Missional Folk Church?

Swedish  Missiological  Themes,  100,  1  (2012) Missional  Folk  Church? A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s  Understanding of  the  Danish  Fo...
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Swedish  Missiological  Themes,  100,  1  (2012)

Missional  Folk  Church? A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s  Understanding of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church1 Jeppe  Bach  Nikolajsen Abstract:   Missiologists   have   often   stated   that   the   church   lost   sight   of   mission   in   the   era   of   Christendom.   In   response,   Hans   Raun   Iversen   has   proposed  that  the  Danish  folk  church,  which  grew  out  of  medieval  Danish   Christendom,  should  be  understood  as  a  missional  church.  In  this  article,  I   present  and  discuss  Iversen’s  proposal  and  suggest  some  aspects  that  might   be  developed  further. Key  words:  Hans  Raun  Iversen  –  Christendom  –  mission  –  ecclesiology  –   folk  church  –  missional  church

1.  Introduction:  The  Collapse  of  Christendom During  the  past  three  centuries,  the  church  has  gradually  lost  its  central  and   LQÀXHQWLDOUROHLQ:HVWHUQVRFLHW\GXHWRVLJQL¿FDQWFXOWXUDODQGUHOLJLRXV changes  in  the  Western  world.  Therefore,  an  increasing  number  of  theo-­ logians  believe  that  the  Western  world  has  moved  from,  or  is  in  transition   from,  an  era  of  Christendom  to  an  era  of  post-­Christendom. In  the  old  Christendom,  church  and  society  fused  together  as  a  single  cultural,   political  and  religious  entity.2  Accordingly,  the  state  was  often  viewed  as   the  protector  of  the  church.  A  clear  expression  of  this  can  be  seen  during   the  Reformation  in  the  German  regions  where  the  German  princes,  who  

,SUHVHQWHGWKH¿UVWRIWZRWULDOOHFWXUHVIRUWKHSXEOLFGHIHQVHRIDGRFWRUDOGHJUHHDWWKH 0)1RUZHJLDQ6FKRRORI7KHRORJ\LQ2VORRQWKHDVVLJQHGWRSLFµ0LVVLRQDO)RON&KXUFK" A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s  Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Mis-­ sional  Church’  on  10  December  2010.  This  article  is  an  edited  version  of  this  paper.  The   ¿UVWVHFWLRQRIWKLVDUWLFOHEXLOGVRQWKH¿UVWFKDSWHURIP\GLVVHUWDWLRQDQGVRPHLGHQWLFDO formulations  may  be  found  here.  See  Jeppe  B.  Nikolajsen,  5HGH¿QLQJWKH,GHQWLW\RIWKH Church:  A  Constructive  Study  of  the  Post-­Christendom  Theologies  of  Lesslie  Newbigin  and   John  Howard  Yoder  (MF  Norwegian  School  of  Theology,  Oslo,  2010). 2  Judith  Herrin,  The  Formation  of  Christendom  (London:  Fontana  Press,  1989),  4. 1

