Editing Norway (section)

=== Religion ===
{{Main|Religion in Norway}}

==== Church of Norway ====
[[File:Wikipedia 8733.JPG|thumb|[[Nidaros Cathedral]] in [[Trondheim]]]]
[[Separation of church and state#Norway|Separation of church and state]] happened significantly later in Norway than in most of Europe, and remains incomplete. In 2012, the Norwegian parliament voted to grant the [[Church of Norway]] greater autonomy,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://digitaljournal.com/article/324906 |work=Digital Journal |title=Norway abolishes state-sponsored Church of Norway |last1=Fraser |first1=Sean |date=15 May 2012 |access-date=20 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130614144414/http://digitaljournal.com/article/324906 |archive-date=14 June 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> a decision which was confirmed in a constitutional amendment on 21 May 2012.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://religionnews.com/2017/01/05/norway-and-its-national-church-part-ways/ |title=Norway and its national church part ways |date=5 January 2017 |access-date=5 January 2017 |archive-date=1 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190401081739/https://religionnews.com/2017/01/05/norway-and-its-national-church-part-ways/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Until 2012 parliamentary officials were required to be members of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Norway, and at least half of all government ministers had to be a member of the state church. As state church, the Church of Norway's clergy were viewed as state employees, and the central and regional church administrations were part of the state administration. Members of the Royal family are required to be members of the Lutheran church. On 1 January 2017, Norway made the church independent of the state, but retained the Church's status as the "people's church".<ref>[https://kirken.no/nb-NO/om-kirken/slik-styres-kirken/kirkeordning/ny-kirkeordning-2020/ På vei mot ny kirkeordning] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213091126/https://kirken.no/nb-NO/om-kirken/slik-styres-kirken/kirkeordning/ny-kirkeordning-2020/ |date=13 December 2017 }} Den Norske Kirke. Retrieved 12 December 2017.</ref><ref>[https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/6-january/news/world/norwegian-church-passes-milestone-in-modification-of-its-links-with-state Norwegian Church passes milestone in modification of its links with State] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171213090705/https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2017/6-january/news/world/norwegian-church-passes-milestone-in-modification-of-its-links-with-state |date=13 December 2017 }} ''Church Times'', 6 January 2017.</ref>

Most Norwegians are registered at baptism as members of the Church of Norway. Many remain in the church to participate in the community and practices such as [[baptism]], [[confirmation]], marriage, and burial rites. About 61.7% of Norwegians were members of the Church of Norway in 2024. In the same year, approximately 50.4% of all newborns were baptised and about 47.6% of all 15-year-olds were [[Confirmation (Lutheran Church)|confirmed]] in the church.<ref>[https://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/religion-og-livssyn/statistikk/den-norske-kirke Den norske kirke] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125173428/http://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/kirke_kostra/aar|date=25 November 2017}} 17 March 2025 ''Statistics Norway''</ref>

