Religion
The Lutheran Church of Norway is the state church and the vast majority remain at least nominal members. Other religions do, however, enjoy religious freedom and have prospered with immigration in recent years, particularly Islam and Roman Catholicism. Saint Olaf is the patron saint of Norway. He is regarded by some as the eternal king and has a reputation and place in history unchallenged by any other Norwegian King for the last 1000 years.
| Religion | Members | Percent | As of 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Christianity | 4,115,675 | 83.6% | |
| Lutheranism | 3,911,622 | 79.4% | |
| Roman Catholicism | 83,018 | 1.6% | |
| Pentecostalism | 39,599 | 0.8% | |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | 11,739 | 0.2% | |
| Methodism | 11,055 | 0.2% | |
| Baptists | 9,922 | 0.2% | |
| Orthodox Christianity | 9,894 | 0.2% | |
| Seventh-day Adventist Church | 5,066 | 0.1% | |
| Other Christianity | 33,760 | 0.6% | |
| Non-Christian religions | 133,219 | 2.7% | |
| Islam | 106,735 | 2.1% | |
| Buddhism | 14,580 | 0.2% | |
| Hinduism | 5,858 | 0.1% | |
| Sikhism | 2,975 | 0.06% | |
| Bahá'í Faith | 1,064 | 0.02% | |
| Judaism | 819 | 0.01% | |
| Other religions | 1,188 | 0.02% | |
| Non-religious and unknown | 671,411 | 13.6% | |
| Humanism | 84,481 | 1.7% | |
| Total | 4,920,305 | 100.0% |
Read more about this topic: Demographics Of Norway
Famous quotes containing the word religion:
“People in general are equally horrified at hearing the Christian religion doubted, and at seeing it practised.”
—Samuel Butler (1835–1902)
“In full view of his television audience, he preached a new religion—or a new form of Christianity—based on faith in financial miracles and in a Heaven here on earth with a water slide and luxury hotels. It was a religion of celebrity and showmanship and fun, which made a mockery of all puritanical standards and all canons of good taste. Its standard was excess, and its doctrines were tolerance and freedom from accountability.”
—New Yorker (April 23, 1990)
“... religion can only change when the emotions which fill it are changed; and the religion of personal fear remains nearly at the level of the savage.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)