Religion And State In Denmark Exception Among Exceptions

Abstract

A strong relationship remains between the Danish state and the Evangelical Lutheran Church (the Folkekirke) in Denmark. This is surprising, because the relationship between church and state is undergoing changes in the other Nordic countries. Drawing on legal texts, media and parliamentary debates, and material on administrative practices in the management of religious diversity, this article will argue that few actual changes have in fact taken place in the formal framework religion and state in the period 1988–2008. The article presents the state of affairs in relations between religion and state in Denmark in 2011 as characterised by two fundamental principles; the unequal treatment of different religions and the lack of autonomy of the Folkekirke. Focusing on cases from the last decade it is argued that changes of attitude within the Folkekirke, as well as in general public and political debates on religion, may be transforming the framework for religion-state relations in Denmark