Church of Denmark
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheranism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Associations | |
| Region | Kingdom of Denmark (including Greenland, excluding Faroe Islands) |
| Origin | 1536 |
| Separated from | Roman Catholic Church |
| Separations | |
| Members | 4,368,971 (76%, October 2016) |
| Official website |
www www |
| year | population | members | percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | 5,113,500 | 4,684,060 | 91.6% |
| 1990 | 5,135,409 | 4,584,450 | 89.3% |
| 2000 | 5,330,500 | 4,536,422 | 85.1% |
| 2005 | 5,413,600 | 4,498,703 | 83.3% |
| 2007 | 5,447,100 | 4,499,343 | 82.6% |
| 2008 | 5,475,791 | 4,494,589 | 82.1% |
| 2009 | 5,511,451 | 4,492,121 | 81.5% |
| 2010 | 5,534,738 | 4,479,214 | 80.9% |
| 2011 | 5,560,628 | 4,469,109 | 80.4% |
| 2012 | 5,580,516 | 4,454,466 | 79.8% |
| 2013 | 5,602,628 | 4,430,643 | 79.1% |
| 2014 | 5,627,235 | 4,413,825 | 78.4% |
| 2015 | 5,659,715 | 4,400,754 | 77.8% |
| 2016 | 5,707,251 | 4,387,571 | 76.9% |
| Statistical data: 1984, 1990-2016, Source: Kirkeministeriet | |||
The Church of Denmark (Danish: Den Danske Folkekirke or simply Folkekirken, literally: "the People's Church"), also known as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Denmark, is the established, state-supported church in Denmark. The reigning monarch is the supreme secular authority in the church. As of 1 January 2016[update], 76.9% of the population of Denmark are members, though membership is voluntary.
Christianity was introduced to Denmark in the 9th century by Ansgar, Archbishop of Hamburg-Bremen. In the 10th century, King Harald Bluetooth became a Christian and began organizing the church, and by the 11th century, Christianity was largely accepted throughout the country. Since the Reformation in Denmark, the Church has been Evangelical Lutheran, while retaining much of its pre-Reformation liturgical traditions. The 1849 Constitution of Denmark designated the church "the Danish people's church" and mandates that the state support it as such.
The Church of Denmark continues to maintain the historical episcopate. Theological authority is vested in bishops: ten bishops in mainland Denmark and one in Greenland, each overseeing a diocese. There is no archbishop; the Bishop of Copenhagen acts as a primus inter pares.
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