Christianity in Denmark
Christianity by country |
---|
Christianity portal |
Christianity is a prevalent religion in Denmark; in January 2023, 72.1%[1] of the population of Denmark were members of the Church of Denmark. According to a survey based on a sample 1,114, 25% of Danes believe Jesus is the son of God, and 18% believe he is the saviour of the world.[2] Aside from Lutheranism, there is a small Catholic minority, as well as small Protestant denominations such as the Baptist Union of Denmark and the Reformed Synod of Denmark.
Denmark has Lutheranism as the state religion,[3] as such its culture is heavily influenced by Christianity.
Protestantism
Church of Denmark (Lutheranism)
year | population | members | percentage |
---|---|---|---|
1890 | 2,205,820 | 2,138,529 | 96.9%[4] |
1901 | 2,449,540 | 2,416,511 | 98.7%[5] |
1911 | 2,757,076 | 2,715,187 | 98.5%[5] |
1984 | 5,113,500 | 4,684,060 | 91.6% |
1990 | 5,135,409 | 4,584,450 | 89.3% |
2000 | 5,330,500 | 4,536,422 | 85.1% |
2005 | 5,413,600 | 4,498,703 | 83.3% |
2007 | 5,447,100 | 4,499,343 | 82.6% |
2008 | 5,475,791 | 4,494,589 | 82.1% |
2009 | 5,511,451 | 4,492,121 | 81.5% |
2010 | 5,534,738 | 4,479,214 | 80.9% |
2011 | 5,560,628 | 4,469,109 | 80.4% |
2012 | 5,580,516 | 4,454,466 | 79.8% |
2013 | 5,602,628 | 4,430,643 | 79.1% |
2014 | 5,627,235 | 4,413,825 | 78.4% |
2015 | 5,659,715 | 4,400,754 | 77.8% |
2016 | 5.707.251 | 4.387.571 | 76,9% |
2017 | 5.748.769 | 4.361.518 | 75.9% |
2018 | 5.781.190 | 4.352.507 | 75,3% |
2019 | 5.806.081 | 4.339.511 | 74.7% |
2020 | 5.822.763 | 4.327.018 | 74.3% |
2021 | 5.840.045 | 4.311.333 | 73.8% |
2022 | 5.869.945 | 4.296.800 | 73.2% |
2023 | 5.932.654 | 4.276.271 | 72.1% |
Statistical data: 1984,[6] 1990–2023[1] Source: Kirkeministeriet |
According to official statistics from January 2023, 72,1%
This proportion is down by 1.1% as compared to the preceding year and 1.7% down compared to two years earlier. However, in similar fashion to the rest of Scandinavia, and also Britain, only a small minority (less than 5% of the total population) attends churches for Sunday services.[9][10] In addition, the number of people leaving the Church has been on the rise: in 2012, 21,118 Danes left the Church, an increase of 55% in comparison to 2011.[11] Individuals automatically become members when baptized, as most people born in Denmark are at birth, and cannot leave of their own accord until they are 18 years old. Members are not informed of their membership or their ability to leave. Further, there are no standard formulas for leaving the church; one must personally contact the priest or office of one's parish.[12][13]
Other Protestant denominations
A small
A 2015 study estimates some 4,000 Christian believers from a Muslim background in the country, most of them belonging to some form of Protestantism.[19]
Catholicism
After the
Orthodoxy
Eastern Orthodoxy
Adherents of
Oriental Orthodoxy
Adherents of
Restorationism
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been sending missionaries to Denmark since 14 June 1850.[26][27] Most of the early converts emigrated to the United States. There are currently over 4,500 members of the church in Denmark.[27] There is a Temple in Copenhagen, known as the Copenhagen Denmark Temple.[28]
History
See also
- Church of Denmark or Den Danske Folkekirke.
- Christianization of Scandinavia
References
- ^ a b c "Folkekirkens medlemmer". folkekirken.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 29 September 2023.
- ^ Johansen, Tobias Stern (23 December 2009). "Hver fjerde dansker tror på Jesus" [One in four Danes believes in Jesus] (in Danish). Kristeligt Dagblad. Archived from the original on 20 January 2013: The poll was carried out in December 2009 using a cross-section of 1114 Danes between the ages 18 and 74.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: postscript (link) - ^ "Constitution of Denmark – Section IV" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 March 2016. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church shall be the Established Church of Denmark, and, as such, it shall be supported by the State.
- ^ "TABEL 123. Befolkningens Fordeling indenfor Troessainfund. 1890". p. CLXXXIII. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ a b "Folketællingen i Kongeriget Danmark - den 1. februar 1991". p. 38. Retrieved 18 January 2019.
- ^ Church membership 1984 Danmarks statistik (in Danish)
- ^ Statistics Denmark Statistikbanken.dk
- ^ § 4, "the Evangelical-Lutheran Church is the Danish people's church and is supported as such by the State" ("den evangelisk-lutherske kirke er den danske folkekirke og understøttes som sådan af staten")
- ^ "Denmark – Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor". International Religious Freedom Report 2009. U.S. Department of State. 2009. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- The Gallup Organization. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
- ^ dst.dk, "Kraftig stigning i udmeldelser af folkekirken", February 28, 2013
- ^ "Bekendtgørelse om stiftelse og ophør af medlemskab af folkekirken". retsinformation.dk.
- ^ "Bekendtgørelse af lov om medlemskab af folkekirken, kirkelig betjening og sognebåndsløsning". retsinformation.dk.
- ^ Statistics Archived 2012-06-27 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Den reformerte Meighed i Fredericia
- ^ a b Deutsch-Reformierte Kirche zu Kopenhagen
- ^ Eglise réformée française
- ^ Korean-Reformed Church in Denmark
- ^ Johnstone, Patrick; Miller, Duane (2015). "Believers in Christ from a Muslim Background: A Global Census". IJRR. 11: 14. Retrieved 2 October 2016.
- ^ The Catholic Church in Denmark
- ^ Russian Orthodox Church in Denmark
- ^ "Serbian Orthodox Church in Denmark". Archived from the original on 2017-11-26. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
- ^ Romanian Orthodox Diocese of Northern Europe
- ^ Armenian Apostolic Church in Denmark
- ^ Coptic Orthodox Church in Denmark
- ^ "Denmark", Newsroom (Press release), LDS Church, 2 April 2011
- ^ LDS Church
- ^ "Copenhagen Denmark Temple", churchofjesuschrist.org, LDS Church