Christian III reigned as King of Denmark from 1534 and King of Norway from 1537 until his death in 1559. During his reign, Christian formed close ties between the church and the crown. He established Lutheranism as the state religion within his realms as part of the Protestant Reformation, and was the first King of Denmark-Norway.
Bernhard Severin Ingemann was a Danish novelist and poet.
Hans Adolph Brorson was a Danish pietist clergyman, hymn write and translator of German language hymns. He served as Bishop of the Diocese of Ribe.
Eg veit i himmerik ei borg is a Norwegian folk song, coming from Hallingdal. The text is German, from before 1600. The text was translated into Norwegian by Bernt Støylen in 1905.
The Ausbund is the oldest Anabaptist hymnal and one of the oldest Christian song books in continuous use. It is used today by North American Amish congregations.
Gerhard Schøning was a Norwegian historian. His Reise som giennem en Deel af Norge i de Aar 1773, 1774, 1775 paa Hans Majestets Kongens Bekostning documenting travel through Trondheim, Gudbrandsdal and Hedmark, Norway in 1773–1775 has been recognized as both a historical reference and as a "minor travel classic."
Swenske songer eller wisor nw på nytt prentade / forökade / och under en annan skick än tilförenna utsatte, often abbreviated as just Swenske songer eller wisor 1536, is the first preserved hymnal published in the Swedish language and was released in 1536. It consists of 47 songs or hymns, all of which have been issued anonymously. Olaus Petri, a major contributor to the Protestant Reformation in Sweden, is however believed to have authored most of them, with contributions from Ericus Olai and Laurentius Petri. A large amount are translations of Latin and German hymns.
Christianity is a prevalent religion in Denmark; in January 2020, 74.3% of the population of Denmark were members of the Church of Denmark. According to a survey based on a sample 1,114, 25% of Danes believe Jesus is the son of God, and 18% believe he is the saviour of the world. Aside from Lutheranism, there is a small Catholic minority, as well as small Protestant denominations such as the Baptist Union of Denmark and the Reformed Synod of Denmark.
The First Lutheran hymnal, published in 1524 as Etlich Cristlich lider / Lobgesang und Psalm, often also often referred to as the Achtliederbuch, was the first Lutheran hymnal.
Nikolaus Herman was a German Lutheran cantor and teacher, creating numerous Protestant hymns. Some of them are contained in hymnals in several languages.
Peder Palladius (1503–1560) was a Danish theologian, Protestant reformer, and bishop of Zealand. As the first protestant bishop in Denmark, he oversaw the conversion of ecclesiastic affairs. He helped create the church ordinance which founded the Church of Denmark, produced a Danish translation of the Bible, and removed Catholic images and rituals from his diocese.
Gustav Margerth Jensen was a Norwegian priest, hymnologist, hymnwriter, seminary instructor, and liturgist. He is best known for his liturgy revision and hymnal publication.
Landstads kirkesalmebog, often simply known as Landstads salmebok, was the most important hymnal for the Church of Norway from 1870 to 1926.
Kingo's hymnal, originally titled Dend Forordnede Ny Kirke-Psalme-Bog, is a hymnal that was approved by royal decree for use in all churches in Denmark–Norway in 1699. The hymnal contains 86 hymns by the bishop of Odense, Thomas Kingo. It also bears Kingo's name on the title page because the selection was made based on a hymnal that Kingo had edited ten years earlier.
Guldberg's hymnal is a hymnal that was created by Bishop Ludvig Harboe and Ove Høegh-Guldberg and was authorized for use in 1778.
Birgitte Cathrine Boye was a Danish hymnwriter.
Hans Anker Jørgensen is a Danish priest and hymn writer.
"Herr Jesu Christ, dich zu uns wend" is a Lutheran hymn from the 17th century. Its hymn tune, Zahn No. 624, was adopted in several compositions. It was translated into English and is part of modern hymnals, both Protestant and Catholic.
The Strong Believers is a theologically conservative Norwegian Christian movement, with roots in the Lutheran Church of Norway, in opposition to the Haugean movement. They split from the Church of Norway in 1890.
