The Church of Norway is an evangelical Lutheran denomination of Protestant Christianity and by far the largest Christian church in Norway. The church became the state church of Norway around 1020, and was established as a separate church intimately integrated with the state as a result of the Lutheran reformation in Denmark–Norway which broke ties with the Holy See in 1536–1537; the King of Norway was the church's head from 1537 to 2012. Historically the church was one of the main instruments of royal power and official authority, and an important part of the state administration; local government was based on the church's parishes with significant official responsibility held by the parish priest.
Eivind Josef Berggrav was a Norwegian Lutheran bishop. As primate of the Church of Norway, Berggrav became known for his unyielding resistance against the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II. Berggrav also became an important figure in 20th-century ecumenical movement and served as president of the United Bible Societies.
The Diocese of Stavanger is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers all of Rogaland county in western Norway. The cathedral city is Stavanger, where the Stavanger Cathedral is located. The bishop is Anne Lise Ådnøy, who has held the post since 2019.
Ernst Oddvar Baasland was the Bishop of the Diocese of Stavanger in the Church of Norway from 1998 to 2009. He resigned from his position on 15 June 2009, following the Baasland case involving his son Bjarte Baasland.
Solveig Margrete Fiske is a theologian and bishop emerita in the Church of Norway, serving as the bishop of Hamar between 2006 and 2022, when she retired.
Olav Fykse Tveit is a Norwegian Lutheran theologian and bishop, and the current Preses of the Bishops' Conference of the Church of Norway. He was elected to the post of general secretary of the World Council of Churches on 27 August 2009. He entered office on 1 January 2010, for a proposed term of five years, and was re-elected to a second term in July 2014. He resigned from the post in March 2020, having been elected Preses of the Bishops' Conference of the Church of Norway.
Christianity is the largest religion in Norway and Norway has historically been called a Christian country. A majority of the population are members of the Church of Norway with 64.9% of the population officially belonging to the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway in 2021. At numerous times in history, Norway sent more missionaries per capita than any other country. This changed considerably from the 1960s. In 2004, only 12% of the population attended church services each month. The Church of Norway receives a fixed sum from the Government not based on membership numbers. Other religious organisations receive approximately the same amount per member.
Kristen Kyrre Bremer was a Norwegian theologian and bishop in the Church of Norway.
Tord Godal was a Norwegian theologian and bishop for the Diocese of Nidaros. He was decorated Commander of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olav in 1969. Godal was also a Freemason.
Jens Gran Gleditsch (1860–1931) was a Norwegian bishop and theologian. He was a brother of Kristen Gran Gleditsch.
Bernt Ivar Eidsvig, known 1991-2005 as Markus Bernt Eidsvig, is a Norwegian prelate of the Catholic Church. He has been the Bishop of Oslo since 2005 and the Apostolic Administrator of the Roman Catholic Territorial Prelature of Trondheim from 2009 until 2019.
Knud Gislesen was a Norwegian teacher, clergyman and author. He served as Bishop of the Tromsø from 1856 until his death in 1860.
Henrik Greve Hille was a Norwegian clergyman. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Hamar from 1934 to 1942 and again from 1945 until 1946.
Ole Danbolt Hagesæther is a Norwegian theologian with the Church of Norway. He was born on 3 October 1941 in Bergen, Norway, and he served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Bjørgvin from 1994 until his retirement in 2008. Hagesæther is the son of theologian Olav Hagesæther.
Halvor Bergan was a Norwegian theologian and priest. He served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Agder from 1983 until his retirement in 1998.
Erling Johan Pettersen is a Norwegian theologian, priest, and since 2016, a Bishop Emeritus of the Church of Norway. Pettersen served as the Bishop of the Diocese of Stavanger in Stavanger, Norway from 2009 until his retirement in 2016.
Jacob Christian Petersen or J.C. Petersen was a Norwegian theologian and priest. He served as the first Bishop of the (modern-day) Diocese of Stavanger from its re-establishment in 1925 until his retirement in 1940.
Gabriel Skagestad was a Norwegian theologian and priest. He served as a bishop of the Diocese of Stavanger from 1940 until 1949. Skagestad was a key figure in the resistance movement of the church during the German occupation of Norway.
Frederik Julius Bech was a Danish-Norwegian theologian and politician. He took part in the Meeting of Notables in Eidsvoll on February 16, 1814, and he served as the bishop of the Diocese of Oslo from 1805 to 1822. As the head of the Church of Norway, he crowned Charles III John of Norway at Nidaros Cathedral in 1818.
Olav Valen-Sendstad was a Norwegian theologian, priest, and philosopher.