==== Religious affiliation ====
{{Pie chart
|thumb = right
|caption = Official religious affiliation in Norway (31 December 2019):<ref name="stat2019statechurch">[http://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/kirke_kostra/aar Church of Norway] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171125173428/http://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/kirke_kostra/aar |date=25 November 2017 }} Statistics Norway 17 May 2020</ref><ref name="stat2019other">[https://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/trosamf/aar/2020-12-08 Members of religious and life stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220501120513/https://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/trosamf/aar/2020-12-08 |date=1 May 2022 }} Statistics Norway 8 December 2019</ref><ref>[https://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/trosamf/aar/2020-12-08?fane=tabell&sort=nummer&tabell=439532 Members of Christian communities outside the Church of Norway.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220505075738/https://www.ssb.no/en/kultur-og-fritid/statistikker/trosamf/aar/2020-12-08?fane=tabell&sort=nummer&tabell=439532 |date=5 May 2022 }} Statistics Norway 8 December 2020</ref> 
|label1 = [[Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway]]
|value1 = 68.68
|color1 = DodgerBlue
|label2 = [[Catholic Church in Norway|Catholic Church]]
|value2 = 3.08
|color2 = DarkOrchid
|label3 = [[Pentecostalism in Norway|Pentecostal congregations]]
|value3 = 0.76
|color3 = DarkTurquoise
|label4 = [[Eastern Orthodoxy in Norway|Eastern Orthodox]] and [[Oriental Orthodoxy in Norway|Oriental Orthodox]]
|value4 = 0.53
|color4 = Orchid
|label5 = [[Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway|Evangelical Lutheran Free Church]]
|value5 = 0.36
|color5 = Aquamarine
|label6 = Other Christian denominations
|value6 = 2.21
|color6 = Indigo
|label7 = [[Islam in Norway|Islam]]
|value7 = 3.41
|color7 = Green
|label8 = [[Buddhism]]
|value8 = 0.40
|color8 = Yellow
|label9 = [[Hinduism in Norway|Hinduism]]
|value9 = 0.21
|color9 = Orange
|label10 = [[Norwegian Humanist Association|Secular Humanism]]
|value10 = 1.85
|color10 = Red
|label11 = [[Irreligion in Norway|Unaffiliated]]
|value11 = 18.32
|color11 = Honeydew
|value12=0.09|color12=Tomato|label12=Other Religion}}
According to the 2010 Eurobarometer Poll, 22% of Norwegian citizens responded that "they believe there is a God", 44% responded that "they believe there is some sort of spirit or life force" and 29% responded that "they don't believe there is any sort of spirit, God or life force". Five per cent gave no response.<ref name="eurobarometer 2010">{{cite web|date=October 2010|title=Special Eurobarometer, biotechnology|url=http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_341_en.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430163128/http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/ebs/ebs_225_report_en.pdf|archive-date=30 April 2011|page=204}}</ref> In the early 1990s, studies estimated that between 4.7% and 5.3% of Norwegians attended church on a weekly basis.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.dawnnorge.no/dawnnorge/vedlegg/dawn_eng_22.08.2003_00.40.49.doc |title=The People in the Church |publisher=dawnnorge.no |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070815191030/http://www.dawnnorge.no/dawnnorge/vedlegg/dawn_eng_22.08.2003_00.40.49.doc |archive-date=15 August 2007}}</ref> This figure has dropped to about 2%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/kirke_kostra_en/ |title=KOSTRA (Municipality-State-Reporting): Church |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=29 August 2010 |archive-date=28 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110428233928/http://www.ssb.no/kirke_kostra_en/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/kirke_kostra_en/arkiv/tab-2010-06-16-02-en.html |title=Church of Norway. Church services and participants, by diocese. 2005–2009 (Corrected 28 June 2010) |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |date=28 June 2010 |access-date=7 March 2011 |archive-date=16 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016220017/http://www.ssb.no/kirke_kostra_en/arkiv/tab-2010-06-16-02-en.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2010, 10% of the population was [[Irreligion|religiously unaffiliated]], while another 9% were members of religious communities outside the Church of Norway.<ref name="Norway1">{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/ |title=More members in religious and philosophical communities |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=8 March 2009 |archive-date=13 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121113185254/http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Other Christian denominations total about 4.9%<ref name="Norway1" /> of the population, the largest of which is the [[Roman Catholic Church]], with 83,000 members, according to 2009 government statistics.<ref name="Norwayreligion2">{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/trosamf_en/arkiv/tab-2009-12-09-03-en.html |title=Members of Christian communities outside the Church of Norway |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=21 August 2010 |archive-date=17 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017114102/http://www.ssb.no/trosamf_en/arkiv/tab-2009-12-09-03-en.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The {{lang|no|Aftenposten}} (Evening Post) in October 2012 reported there were about 115,234 registered Roman Catholics in Norway; the reporter estimated that the total number of people with a Roman Catholic background may be 170,000–200,000 or higher.<ref>Andreas Sletteholm: [http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/Na-er-det-flere-katolikker-enn-muslimer-i-Norge-7033287.html "Nå er det flere katolikker enn muslimer i Norge"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121205221337/http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/Na-er-det-flere-katolikker-enn-muslimer-i-Norge-7033287.html |date=5 December 2012 }}, ''Aftenposten'', 3 December 2012</ref>

Others include [[Pentecostalism|Pentecostals]] (39,600),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> the [[Evangelical Lutheran Free Church of Norway]] (19,600),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> the [[United Methodist Church in Norway]] (11,000),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> [[Baptists]] (9,900),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> [[Eastern Orthodox]] (9,900),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> [[Brunstad Christian Church]] (6,800),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> [[Seventh-day Adventists]] (5,100),<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> [[Assyrian people|Assyrians]] of the [[Assyrian Church of the East|ACOE]] and the [[Chaldean Catholic Church]], and others. The Swedish, Finnish and Icelandic Lutheran congregations in Norway have about 27,500 members in total.<ref name="Norwayreligion2" /> Other Christian denominations comprise less than 1% each, including 4,000 members in [[the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]] and 12,000 [[Jehovah's Witnesses]].<ref name="Norwayreligion2" />
Among non-Christian religions, [[Islam in Norway|Islam]] is the largest, with 166,861 registered members (2018), and probably fewer than 200,000 in total.<ref name="autogenerated5">{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/en/trosamf |title=Religious communities and life stance communities |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=9 December 2011 |archive-date=11 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130811173058/http://www.ssb.no/en/trosamf |url-status=live }}</ref>