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in  many  cases  were  also  bishops,  protected  the  German  national  church.3   Hence,  Swedish  theologian  Arne  Rasmusson  refers  to  the  medieval  Christian   world  as  the  paradigmatic  example  of  Christendom.4  However,  the  concept   of  Christendom  not  only  refers  to  the  medieval  Christian  world,  but  also   µUHIHUVWRODWHUIRUPVRISROLWLFDOO\DQGFXOWXUDOO\HVWDEOLVKHG&KULVWLDQLW\¶5 6LQFH WKH (QOLJKWHQPHQW WKH :HVWHUQ ZRUOG KDV XQGHUJRQH VLJQL¿FDQW cultural   and   religious   changes   and,   therefore,   an   increasing   number   of   theologians  assert  that  Christianity  is  no  longer  the  ideological  foundation   for  contemporary  Western  society.  Thus,  English  theologian  Stuart  Murray   GH¿QHV WKH WHUP post-­Christendom DV IROORZV µ3RVW&KULVWHQGRP LV WKH culture  that  emerges  as  the  Christian  faith  loses  coherence  within  a  society   WKDWKDVEHHQGH¿QLWLYHO\VKDSHGE\WKH&KULVWLDQVWRU\DQGDVWKHLQVWLWX-­ tions  that  have  been  developed  to  express  Christian  convictions  decline  in   LQÀXHQFH¶6  Therefore,  when  theologians  refer  to  Western  culture’s  transition   from  Christendom  to  post-­Christendom,  they  mean  that  the  larger  societal   institutions,  the  most  important  cultural,  political  and  educational  institu-­ tions,  no  longer  have  a  Christian  foundation.  Thus,  the  formerly  homoge-­ neous  West  is  now  a  highly  diverse  society  and  the  formerly  Christian  West   is  today  to  a  large  extent  multi-­religious. This  development  in  the  relationship  between  church  and  society  applies  to   many  Western  countries,  even  though  the  transition  from  Christendom  to   post-­Christendom  has  developed  differently  in  various  geographical  areas   in  the  Western  world.7  A  clear  example  of  Christendom  can  also  be  found   during  the  Reformation  in  my  own  country,  Denmark,  when  Lutheranism   became  the  state  religion.  In  1536,  the  Danish  king  took  over  the  bishops’   property  and  became  the  supreme  guarantor  of  the  Evangelical  Lutheran    Leif  Grane,  Evangeliet  for  folket.  Drøm  og  virkelighed  i  Martin  Luthers  liv  (Copenhagen:   Gad,  1983),  91. 4 $UQH 5DVPXVVRQ µ&KULVWHQGRP¶ LQ Cambridge   Dictionary   of   Christian   Theology,   ed.   David  Fergusson,  Karen  Kilby,  Iain  Torrance  and  Ian  A.  McFarland  (Cambridge:  Cambridge   University  Press,  2011),  97. 5 5DVPXVVRQµ&KULVWHQGRP¶ 6  Stuart  Murray,  Post-­Christendom:  Church  and  Mission  in  a  Strange  New  World  (Carlisle:   Paternoster,  2004),  19. 7  0DQ\ KHOSIXO DQG FODULI\LQJ FRQWULEXWLRQV WR WKLV VSHFL¿F GHEDWH KDYH EHHQ SUHVHQWHG +RZHYHULQP\PLQGFXUUHQWUHVHDUFKVWLOOODFNVTXDOL¿FDWLRQRIFHQWUDOFRQFHSWVPRUH KLVWRULFDO UHVHDUFK DQG FODUL¿FDWLRQ RI YDULRXV V\VWHPDWLF WKHRORJLFDO SRVLWLRQV ,W ZRXOG also   be   helpful   to   clarify   how   the   transition   from   Christendom   to   post-­Christendom   has   developed   differently   in   various   geographical   areas   in   the   Western   world;;   some   articles   with  reference  to  Ireland,  England,  the  Netherlands,  Germany  and  France  have,  however,   been  presented.  See  The  Decline  of  Christendom  in  Western  Europe,  1750-­2000,  ed.  Hugh   McLeod  and  Werner  Ustorf  (Cambridge:  Cambridge  University  Press,  2003). 3

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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Church  of  Denmark.  Until  1849,  all  citizens  in  Denmark  were  obliged  to   be  members  of  the  Lutheran  Church  of  Denmark  and  they  were  forced  to   be  baptized  and  to  attend  services.8 In  many  ways,  the  close  relationship  between  church  and  state  still  exists   in  Denmark.  Today,  the  Danish  king  or  queen  is  considered  the  head  of  the   Danish  folk  church  according  to  Danish  law  and,  consequently,  the  regent   authorizes  the  liturgy,  rituals,  Bible  translation  and  hymnals  of  the  church.9   Also,  Danish  politicians  to  a  great  extent  impact  the  policies  of  the  church;;   in  fact,  the  Danish  folk  church  does  not  have  a  General  Synod  and  therefore   the  Danish  Parliament,  which  includes  Muslims,  Atheists  and  Agnostics,   essentially  functions  as  the  General  Synod  of  the  Danish  folk  church. I  believe  it  is  accurate  to  say  that  the  current  situation  in  Denmark  is  that   Danish  society  can  be  regarded  as  a  post-­Christendom  society,  whereas  the   Danish  folk  church  to  a  large  extent  can  be  considered  reminiscent  of  the   old  Christendom.  This  creates  strong  tensions  within  the  church.  On  the  one   hand,  some  argue  that  Denmark  is  still  a  Christian  country  and  the  Danish   IRON FKXUFK WKHUHIRUH ¿WV SHUIHFWO\ ZLWKLQ 'HQPDUN 2Q WKH RWKHU KDQG others  argue  that  we  cannot  act  as  though  nothing  has  happened  since  the   foundation  of  the  folk  church  in  1849;;  Denmark  is  increasingly  multi-­cultural   and  multi-­religious  and,  consequently,  the  Danish  folk  church  must  loosen   LWVWLHWRWKHVWDWHDQG¿QGDQHZUROHLQ'DQLVKVRFLHW\10 In  this  article,  I  want  to  present  and  discuss  an  interpretation  of  the  Danish   folk  church  as  a  missional  church,  as  proposed  by  the  Danish  theologian   Hans   Raun   Iversen.   Missiologists   have   often   stated   that   the   church   lost   sight  of  mission  in  the  era  of  Christendom.  For  example,  Wilbert  R.  Shenk   KDV VDLG µ&KULVWHQGRP LV &KULVWLDQLW\ ZLWKRXW PLVVLRQ¶11   Now,   Iversen   proposes  that  the  Danish  folk  church,  which  grew  out  of  medieval  Danish   Christendom,  must  be  understood  as  a  missional  church.  In  this  article,  we   shall  see  if  Iversen  succeeds  in  this.  Martin  Schwarz  Lausten,  Danmarks  kirkehistorie  (Copenhagen:  Gyldendal,  2004),  175,   239.  However,  in  the  1680s,  the  few  Jews,  Baptists  and  Reformed  Christians  in  the  country   were  allowed  not  to  have  their  infants  baptized. 9 .DUVWHQ1LVVHQµ0LVVLRQDONLUNH(QNLUNHVHQGWWLOGHWGDQVNHIRON¶Dansk  Tidsskrift  for   Teologi  og  Kirke  36.1  (2009),  98. 10 ,KDYHDUJXHGIRUWKHODWWHUSRVLWLRQ6HHIRUH[DPSOHP\IHDWXUHµ.LUNHQVNDO¿QGHVLQ rolle  i  et  pluralistisk  samfund,’  Christian  Daily  -XQHDQGP\DUWLFOHµ'HQOXWKHUVNH ekklesiologi  og  det  multikulturelle  samfund,’  Dansk  Tidsskrift  for  Teologi  og  Kirke  38.3   (2011). 11 6HH'DUUHOO/*XGHUµ:DONLQJ:RUWKLO\0LVVLRQDO/HDGHUVKLSDIWHU&KULVWHQGRP¶The   Princeton  Seminary  Bulletin  28.3  (2007),  252. 8

