Back Deense Volkskerk Afrikaans كنيسة الدنمارك Arabic Ilesia del Pueblu Danés AST Царква Дацкага Народа Byelorussian Dánská národní církev Czech Folkekirken Danish Dänische Volkskirche German Εκκλησία της Δανίας Greek Dana Evangelia Luterana Eklezio Esperanto Iglesia del Pueblo Danés Spanish
| Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark | |
|---|---|
| Folkekirken | |
 | |
| Type | Established church |
| Classification | Christian |
| Orientation | Protestant |
| Scripture | Christian Bible |
| Theology | High Church Lutheranism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Supreme Authority | Frederik X of Denmark and the Folketing |
| Minister for Ecclesiastical Affairs | Morten Dahlin |
| Primate | Peter Skov-Jakobsen |
| Dioceses | 11 |
| Parishes | 2,163 (November 2019)[1] |
| Associations | |
| Region | Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland, excluding Faroe Islands) |
| Language | Danish |
| Origin | 1536 |
| Separated from | Catholic Church in Denmark |
| Separations | |
| Members | 4.253.575 (71.4%, January 2024)[2] |
| Places of worship | 2,354 (2014)[1] |
| Aid organization | Folkekirkens Nødhjælp (ACT Alliance Denmark) |
| Official website | Official website (in Danish) Official website (in English) |
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church (Danish: Folkekirken, lit. 'the People's Church', or unofficially den danske folkekirke, 'the Danish People's Church'; Greenlandic: Ilagiit, lit. 'the Congregation'), sometimes called the Church of Denmark, is the established, state-supported church in Denmark.[3] The supreme secular authority of the church is composed of the reigning monarch and Denmark's Parliament, the Folketing.[4] As of 1 January 2024[update], 71.4% of the population of Denmark are members,[2] though membership is voluntary.[5]
Chalcedonian Christianity was introduced to Denmark in the 9th century by Ansgar, Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. In the 10th century, King Harald Bluetooth became a Catholic and began organizing the church, and by the 11th century, Christianity was largely accepted throughout the country. Since the Reformation in Denmark, the church has been Evangelical Lutheran, while retaining much of its high church pre-Reformation liturgical traditions.
The 1849 Constitution of Denmark designated the church "the Danish people's church" and mandates that the state support it as such.[6]
The Church of Denmark continues to maintain the historical episcopate. Theological authority is vested in bishops: ten bishops in mainland Denmark and one in Greenland, each overseeing a diocese. The bishop of Copenhagen is primus inter pares.
- ^ a b Kinkel, Jens (16 November 2019). "Churches in Denmark". Danmarks Kirker (in Danish). Retrieved 16 November 2019.
- ^ a b Church membership 1990–2024 folkekirken.dk (in Danish)
- ^ State fundings to the National Church Archived 2006-11-01 at the Wayback Machine (in Danish). Retrieved 21 January 2011
- ^ kristendom.dk – "Dronningen og forholdet til folkekirken" Archived 2011-12-20 at the Wayback Machine – In Danish.
- ^ Freedom of religion and religious communities in Denmark Archived 2012-02-05 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. Retrieved 21 January 2011.
- ^ According to the Constitution of Denmark § 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")