Later this May, Norway will separate Church and State.
All 7 political parties represented in Parliament (including KRF: Christian People Party) got behind the changes that will be made to the constitution and church laws to change the State Church to, and I quote, "-an open, including and democratic Folkekirke."
("Folkekirke" translates into "people´s church" or "church for/of the people").
This means that the government no longer will appoint deans and bishops and that the church is now just like any other religious community in Norway: free to exercise its religion without being the "Official Faith".
I truly feel that both Church and State will be better off as autonomous entities. If for no other reason that I might be able to buy a beer, in a shop, after eight o´clock in the evening on a thursday...
What do you guys think about this? I´d like to hear from everyone:
- What good/bad can you see coming from the separation of church and state?
- Has it happened/would it work in your country?
All 7 political parties represented in Parliament (including KRF: Christian People Party) got behind the changes that will be made to the constitution and church laws to change the State Church to, and I quote, "-an open, including and democratic Folkekirke."
("Folkekirke" translates into "people´s church" or "church for/of the people").
This means that the government no longer will appoint deans and bishops and that the church is now just like any other religious community in Norway: free to exercise its religion without being the "Official Faith".
I truly feel that both Church and State will be better off as autonomous entities. If for no other reason that I might be able to buy a beer, in a shop, after eight o´clock in the evening on a thursday...
What do you guys think about this? I´d like to hear from everyone:
- What good/bad can you see coming from the separation of church and state?
- Has it happened/would it work in your country?
