The Church of the Faroe Islands ( fo, Fólkakirkjan , lit= people's church; da, Færøernes folkekirke) is one of the smallest
state church
A state religion (also called religious state or official religion) is a religion or creed officially endorsed by a sovereign state. A state with an official religion (also known as confessional state), while not secular, is not necessarily a t ...
es in the world. Prior to becoming independent on 29 July 2007, it was a diocese of the
Church of Denmark
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church, sometimes called the Church of Denmark ( da, Folkekirken, literally: "The People's Church" or unofficially da, Den danske folkekirke, literally: "The Danish People's Church"; kl, ...
, a
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
church. As of 2019, 79.7% of the
Faroe Islanders
Faroese people or Faroe Islanders ( fo, føroyingar; da, færinger) are a North Germanic ethnic group and nation native to the Faroe Islands. The Faroese are of mixed Norse and Gaelic origins.
About 21,000 Faroese live in neighbouring countri ...
belonged to the state church.
[
Other churches in the ]Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
include the Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren or Assemblies of Brethren are a low church and non-conformist Christian movement whose history can be traced back to Dublin, Ireland, in the mid to late 1820s, where they originated from Anglicanism. The group emphasizes ...
and the Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...
.
History
Christianization
According to ''Færeyinga saga
The Færeyinga saga (), the saga of the Faroe Islands, is the story of how the Faroe Islanders were converted to Christianity and became a part of Norway.
Summary
It was written in Iceland shortly after 1200. The author is unknown and the original ...
'', the Viking
Vikings ; non, víkingr is the modern name given to seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded and se ...
chief Sigmundur Brestisson
Sigmundur Brestisson (961–1005) was a Faroese Viking chieftain, and was responsible for introducing Christianity to the Faroe Islands in 999. He is one of the main characters of the Færeyinga saga.
According to the Færeyinga saga, emigrant ...
brought Christianity to the Faroe Islands. On the orders of the Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason
Olaf Tryggvason (960s – 9 September 1000) was King of Norway from 995 to 1000. He was the son of Tryggvi Olafsson, king of Viken ( Vingulmark, and Rånrike), and, according to later sagas, the great-grandson of Harald Fairhair, first King of N ...
, Sigmundur forced the island people to convert to Christianity in 999. Resistance to the new religion led by the notorious Tróndur í Gøtu
Tróndur í Gøtu ( Icelandic: Þrándur í Götu, Old Norse Þrǫ́ndr í Gǫtu) (c. 945 – 1035) was a Viking era chieftain from the Faroe Islands.
Biography
Tróndur í Gøtu lived at his father's home in the village of Gøta on the isl ...
was quickly suppressed, and even though Sigmundur himself lost his life, Christianity gained a foothold.
Catholic era
Some years after the introduction of Christianity, the Faroese church was established as a diocese, with an episcopal residence in Kirkjubøur
Kirkjubøur ( da, Kirkebø) is the southernmost village on Streymoy, Faroe Islands. The village is located on the south-west coast of Streymoy and has a view towards the islands of Hestur and Koltur towards the west, and to Sandoy towards the so ...
, and suffragan
A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations.
In the Anglican Communion, a suffragan bishop is a bishop who is subordinate to a metropolitan bishop or diocesan bishop (bishop ordinary) and so is not normally jurisdictiona ...
to several metropolitical sees in succession, but eventually (after 1152) subject to the archdiocese of Nidaros
The Archdiocese of Nidaros (or Niðaróss) was the metropolitan see covering Norway in the later Middle Ages. The see was the Nidaros Cathedral, in the city of Nidaros (now Trondheim). The archdiocese existed from the middle of the twelfth cent ...
(Tróndheim). There were probably 33 bishops in the Faroe Islands between the time Christianity was introduced to the islands and the Reformation.
This period was not always peaceful. The saga
is a series of science fantasy role-playing video games by Square Enix. The series originated on the Game Boy in 1989 as the creation of Akitoshi Kawazu at Square (video game company), Square. It has since continued across multiple platforms, ...
s of the Faroe Islands contain two accounts of the way the church took possession of a large proportion of the land, overtaxing the people so harshly that it led to open rebellion. The saga of the battle of Mannafallsdal relates that the bishop (probably Bishop Erlend, appointed in 1269) was killed outside his church by the rebels. The historical value of this saga is highly debatable - but it does serve to illustrate the conflict between the theocratic church and an impoverished population. However, there is reasonable documentation of the fact that the bishop's residence in Kirkjubø was burnt to the ground by the rebels, and that Erlend was removed from the islands by order of the King. Erlend died in Bergen in 1308.