Other religions comprise less than 1% each, including 819 adherents of [[History of the Jews in Norway|Judaism]].<ref name="Norwayreligion">{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/trosamf_en/arkiv/tab-2009-12-09-01-en.html |title=Members of religious and life-stance communities outside the Church of Norway, by religion/life stance |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=21 August 2010 |archive-date=17 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111017120037/http://www.ssb.no/trosamf_en/arkiv/tab-2009-12-09-01-en.html |url-status=live }}</ref> Indian immigrants introduced Hinduism to Norway, which in 2011 has slightly more than 5,900 adherents, or 1% of non-Lutheran Norwegians.<ref name="Norwayreligion" /> [[Sikhism]] has approximately 3,000 adherents, with most living in Oslo, which has two [[gurdwara]]s. Drammen also has a sizeable population of Sikhs; the largest gurdwara in north Europe was built in [[Lier, Norway|Lier]]. There are eleven Buddhist organisations, grouped under the [[Buddhist Federation of Norway|Buddhistforbundet]] organisation, with slightly over 14,000 members,<ref name="Norwayreligion" /> which make up 0.2% of the population. The [[Baháʼí Faith]] religion has slightly more than 1,000 adherents.<ref name="Norwayreligion" /> Around 1.7% (84,500) of Norwegians belong to the secular [[Norwegian Humanist Association]].

From 2006 to 2011, the fastest-growing religious communities in Norway were [[Eastern Orthodoxy in Norway|Eastern Orthodox Christianity]] and [[Oriental Orthodoxy in Norway|Oriental Orthodox Christianity]], which grew in membership by 80%; however, their share of the total population remains small, at 0.2%. It is associated with the immigration from Eritrea and Ethiopia, and to a lesser extent from [[Central Europe|Central]] and Eastern European and Middle Eastern countries. Other fast-growing religions were [[Roman Catholicism in Norway|Roman Catholicism]] (78.7%), [[Hinduism in Norway|Hinduism]] (59.6%), [[Islam in Norway|Islam]] (48.1%), and [[Buddhism in Norway|Buddhism]] (46.7%).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/arkiv/ |title=Religious communities and life stance communities |publisher=[[Statistics Norway]] |access-date=9 December 2011 |archive-date=20 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121120092759/http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/07/02/10/trosamf_en/arkiv/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==== Indigenous religions ====
As in other Scandinavian countries, the ancient Norse followed a form of [[Germanic paganism]] known as [[Norse paganism]]. By the end of the 11th century, when Norway had been [[Christianization of Scandinavia|Christianised]], the indigenous Norse religion and practices were prohibited. Remnants of the native religion and beliefs of Norway survive today in the form of names, referential names of cities and locations, the days of the week, and everyday language. Modern interest in the old ways has led to a revival of pagan religious practices in the form of ''[[Germanic Neopaganism|Åsatru]].'' The Norwegian ''[[Åsatrufellesskapet Bifrost]]'' formed in 1996; in 2011, the fellowship had about 300 members. ''Foreningen Forn Sed'' was formed in 1999 and has been recognised by the Norwegian government.

The Sámi minority retained their [[Sámi shamanism|shamanistic religion]] well into the 18th century, when most converted to Christianity under the influence of Dano-Norwegian Lutheran [[missionaries]]. Today there is a renewed appreciation for the Sámi traditional way of life, which has led to a revival of ''[[Noaidevuohta]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/2792-shamanism-approved-as-a-religion-in-norway |title=Shamanism Approved as a Religion in Norway |publisher=Tnp.no |date=15 March 2012 |access-date=12 October 2013 |archive-date=15 October 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015233036/http://www.tnp.no/norway/panorama/2792-shamanism-approved-as-a-religion-in-norway |url-status=live }}</ref> Some Norwegian and Sámi celebrities are reported to visit [[shamans]] for guidance.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kjendis.no/2012/05/08/kjendis/sjaman/geir_kvarme/mari_maurstad/21498916/ |title=Geir Kvarme gikk til sjaman for å få balanse |publisher=Kjendis.no |access-date=22 September 2012 |date=8 May 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715005848/http://www.kjendis.no/2012/05/08/kjendis/sjaman/geir_kvarme/mari_maurstad/21498916/ |archive-date=15 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=AV: ellen kongsnes |url=http://www.aftenbladet.no/energi/Samisk-sjaman-skapte-oljefeber-2927059.html |title=Samisk sjaman skapte oljefeber |publisher=Aftenbladet.no |access-date=22 September 2012 |archive-date=5 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905141417/http://www.aftenbladet.no/energi/Samisk-sjaman-skapte-oljefeber-2927059.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>