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2.  Presentation:  Missional  Folk  Church 2.1  Hans  Raun  Iversen Let  me  begin  by  giving  a  brief  introduction  to  Hans  Raun  Iversen.  For  two   years   prior   to   graduating   from  Aarhus   University   in   1976,   Iversen   was   employed  as  research  fellow  at  the  Faculty  of  Theology.  He  was  research   fellow  at  the  faculty  from  1974  to  1982,  spending  two  years  in  the  Northern   part   of   Tanzania   during   that   period.12   In   1982,   he   became   employed   as   an   associate   professor   at   the   Faculty   of   Theology   at   the   University   of   Copenhagen,  a  position  he  still  holds  today. Iversen  is  a  highly  productive  theologian  and  he  often  appears  in  the  media   in  Denmark.13  While  he  has  been  the  primary  author  of  comparatively  few   ERRNVKHKDVZULWWHQQXPHURXVDUWLFOHVDQGLVDSUROL¿FHGLWRU+LVZULWLQJV consist   mainly   of   three   genres:   historical,   sociological   and   systematic   WKHRORJLFDOUHÀHFWLRQV7KHKLVWRULFDODQGVRFLRORJLFDODQDO\VHVFRQVWLWXWHWKH PDMRULW\RIKLVZULWLQJVFRPSDUHGWRWKHV\VWHPDWLFWKHRORJLFDOUHÀHFWLRQV14 (YHQWKRXJK,YHUVHQLVDPDQRIPDQ\FOHDUFRQYLFWLRQVLWLVRIWHQGLI¿FXOW to   discover   his   own   position.   For   example,   his   surveys   of   the   historical   background  of  the  Danish  folk  church’s  liturgy  of  baptism  or  the  Eucharist   often  do  not  clearly  demonstrate  what  he  thinks  we  ought  to  believe  about   the  topic.15  Typically,  he  only  provides  a  general  Danish  opinion  about  a   topic  that  relates  to  Christian  faith  or  the  Danish  folk  church,  without  giving  

 Iversen  was  in  Tanzania  in  1977  and  1978.  Later,  he  published  a  book  about  his  experiences   in   Tanzania.   See   Hans   Raun   Iversen,   Tanzania   tur/retur.   Syv   tekster   om   socialisme   og   mission  (Aarhus:  FK-­tryk,  1981). 13   Iversen   kindly   forwarded   me   a   long   list   of   his   publications   which   shows   that   he   had   produced  around  450  publications  from  1971  until  2010.  Moreover,  he  might  be  the  most   quoted  Danish  theologian  of  the  past  decade. 14  In  the  massive  primer,  Praktisk  teologi,  which  he  wrote  together  with  another  Danish   theologian,  Eberhard  Harbsmeier,  the  proportion  between  historical,  sociological  and   theological  analyses  is,  however,  more  evenly  represented.  See  Eberhard  Harbsmeier  and   Hans  Raun  Iversen,  Praktisk  teologi  (Frederiksberg:  Anis,  1995). 15  6HH +DQV 5DXQ ,YHUVHQ µ)RONHNLUNHQV QDGYHUSUDNVLV KLVWRULVN EHO\VW¶ LQ Nadver   og   folkekirke HG .LUVWHQ %XVFK 1LHOVHQ )UHGHULNVEHUJ $QLV   DQG µ'nEVSUDNVLV RJ GnEVULWXDOLIRONHNLUNHQLGDJ¶LQDåb  og  medlemskab  i  folkekirken,  ed.  Hans  Raun  Iversen   (Frederiksberg:  Anis,  2000). 12

