Moving Towards the Reformation

Christianity in The Scandinavian Countries

Scandinavian Churches & State

Danish and Norwegian State Church Church of Sweden separate from

State Approx. 85% of population as

members

Christianity

1000 AD Iceland – referendum! 1250 AD End of Viking Age -

Catholicism 1537-44 AD Reformation 1800 AD Records of previous

centuries, stories, history

The Vikings

The Old Norse Gods (Odin, Thor etc.) Ragnarok – the end of the World

(Asgaard, Midgaard, Jotunheim) Unreliable religion The White Christ around 700 AD RIP

Rich and Poor Rich people Believed in the

Gods

Poor people Believed in spirits The Huldre – spirit

from the mountains – hollow back!

The Venerable Bede

673 – 735 AD Life is transient Liberation

Transitional Period

Both religions were followed

Pagan - Thor’s Hammer

Catholic - Cross

Danish Flag Dannebrog June 15, 1219 Fell from the sky

during a battle between Danes and Estonians

Missionaries

Conflict

Vatican Christianity People’s Christianity

The Little Mermaid

The Woman in the Church

The Man and the Huldre

Change around 1250From AGAPE To EROS

God loves Man Christ died for our sins Eternal Life Enjoy the World

GodDistantAngry

Pain, Punishment

Man loves GodMan is a sinner

Consequence of EROS

The Flagellants “The Seventh Seal” “Death in Bergamo”

Reformation 1536-37 Catholic Church powerful Martin Luther, Wittenberg 1517, 95 Theses Excommunicated New Independent Church: Protestant Change from EROS to AGAPE again Divided Europe into Catholic South,

Protestant North

Religion in Europe 1560

Lutheran

Catholic

Calvinist

Anglican

Division Catholics EROS Control Rigid system of

approaching God

Protestant AGAPE Education Individual access to

God

Petter Dass 1647-1707 Vicar Norway’s greatest

17th cent. Writer Everything is seen

as God’s work of creation

Religion and Churches – then and now

Denmark and Norway – State Church Sweden – separation of state and

Church in 2000

Denmark Jelling Stone –

Harald Bluetooth (ca.1000 AD)

2000 churches built 1050 - 1150

Paintings - life of Christ and the saints

Church Decorations

Parish churches - pictures of the Old and New Testaments

Reformation (1537): whitewashing

Last 100 years: removal of whitewash

Here: Estruplund 1542

Denmark 2

Denmark 2

400 churches with remains of medieval wallpaintings

Major art treasures

Here: Fresco from

Skibby 1175

Denmark 3

Denmark 4

Church of Denmark Church of Denmark (State Church) - 88% of

population Evangelical Lutheran Church Freedom of religion, speech and assembly State support: moral, political, financial and

administrative (church taxes, about 0.15%) Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs and

diocesan administration

Denmark 5, Other Congregations

Muslims Jews Roman Catholic

Church Danish Baptist

Church Pentecostal

Churches Seventh Day

Adventists Catholic Apostolic

Church

Reformed Churches Salvation Army Methodist Church Anglican Church Russian Orthodox

Church Jehovah’s

Witnesses Mormons 9 independent

congregations of Grundvigian origin

Denmark 6

Functions of the Church

Primary civil registration of all citizens

Baptism and naming (within a year)

Confirmations (13½ yrs old)

Weddings Funerals

Church Books = genealogical documents

Since 1969 - clerics of all other recognized communities perform legally valid weddings

Denmark 7

Organization of the church

12 dioceses 2000 clergy 2116 parishes The Folketing

(Parliament) = legislative body

The Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs = administrative body

Otherwise, democratic

Parish councils: clergy + members of the national church in the parish

Decide the choice of clergy

Denmark 8

Romanesque Churches

Romanesque dates from late 10th till 12th / 13 th Cent. Sædding Church (ca.1100).

Denmark 9

Romanesque 2

Heavy Walls Small Windows

Clear Organization

Denmark 10

Romanesque 3

The architecture had only one fuction: a church service

Denmark 11

Romanesque 4

Use of open timber roofs (as Storage places)

Barrel /Tunnel, vault

Denmark 12

Romanesque 5

Barrel Vault or Tunnel Vault

The simplest form of a vault, consisting of a continuous surface of semicircular or pointed sections. It resembles a barrel or tunnel which has been cut in half lengthwise

Denmark 13

Romanesque 6

Groin Vault: produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel /tunnel vaults

Denmark 14

Romanesque 7

Rib Vault: a masonry

vault with a relatively thin web and set within a framework of ribs

Denmark 14

Gothic Churches

Originating in France Spreading over

western Europe 12th - 16th cent.

Design emphasizing skeleton construction

Taller, lighter

Keldby Church, 1275

Denmark 15

Gothic 2

Elimination of Wall Planes Comparatively great height of

building Pointed Arch Rib Vaulting Rich outline of Exterior: towers,

gables

Mørkøv Kirke, ca. 1450

Denmark 16

Gothic 4

Flying Buttress: A free-standing

buttress attached to the main vessel (nave, choir, or transept wall) by an arch or half-arch which transmits the thrust of the vault to the buttress

Denmark 17

Gothic 5

15th and 16th centuries

Weaponhouse added.

Weapons were left before going into the church.

Denmark 18

Gothic 6

The Gable: steps called

Battlements. Especially

prominent in Gothic architecture.

Denmark 19

Gothic 7

Another prominent feature

Recesses used as ornamentation on the wall.

Might be whitewashed as here

Denmark 20

Round Churches

A special type of church in Denmark were the Round Churches

5 round churches in all,

4 on Bornholm, 1 on Funen

Denmark 21

Round Churches 2

Østerlars Round Church - the largest of the 4 on Bornholm.

