2.52 What is ’Folkekirken’?

’Folkekirken’ is the Danish Lutheran State Church. Around 75% of the Danish population are members of Folkekirken making it the largest religious congregation in Denmark. The Danish Lutheran Church dates back to the Reformation in 1536 when the king broke connections with the pope, dismissed all Catholic bishops and took over the leadership of the church. The Danish constitution establishes its position as State Church and determines that its affairs be regulated by the parliament and the Minister of Church Affairs.

On a local level, in many places the Danish State Church has good relationships with Christians from other denominations, including Catholics. Many different church denominations in Denmark are making efforts to proclaim the Gospel in a difficult time, during which the message easily gets caught up in the noise.