priest is encouraged to mention the royal house. Some will simply mention "the Queen and all her House" whereas others will list all members of the royal house by name and title.

The sermon, as in other Protestant churches, is a central part of the service. The priest takes a starting point in the text of that Sunday, but is free to form a personal message of it. At special occasions, even non-priests may be allowed to preach. Hymns are also very central. In contrast to Roman Catholic and Anglican churches, Danish congregations sit while singing and stand while listening to Bible readings.

As in other Lutheran churches, the Church of Denmark recognizes only two sacraments, Baptism and the Lord's Supper. These are usually included in the Communion Service. Formerly, individual or shared confession was a condition to receive the Lord's Supper. An official confession ritual still exists, but is now used very rarely. There are also official rituals for confirmation, wedding, blessing of a civil wedding and funerals. Emergency baptism may be performed by any Christian if necessary, and later the child will then be "ratified" in Church.

Freedom of religion

With the Reformation in Denmark in 1536, Lutheran Christianity was established as the state religion. For the next century, in a time when religious wars swept Europe, harsh persecution of other faiths followed (Lutheran orthodoxy). Exceptions were granted only to foreign diplomats. For at least a period in the 16th century, small circles of clandestine Catholicism prevailed. From 1683, Roman Catholic, Reformed and Jewish congregations were allowed in the new town of Fredericia, the latter two also in Copenhagen. Non-Lutherans were also allowed in Friedrichstadt and on Nordstrand in Slesvig and in Glückstadt in Holstein. With the constitution of 1849, freedom of religion was introduced in Denmark, but Lutheranism remained the state church.

Lack of central authority

The Church is in practice barred from having official positions in political or other matters, since it has no central bodies that could define such stances: nor a spiritual leader (such as an archbishop), nor a central assembly or synod. Bishops have the last say on doctrinal questions within their respective dioceses. The King (in practice the Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs) and Parliament are the central bodies, but they usually keep to administrative matters and abstain from interfering with spiritual questions. Church laws are rarely changed, and, when it happens, only administrative matters are affected.

Firstly, these principles are generally believed to ensure a non-sectarian, tolerant church where parishioners and priests enjoy a high degree of freedom to practise their own interpretation of Lutheran Christianity. Secondly, many Danish politicians and theologians claim that only this church-state-model will ensure the division of politics and religion, since the Church cannot interfere with political matters or even claim to speak with one voice on behalf of its members. They frequently discourage the term state church and argue it is, as its name states, the "people's church".

Article 66 of the Danish Constitution stipulates a church ordinance shall be laid down by law. This promissory clause dates back from the first Constitution of 1849 but was never put into practice. It was feared that splits could occur if a central authority were created.

In very few cases have politicians deviated from their traditional hands-off course in church doctrinal matters. Where they have done so, it has been with the declared aim of preventing a possible split in the church. See the issues of Female clergy and Same-sex marriage below.

Civil registration

The Church of Denmark conducts civil registration of births, deaths, change of name etc. (vital records). The keeping of such kirkebøger ("church books") is a centuries-long tradition, dating from when the parish rectors were the only government representatives in rural areas. In 2002–03 the traditional church records were replaced by a new national electronic registration system called Personregistrering. After protests in 2005, the Minister for Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs Bertel Haarder announced that people who for various reasons did not want to send their registration forms (e.g. births and namings) to the local church office could now send their forms to a central office located in Nykøbing Falster.

In 2010 parents' duty to report the birth of their child was abolished. Instead, it was decided that in the future it was the task of the midwives to report all births in Denmark (only when a midwife isn't present at the birth of a child are the parents still obliged to report the birth of the child).

From 1 December 2014 all applications should be submitted in digital form whenever possible.

Economic support

Article 4 in the Constitution of Denmark stipulates that "The Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the Established Church of Denmark, as such, it shall be supported by the State."^[18] On the other hand, article 68 ensures that citizens are not obliged to pay personal contributions to any religion other than their own.^[18] It has been questioned how these two principles can co-exist. Non-members do not pay church tax, but an additional state subsidiary accounts for 12% of the Church's income. This means every citizen, even a non-member, contributes with an average of 130 kroner annually (US$23). In addition, the bishops are high-ranking officials whose salary is fully paid by the state. In return, certain public tasks are carried out by the Church, such as conducting vital records registries and managing graveyards which are open to all denominations.

Separation of church and state

While the debate about separation of church and state emerges occasionally in Denmark, the current arrangement is supported by most political parties. It has been challenged for decades by the left wing and by atheists; more recently also by some ideological liberals and some members of free churches.

Proponents for a separation (disestablishment) argue the state church violates equality of religions and the principle of the secular state. Proponents for the current system argue that membership is voluntary, that the existence of a state church has ancient historical roots, and that the church fulfils certain administrative tasks for the state. They also argue it would be difficult to decide whether church-owned real estate should be handed over to the state or not. The former possessions of the Catholic Church were ceded to the Crown at the reformation in 1536.

