Step Toward Disestablishment of Church of Norway Taken

According to ENInews, last week a major step toward disestablishment of Norway's state church was taken. On March 16, the government in its weekly session with King Harald V formally agreed to proposals for changes in the country's Constitution and other church legislation. The proposals must still be passed by the Parliament (Storting). That is expected to happen in May or June. The Ministry of Government Administration, Reform and Church Affairs said that under the proposal, the provision in the Constitution that "the Evangelical Lutheran religion should remain the state's public religion" will be replaced with a provision that the state's basis will be "our Christian and Humanist heritage."  The appointment of bishops and other clergy will be transferred from the King to Church of Norway bodies. Government officials dealing with church affairs will no longer be required to be Church of Norway members. However, Church of Norway clergy will continue to be employed by the state.While the king will no longer be the "summus episcopus," the Constitution will provide that the king "shall continue to profess the Evangelical Lutheran religion."