In Norway, the “divide among Christian churches follows a new line”, notes journalist Tore Hjalmar Sævik.

A concise joint Christian statement signed by Pentecostals, Baptists, evangelical Lutherans, as well as the Roman Catholic bishops, denounces the “activism” and “pressures” of the government.

Satanists set fire to many churches in Norway in the 1990s. Now churches are not attacked as often as they used to, and smaller denominations hardly ever experience church fires.

What is the connection between the burning of Norwegian churches in the 90s and the appearance of the Scandinavian rock genre?

“Resources are getting scarcer and no doubt the local churches and its members will have to take on a heavier financial responsibility in the future”, explains Parish pastor Haakon Kessel. 

“We have a lot to learn from Christians from other continents where being in minority is the ordinary way of life for a church”, says parish pastor Haakon Kessel. 15,000 left the Church of Norway after deregistration was made available online.

The Church of Norway now webpage allows people to verify their membership status, sign up or leave the church. “No one should be a member of a religious community against their will”, leader Kristin Gunleiksrud says.

A survey shows that, for the first time ever, there are more in Norway who say they don’t believe in God than those who say they do.

The 12 bishops of the Evangelical Lutheran denomination backed the creation of a special liturgy for the marriage of same-sex couples. Roman Catholics and most independent evangelical churches keep defining marriage as a union solely between a man and a woman.