According to a poll conducted by the free daily MetroXpress in April 2007, 52% wished to split church and state, 30% were against, and 18% undecided. Minister for Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs Bertel Haarder, spoke out against a split: "Church and state will be separated when more than half of the population are no longer members. N. F. S. Grundtvig said so, and I support that." The opposition Social Democrats also argued against a split, but said there should be more equality between denominations, possibly by a state subsidiary paid to other approved religious communities as well.^[20] Immigrant groups and the Muslim society are divided on the issue, as some think official Christianity is preferable to a purely secular state.

Pure equality of religions exists only in a minority of Western European countries. Besides Denmark, only the Faroe Islands, Iceland, England and Greece have official state churches, while Scotland has an officially recognised "national church" that is not connected to the state. Spain, Portugal, Italy and Austria have official ties to Catholicism (concordat), but these ties do not extend to Catholicism being recognised as the state religion in these countries. Further there are varying degrees of public funding of the church in Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Norway, Sweden, in most cantons of Switzerland, and in the Alsace-Moselle region of France.

Similar Nordic Evangelical-Lutheran churches

• Church of Sweden – Svenska kyrkan
• Church of Norway – Den norske kirke
• National Church of Iceland – Þjóðkirkjan
• Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland – Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko (Swedish: Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan i Finland)
• Church of the Faroe Islands – Fólkakirkjan

Female clergy

The ordination of women, having been discussed within the church since the 1920s, has been allowed since 1948, despite some rather strong early resistance from the clergy. The then Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs was contacted by a parochial council who wished to employ a female priest. He decided there was no legal obstacle to that.^[21] The first woman to become a bishop was instituted in 1995. As of 2021, a majority of priests are women.^[22]

Among a small conservative minority, resistance to women ordained as clergy remains. In 2007 the Bishop of Viborg, known as a moderate conservative, revealed that he had given special consideration to priests who were known to be against ordained women. He had organised ordination ceremonies in such a way that new priests who so wished could avoid shaking hands with, or receiving the laying on of hands from, women ordained as priests. According to the bishop, this had happened twice in the 100 ordinations he had performed. The matter became headline news amidst a debate about Muslim fundamentalists who refuse to shake hands with members of the opposite sex. The Minister for Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Bertel Haarder, said he would discuss the matter with the bishops, but also stated that tolerance for various views should be respected. In contrast, the Minister for Employment, Claus Hjort Frederiksen, thought that the priests in question should be dismissed, as public employees are obliged to shake hands with anyone.^[23]

Same-sex marriage

A 2011 poll of the Danish public found that 75.8% of Danes approve of same-sex marriages being performed in the church.^[24]

According to a 2011 survey of 1137 priests, 62% of them supported same-sex marriage in the Church on the same basis as for heterosexuals, while 28% were against. A map of the results hints at the traditional west–east division, with a conservative wing being dominant in central West Jutland (the former Ringkjøbing Amt) and on Bornholm, but liberal priests dominating in most other cities.^[25]

In 2004, a poll among pastors said 60% were against church marriage of same-sex couples.^[26]

Gay clergy

Gay and lesbian clergy exist, and this is generally considered a strictly personal issue. Parish councils are central in selecting and employing new priests, including interviews with candidates. Once employed, parish priests are public servants and cannot be discharged except for neglect of duties, which will finally be the bishop's decision.

In 2011 a female priest serving two small island parishes was fired after controversies with the parish council of Agersø, while the neighbouring Omø supported her. She claimed to have been ousted because of her sexuality, but the parish council rejected this accusation and mentioned 'cooperation problems' as the cause. Twenty years earlier she had come out as lesbian and a practitioner of sadomasochism in a Swedish TV programme.^[35][36]

In 2009 a parish priest in Tingbjerg, a Copenhagen suburb, moved away from the parish to a secret address after assaults against his vicarage, his car and the parish church. The vicarage was put up for sale. According to Avisen.dk, local youths claimed they harassed him because he was openly homosexual, among other reasons.^[37] The priest himself denied this was the issue, but rather claimed the assaults were part of a general tendency in the 'crumbling district', and intensified after he spoke out in public about the local youth crime.^[38] A Sunday service held a few weeks later was attended by several prominent guests supporting the priest, including Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen, Minister for Education and Ecclesiastical Affairs Bertel Haarder, and photographer Jacob Holdt.^[39] Tingbjerg is a single-plan public housing area, marked by gang violence and youth crime, and the most criminal district of Copenhagen.^[40]

Declaration Dominus Iesus

In 2000, the Church of Denmark's ecumenical department publicly criticized the Roman Catholic declaration Dominus Iesus, which controversially used the term "ecclesial community" to refer to Protestant denominations, including Lutheran churches. The Church of Denmark argued that there is a destructive effect on ecumenical relations if one church deprives another of the right to be called a Church and that it is just as destructive as if one Christian denies another Christian the right to be called a Christian.^[41]