A bit about the organization of religion in Norway. Norwegian Lutheranism is controlled by four bishops in Norway, located at Trondheim, Bergen, Stavanger and Christiania (modern day Oslo). These bishops support the Monarchy in Copenhagen and Denmark regarding the strict practice of the ceremony, the distribution of tithes and the content that a pastor is allowed to address in sermons. This has been so since a resolution was signed to this effect in 1605. The goal was to suppress those religious leaders in Norway (as they had been in Denmark) from preaching predestination, the fall of humanity (natural sin), the doctrine of damnation for those not of the religion, the refusal to use wine in communion, the existence of saints and so on. Inherent in this doctrine is that the monarchy is secondary to the church, and that the church should have the right to depose kings who do not adhere to the holy scripture, writings and teachings. There have been many arrests of clerics who refuse to desist from preaching such things in Norwegian churches.
Arvid Hagen, the present-day Bishop of Bergen, is a follower of the party line but a nationalist who has written many pamphlets on the independence of the Norwegian church and the rightful independence of individual church leaders in their communities throughout Norway. His argument is that the religious leaders of Norway should have the freedom to preach as they will, understanding that God will punish those who are wrong and promote those who are correct (a divine right at the level of the cleric, effectively).
Hagen has also written on paganism, explaining that the Christian god has prevailed over other religions because he is not merely an immortal figurehead, but is an esoteric spirit-being that occupies all the planes at the same time, the prime material, the ethereal, the astral and the outer planes. Whereas a demi-god like Asmodeus has a residence, one does not travel to find God: God is everywhere. All other gods exist in the universe as signposts to indicate the wicked and demonstrate the path of evil for those who are chosen by God to be righteous and saved.
Hagen preaches that there is little to learn from older faiths; whatever they once believed, this belief must be replaced by the word of God; the land must be clensed of their presence; their centres of power destroyed; the monsters of the wilderness not feared but overcome and brought down, so that God's light can be made to shine in every hollow, every burrow, every hole.
[I trust this is sufficient, and will give Engelhart some support for his own character's goals and ambitions].
2 comments:
Alexis: Thank you for putting this up. It is quite a bit of trouble and for a rather tangential purpose at that. Might never see use, really.
The part of religion organization... it had the ring of actual history, or did you fashion it all by yourself?
It's a solid hook that I can hang my fur greatcoat from at any time, amply sufficient. Thank you, once again.
It is actual history. The 1605 treaty was signed and continued to have power into the 19th century.
Don't discount it. Famous religious leaders were approachable to people in their own "flock," which definitely applies to Engelhart. You didn't take faith as a principle study (that is usually the path to starting a church), but those points will accumulate anyway.
You might have a reason to ask for financial support for a venture, a favor (like raising a party member) or ultimately come in contact with him through your becoming a powerful figure of your own.
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