Built around 1150 Fortified church Dedicated to

St.Lawrence. Built of split

granite boulders 55 ft in diameter

Denmark 22

Round Churches 3

The church is constructed around a hollow central pillar

6 arches leading into a small room

used for christenings.

Denmark 23

The Cathedral of Aarhus

Construction began ca. 1200

First church completed in Romanesque style ca.1300

One of the oldest brick buildings in Denmark.

Burned down in 1330 Reconstructed in Gothic

Style ca. 1500

Denmark 24

The Cathedral of Aarhus 2

Longest church in Denmark: 305 ft long

305 ft. Tall Seats 1200 people Dedicated to the patron

saint of seafarers, St.Clemens

Denmark 25

The Cathedral of Odense

Originally a wooden church where King Knud 2 (The Holy) (1040-86) was killed by rebellious peasants.

He was consecrated in 1101 and later buried in the new Gothic church

Denmark 26

The Cathedral of Odense

Denmark 27

The Cathedral of Roskilde

Construction of Romanesque Church began in 1170 under Bishop Absalon

13th cent.: new construction in Gothic Style

The twin towers were added in the 14th cent.

Denmark 28

The Cathedral of Roskilde

The famous last resting place for 38 kings and queens.

Modern day monarchy is also buried there.

Denmark 29

Grundtvigskirke

Constructed from 1921-1940

Danish Gothic and functionalism

Inspired by old Danish Gothic style, combined with an eye to functionalism

Drawn by famous Danish architects

Denmark 30

Grundtvigskirke

Quite a visual epiphany of old and new. A hope for the future of the Danish state church?

NorwayChurch of Norway

Evangelical Lutheran State Church since 1536

86% of the population is a member through baptism

The king is the Head of the Church Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs

determines administrative issues Synodal system Episcopal system

Norway 2

Church of Norway Right now: a discussion to de-

establish the state church is meeting with approval from a majority of the population

Olav Tryggvason imported Christianity around 1000 AD

Reformation in 1536 Free exercise of religion

Norway 3

Trondheim Cathedral= Nidaros Cathedral

King Olav Haraldsson, killed in the battle of Stiklestad in 1030

Became Norway's patron saint several days later

Buried on the exact spot where Trondheim Cathedral now stands.

Norway 4

Trondheim Cathedral

Construction began in 1070 - pilgrims flocking to St Olav's grave

Completed in 1300 Most beautiful church in

Norway. Nrway's monarchs are

crowned and buried here

The Crown Jewels are on display

Norway 5

Stave Churches Boat construction / home building - Viking

times the technique and tradition of combining art with wood working: stave churches

Common element: corner posts (staves) and a skeleton or framework of timber with wall planks standing on sills (to keep them from rotting).

These walls are known as stave walls Most stave churches were built on old

Norse heathen holy places or temples

Norway 6

Stave Churches 2

Around 800-1000 stave churches originally Only 25 stave churches remain Primarily in Western Norway 5 stave churches have been moved, re-

erected and preserved at new locations The oldest type was built in the 1000’s but

the timber of their walls was set directly into the ground, and rotted.

The sills became common in the 1100’s

Norway 7

Stave Churches 3

Several kinds of stave churches Simplest: a nave with a narrower chancel, the

roof rests on the walls Some have a tall, sturdy upright or mast in the

middle which supports the ridge turret and strengthens the walls

Biggest: central section with a lofty ceiling supported by freestanding posts resting on the floor

Often richly ornamented with carvings, wall and ceiling paintings

Norway 8

Borgund Stave Church

Built around 1150, dedicated to St. Andrew.

One of the best preserved stave churches

Runic inscriptions on the walls

Norway 9

Hopperstad Stave Chuch

Built around 1150 Triple-Nave church

Urnes Stave Church

Built around 1150 Oldest stave church in

Norway On UNESCO’s World

Heritage List

Norway 10

Norway 11

Høre Stave Church

1180 - rebuilt 1820

Remnants of a stave church from 1100 found underneath

Tombs found underneath the church

Gol Stave Church

Built around 1200 with staves to support the roof

Pulled down, moved, and re-erected in 1885

Now part of the Norwegian Folkmuseum, in Oslo

Norway 12

Norway 13

Hegge Stave Church

Built around 1230

Norway 14

Reinli Stave Church

Built around 1250

Extended during the late middle ages

Seats 64 people

Norway 15

Grip Stave Church

Built around 1470

One-nave stave church

One of the simplest and smallest of the stave churches.

On an island

Sweden

Slow in becoming christianized 1164 Uppsala was selected as the seat of the

archbishop: breakthrough for Christianity 1210: first Swedish monarch crowned, marking

the union of Church and State Reformation 1544, Sweden proclaimed an

evangelical Lutheran kingdom Most people belong to the Church of Sweden

(85%), Lutheran Protestant, The State Church institution was ended in 2000

Sweden 2

Uppsala

The Holy Trinity Church = The Old Uppsala church

12th century, Site of temple

of the ancient gods of the Vikings

Sweden 3

Uppsala 2

Church of Old Uppsala built where there was once a wooden pagan temple.

The most spectacular pagan rite - the 'blot'

Animal and human sacrifice

Nine days every ninth year.

Under the hills three ancient kings are buried.

Sweden 4

Uppsala 3

Seat of the archbishop of Sweden.

The Uppsala Cathedral is the largest church in Scandinavia.

Sweden 5

Uppsala 4 Its construction

started in 1260 Inaugurated in

1435. Many famous

Swedes are buried here, among them Carl von Linné.

The Future

Few people go to church except when they want to celebrate major events like baptism, confirmations, weddings, and funerals

Importance of church? Dissolution of church and state? Membership based congregations?