RELIGION IN ICELAND
Freedom of religion is guaranteed in Iceland by the Constitution. There is a State church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church, to which about 83% of the population belongs. Other denominations: Evangelical Lutheran Free churches (4.7%), Roman Catholic Church (2,4%), Pentecostal and Charismatic Congregations (1.0%) and others (5.5%). Non-affiliated amount to 2.6% of the population.
Millennium of the Conversion to Christianity in 2000
The conversion of Iceland to Christianity was a unique event. A whole society abandoned its ancient heathen belief and peacefully adopted the Christian faith. This happened at the opening session of Althing, the parliament, at Thingvellir in the year 1000, when the nation faced bitter divisions. The Speaker, Thorgeir of Ljósavatn, himself a heathen, addressed Althingi and spoke the classic words: "If the law torn asunder, so will the peace". He declared that all Icelanders should be baptized into Christianity. This decision is considered to be the most important ever taken at Althingi since its establishment in 930 AD.
Church activity in Iceland
Congregational activity in the capital is not strong and church attendance is low. This observation would indicate important characteristics of the religious situation in Iceland. On the one hand that the National Church has been slow in adapting to urban life in Iceland, and on the other hand modern Icelanders are deeply conscious of their history and national identity.
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