Church of Iceland
| Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Lutheranism |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Leader | Bishop of Iceland |
| Associations |
Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches, Conference of European Churches, Porvoo Communion |
| Region | Iceland |
| Headquarters | Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Origin | 1540 |
| Separated from | Church of Denmark |
| Members | 245,184 or up to 252,461 members (World Council of Churches) |
| Official website |
kirkjan |
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland (Icelandic: Hin evangelíska lúterska kirkja), also called the National Church (Icelandic: Þjóðkirkjan), is the officially established Christian church in Iceland. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion.
The church is organised into one diocese headed by the Bishop of Iceland. The current Bishop of Iceland is Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir, the first woman to hold this position.
Christianity was present from the beginning of human habitation in Iceland, a fact that is unique to Iceland among the European nations. The first people setting foot on Icelandic soil were Chalcedonian Irish hermits, seeking refuge on these remote shores to worship Christ. Later, Norse settlers are thought to have driven them out. Some of the settlers were Christians, although the majority were pagan, worshipping the old Norse gods. When Iceland was constituted as a republic in 930 CE, it was based on the pagan religion. In the late 10th century missionaries from the continent sought to spread Catholicism among the population.
Ari Þorgilsson, in his historical work Íslendingabók, recounts that the nation was deeply divided between the adherents of the different religions that would not tolerate each other. At the legislative assembly, the Alþingi at Þingvellir, in the year 1000, the country was on the brink of civil war. The leaders of the two groups realized the danger and found a solution. They chose a person that everybody respected for his wisdom, the heathen priest and chieftain, Þorgeir of Ljósavatn, to decide which way the people should go. Þorgeir retired to his dwelling and lay there all day meditating. The next day he called the assembly together and made his decision known. "If we put asunder the law, we will put asunder the peace," he said. "Let it be the foundation of our law that everyone in this land shall be Christian and believe in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit." He also decreed that pagan sacrifice, the exposure of infants, and the eating of horseflesh would be tolerated for the time being, if practiced in private. The people agreed and many were subsequently baptized.
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Wikipedia