The Reformation
In 1538, the last Catholic bishop in the Faroe Islands was removed from his position. His Protestant replacement only lasted a few years, and then he left the islands as well, as a dean took over as the representative of the church under the Bishop of Zealand The Diocese of Zealand (Danish: ''Sjællands Stift'') was a protestant diocese in Denmark that existed from 1537 to 1922. The diocese had been formed in 1537 following the Reformation in Denmark–Norway and Holstein, Reformation of Denmark, and wa ...
in Denmark.
Lutheran Church
The orthodox Lutheran form of Christianity, propounded by the Zealand bishop Jesper Brochmand
Jesper Rasmussen Brochmand (5 August 1585 - 19 April 1652) was a Danish Lutheran clergyman, theologian and professor who served as Bishop of the Diocese of Zealand from 1638 until his death.
Brochmand was a key founder of the dogmatic system tha ...
, gained a strong foothold in the Faroe Islands, and lasted longer there than in the rest of the Kingdom of Denmark. Brochmand's devotional book, dating back to about 1650 and Thomas Kingo
Thomas Hansen Kingo (15 December 1634 – 14 October 1703 Odense) was a Danish bishop, poet and hymn-writer born at Slangerup, near Copenhagen. His work marked the high point of Danish baroque poetry.
His father was a weaver of modest means ...
's hymns from 1699 constituted a significant proportion of the spiritual life of the islands right up until the twentieth century. Indeed, the expression ''Brochmandslestur'' is still used to describe long and, as some might perceive them, boring texts and speeches.
Nationalist revival
Faroese clergymen played a major part in the National awakening and language conflict, which was a conflict within Faroese society rather than with the Danish.
When the Danish trade monopoly was lifted in 1856, Faroese society started to boom both economically and culturally. The restoration of long-suppressed Faroese culture also led to changes in Christianity on the islands. After great contention, Faroese was given the same status as Danish in hymns and preaching in 1924–25. The ecclesiastical rituals (christening, burial, marriage etc.) were introduced in Faroese in 1930, and in 1961, the authorised Faroese edition of the Bible was published. During the first half of the 20th century, dean Jákup Dahl
Jákup Dahl (English and German ''Jacob Dahl'') (5 June 1878 – 5 June 1944) was a Faroese Provost and Bible translator. In 1908 he became known as a linguist with the first Faroese grammar lessons for school students.
Life and work
Dahl w ...
had translated the New Testament from Greek, and published it in 1937. Dahl also translated the psalms from the Old Testament, and after his death in 1944, a vicar named Kristian Osvald Viderø
Kristian Osvald Viderø (27 May 1906, in Skálavík – 8 April 1991, in Copenhagen) was a Faroese clergyman, poet and Bible translator. In 1985 he won the Faroese Literature Prize for his works.
Biography
After theological studies in Denmark, ...
continued to translate the rest of the Bible from Hebrew. In 1963, the first Faroese hymn book was published, and in the same year, the old title of dean was upgraded to deputy bishop. In 1977, the first female vicar was ordained, and in 1990, the Faroe Islands became an independent diocese with its own bishop within the Church of Denmark.
In 2005, the Faroes signed a treaty with Denmark that allowed for the take over of most public institutions, including the Vágar Airport
Vágar Airport ( fo, Vága Floghavn) is the only airport in the Faroe Islands, and is located east of the village of Sørvágur, on the island of Vágar. Due to the Faroe Islands' status as a self-governing territory, the airport is not subje ...
and the People's Church. On 29 July 2007, on the date of the national holiday - Ólavsøka
Ólavsøka is the biggest summer festival in the Faroe Islands, and by most Faroese considered as the national holiday of the Faroes along with Flag Day on 25 April. Ólavsøka is celebrated over two days, from the 28th to the 29th of July, th ...
, the Faroese Church became totally independent of the Church of Denmark.
