Ancient Nordic beliefs
The pre-Christian beliefs of the Scandinavians can be described by the term paganism, which refers to polytheistic religions as much as to the fact of not believing in a God. Beware, however, as this term is often used with a pejorative connotation, as Christian literature has coined the term to designate those who oppose Christianity. Scandinavian beliefs included many myths, recounted in the Eddas, two13th-century manuscripts that deal with mythology, cosmogony, metre and art, all in poetic form. Like Indo-European mythologies and religions (see the work of Georges Dumézil), these ancient narratives are organized according to three functions: legal-magical-sacerdotal (Odin), warlike (Thor) and reproductive (Vanes). Scandinavian mythology is beautiful, rich and complex, and it would be pointless to summarize it in just a few lines. For example, you can read the sagas of Icelandic poet, politician, historian and diplomat Snorri Sturluson. And if you'd like to get to grips with these Viking gods in a more playful way, don't hesitate to (re)immerse yourself in Jean van Hamme and Grzegorz Rosiński's Thorgal comics!
Arrival of Christianity
The Christian religion arrived gradually from the 10th century onwards with German and English missionaries. Håkon I, raised and baptized at the English court and3rd King of Norway, tried to impose Christianity around 950. His attempt met with some success on the west coast, where trade links with England already existed. However, in the central provinces of Trøndelag, the most densely populated at the time, he encountered such violent opposition that he had to give up all hope of conversion. It was not until around 995 that pagan resistance in the fiefdom of Trøndelag was broken by another Christian king, Olav Tryggvasson. But he reigned for only a few years (995-1000): he died at the battle of Svolder, against the Danish and Swedish kings. Norwegian paganism then enjoyed a brief respite before coming to an end fifteen years later, when King Olav II Haraldsson launched a new wave of evangelization, relying on the sword rather than the word. Resistance was fiercest in Trøndelag, where the Bønder (landowners) rose up in an uprising. In 1030, King Olav II was killed in the battle of Stiklestad against the Bønder. Despite the defeat of this Christian king, the Battle of Stiklestad marked the end of paganism in Norway. The last bastions of resistance fell within a few years. Pilgrims flocked from all over Europe, crossing the mountain plateaus of Dovrefjell to Nidaros Cathedral (Trondheim), erected to the glory of Olav II the Saint.
Effect of Christianity on Paganism
Christianization had far-reaching consequences for the country. The traditional social order, based on the family and the clan, gradually disappeared, replaced by a strong, centralized power whose two main institutions were royalty and the Church. The gods of the old religion were soon equated with demons and regarded as diabolical spirits. Christianity brought with it a different conception of the world and a new idea of man, since sin and grace were previously unknown concepts to the Scandinavians. The Christian doctrine of women's submission to men was also new.
The place of religion today
Religion is increasingly perceived as a personal, even private matter. That said, the Lutheran Church is still in the majority, even if its monopoly is being challenged: Catholics and Orthodox represent around 9% of the population, and Islam has recently become the country's second-largest religion. The majority of Muslims are first- or second-generation immigrants from the following countries, among others: Pakistan, Iraq, Somalia, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran, Turkey, Kosovo, Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Numerous other minority religions are also present (Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism, etc.), not to mention all those who do not declare themselves to be of any religion. Right-wing anti-immigration and extreme right-wing populist movements are very real in Norway, as evidenced by the attack on a mosque in 2019 and the Utøya tragedy in 2011. And the issue of religion in education remains a sensitive one.
Places of worship in Norway
The oldest places of worship to be found in Norway are Christian churches, since before Christianity, if the Scandinavian peoples had sacred places, they had no need for priests, dogma or places of worship. With Christianity came churches. Stavkirke, or " standing wood churches", are still one of the country's most distinctive features, dating back to the 12th and 13thcenturies and built entirely of wood! All the timbers are laid vertically, hence the name. The date of their construction, towards the end of the glorious Viking epic, makes them look more like pagan temples, with their multiple roofs bristling with the same dragon heads as those on the prows of Viking ships. Coated with tar for preservation and featuring no windows, these small, dark churches exude a slightly eerie air. Most of them were destroyed in the 19th century (mostly by fire), and Norway now has just 28. There are also many newer churches, also made of wood and often painted red, yellow or white. In the cities, there are stone churches, the finest of which is Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim. Norway's other religions also have their places of worship. Norway's first mosque, for example, was opened in 1974 in the Islamic Cultural Center in Oslo.
Beliefs of the Sami people
The Sami believe in the independent existence of the soul, as well as in the forces of nature, both good and evil, such as thunder, wind, sun and moon. Sacrificial rites used to be performed in the open air, the place of worship being a mountain or a mound of stones of a particular shape. These sacred places, atop which an idol stood, were called seite. Intermediate shamans were called noiades. The bear was considered a half-human, half-divine creature. His cult, characteristic of pre-Christian Lapland religion, occupied a privileged place in this mythology. Since the bear was the most prestigious product of a hunt that involved great danger, a hunting expedition required a highly complex ritual and the presence of a noiade. Once the bear had been killed, it was thanked in song for allowing itself to be captured, and its soul was invoked so that it would not take revenge. The bear's flesh was prepared and divided among those present at a solemn banquet, while the skin and bones were ritually buried. The drum was the most important accessory of the noiades. The popular Saami song is the joik. The rhythm of the drum accompanied by the song of the joik gave the noiade access to ecstasy, enabling their soul to separate from their body and travel through the cosmos. Colonization, the desire to appropriate their lands and forced Christianization obviously had dramatic consequences: they were forbidden to practice their religion, their language and the joik, and their drums were burnt... Today, the Saami people are largely Christianized. Norway has ratified Convention 169 on the Rights of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples, and recognizes this people whose culture is enjoying a revival and renewed interest, thanks in particular to tourism, arts and crafts.
