Baptisms in Denmark continuing to decline

Church has recorded a 20 percent fall since 1990

Apr 12, 2016

New figures from the Church Ministry have revealed that the number of baptisms in Denmark continues to dwindle.

The figures reveal that 62.6 percent of all new-borns in Denmark were christened in 2014 – a 1.3 percent drop from the year before and a considerable decline since 1990, when 80.6 percent were baptised.

“There are three things in particular that have impacted on the baptism numbers,” Astrid Trolle, a religion sociologist at the University of Copenhagen, told DR Nyheder.

“Individualisation, secularisation and religious diversity – these three tendencies are occurring simultaneously.”

A child’s choice
Trolle contended that Denmark has become a nation that contains more ethnicities and religions outside of Christianity, and this has had a negative effect on baptism percentages.

Research has also showed that younger people are less likely to feel connected to the Danish Church and its rituals. More and more children are making their own decisions now.

“Many parents refuse to make a choice regarding religion for their children,” said Trolle.

“Most of the parents that I spoke to, in connection with the survey produced by theologian Karen Marie Leth-Nissen and myself, said the child’s right to choose was most important.”

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Baptisms in Denmark continuing to decline

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