Current leadership
The Bishop (''Biskupur'') of the Faroe Islands is the Right Reverend Jógvan Fríðriksson, who is the church's chief pastor. Born on 19 February 1957, he was ordained in 1985 and worked as a parish priest on the Faroese island of Eysturoy
Eysturoy (pronounced estroimeaning 'East Island') is a region and the second-largest of the Faroe Islands, both in size and population.
Description
Eysturoy is separated by a narrow sound from the main island of Streymoy. Eysturoy is extremely ...
. He was consecrated as bishop in 2007, and is the first bishop of the independent Church of the Faroe Islands, following its independence from the Church of Denmark. The Bishop's seat is at Tórshavn Cathedral.
The Cathedral Dean (''Dómpróstur'') of Tórshavn Cathedral is the Very Reverend Uni Næs. The Dean is the second most senior cleric, deputising for the Bishop in his absence, and sits ''ex officio'' on the Church of the Faroe Islands ministerial council.
There are around twenty-five ordained priests serving the churches and chaplaincies of the Church of the Faroe Islands. Around 60 churches and chapels are grouped into 14 parishes across the country. The Church of the Faroe Islands clergy directory lists 25 parish priests (''Sóknarprestur''), of whom one also serves as hospital chaplain, and one as diocesan exorcist.[
]
Bishops
* 1540-1556, Jens Riber, first Lutheran Bishop of the Faroe Islands
* 1556-1990, Faroe Islands incorporated into the Diocese of Copenhagen
The Diocese of Copenhagen (Danish: ''Københavns Stift'') is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Denmark. The Bishop of Copenhagen is currently Peter Skov-Jakobsen, who replaced Erik Normann Svendsen in 2009. The main cathedral of ...
* 1990-2007, Hans Jacob Joensen, as a diocese of the Church of Denmark
* 2007-''present'', Jógvan Fríðriksson, as an autonomous single-diocese Lutheran church
Notable clergymen
* Lucas Debes (1623-1675), Provost of the Faroes, issued the first book about the archipelago.
* V. U. Hammershaimb (1819-1909), Provost of the Faroes, invented the modern Faroese grammar.
* Fríðrikur Petersen (1858-1917), Provost of the Faroes, poet and politician.
*Jákup Dahl
Jákup Dahl (English and German ''Jacob Dahl'') (5 June 1878 – 5 June 1944) was a Faroese Provost and Bible translator. In 1908 he became known as a linguist with the first Faroese grammar lessons for school students.
Life and work
Dahl w ...
(1878-1944), Provost of the Faroes, Bible translator.
*Kristian Osvald Viderø
Kristian Osvald Viderø (27 May 1906, in Skálavík – 8 April 1991, in Copenhagen) was a Faroese clergyman, poet and Bible translator. In 1985 he won the Faroese Literature Prize for his works.
Biography
After theological studies in Denmark, ...
(1906-1991), theologian, finished Dahl's translation.
See also
Other Nordic national Lutheran churches
* Church of Denmark
The Evangelical-Lutheran Church in Denmark or National Church, sometimes called the Church of Denmark ( da, Folkekirken, literally: "The People's Church" or unofficially da, Den danske folkekirke, literally: "The Danish People's Church"; kl, ...
* Church of Sweden
* Church of Iceland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland ( is, Hin evangelíska lúterska kirkja), also called the National Church ( is, Þjóðkirkjan), is the officially established Christian church in Iceland. The church professes the Lutheran faith an ...
* Church of Norway
The Church of Norway ( nb, Den norske kirke, nn, Den norske kyrkja, se, Norgga girku, sma, Nöörjen gærhkoe) is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church b ...
* Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland ( fi, Suomen evankelis-luterilainen kirkko; sv, Evangelisk-lutherska kyrkan i Finland) is a national church of Finland. It is part of the Lutheran branch of Christianity. The church has a legal positio ...
References
External links
*
Photo-site Faroese Churches
{{DEFAULTSORT:Church of the Faroe Islands
Protestantism in the Faroe Islands
Christian organizations established in 2007
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands ( ), or simply the Faroes ( fo, Føroyar ; da, Færøerne ), are a North Atlantic island group and an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark.
They are located north-northwest of Scotland, and about halfway bet ...
Religious organizations based in the Faroe Islands