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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clear  account  of  what  he  himself  believes.16  Another  fact  which  makes  it   GLI¿FXOWWRSUHVHQWDV\VWHPDWLFDQDO\VLVRIKLVZULWLQJVLVWKDWKHHQJDJHV so  many  different  topics.  Besides  the  fact  that  he  often  repeats  himself  in   various  articles,  his  writings  are  not  clearly  interconnected  and  they  do  not   give  account  of  a  clear  theological  project  as  such. However,  in  this  article,  I  wish  to  demonstrate  how  I  believe  Iversen  works   with  and  attempts  to  integrate  two  ecclesiological  models  which  are  often   UHJDUGHGDVYHU\GLIIHUHQW7KH¿UVWHFFOHVLRORJLFDOPRGHOLVZKDW,FDOOD Folk  Church  Ecclesiology,  whereas  the  other  ecclesiological  model  can  be   designated  as  a  Missional  Church  Ecclesiology.17  We  shall  now  see  how   these  two  ecclesiologies  are  present  in  the  writings  of  Iversen.18 2.2  Folk  Church  Ecclesiology My  brief  exposition  of  Iversen’s  perception  of  the  Danish  folk  church  will   EHSUHVHQWHGLQWHUPVRIWHUPLQRORJLFDOKLVWRULFDODQGVRFLRORJLFDOUHÀHF-­ WLRQVDQG¿QDOO\ZHZLOOEULHÀ\ORRNDWKLVUHVSRQVHWRWKHFXUUHQWVWDWHRI the  folk  church. Terminologically,   it   is   important   to   notice   an   ambiguity   of   the   concept   µIRON FKXUFK¶ LQ ,YHUVHQ¶V ZULWLQJV 0DLQO\ WZR GLIIHUHQW XQGHUVWDQGLQJV RIWKHFRQFHSWµIRONFKXUFK¶XQGHUOLHKLVXQGHUVWDQGLQJRIWKH'DQLVKIRON church.  First,  according  to  Iversen,  the  Danish  folk  church  is  a  folk  church   in  the  sense  that  the  folk  church  is  a  church  of  the  Danish  people,  that  is,  he   views  the  folk  church  and  the  Danish  people  as  largely  equivalent.  Second,   inspired   by   the   Danish   theologian   N.   F.   S.   Grundtvig,   Iversen   proposes   another  understanding  of  the  folk  church  concept,  namely  that  the  Danish   6HHIRUH[DPSOH+DQV5DXQ,YHUVHQµ) QRPHQHWGHQGDQVNHIRONHNLUNH¶LQGør  danerne   kristne,  ed.  Søren  Roulund-­Nørgaard  (Lemvig:  Forlaget  salt,  1992),  84-­87. 17  Norwegian  theologian  Harald  Hegstad  operates  with  two  similar  ecclesiological  models   in   his   article,   µ0LVMRQHUHQGH IRONHNLUNH 6HOYPRWVLJHOVH HOOHU PXOLJKHW"¶ Norwegian   Journal  of  Missiology  58.4  (2004). 18   For   the   purposes   of   this   article,   three   of   Iversen’s   articles   are   of   special   importance,   QDPHO\µ)RON&KXUFKDV0LVVLRQWR&XOWXUH&KULVWLDQV¶Swedish  Missiological  Themes  85.3-­   µ.XOWXUNULVWQHNLUNHNULVWQHRJNDULVPDWLVNHNULVWQH¶Fønix    DQGµ+RZ Can  a  Folk  Church  be  Missional  Church?,’  in  Mission  to  the  World:  Communicating  the   Gospel  in  the  21st  Century:  Essays  in  Honour  of  Knud  Jørgensen,  ed.  Tormod  Engelsviken   et.  al.  (Oxford:  Regnum,  2008).  I  will,  however,  also  draw  on  his  other  publications  and  will   not  only  make  use  of  his  strictly  academic  writings,  but  also  refer  to  newspaper  articles,  etc. 16

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folk  church  should  exist  for  the  Danish  people.197KH¿UVWFRQFHSWLVHVVHQWLDO for  what  I  call  a  Folk  Church  Ecclesiology,  whereas  the  second  concept  is   essential  for  a  Missional  Church  Ecclesiology. Iversen  states  that  historically,  from  1539  to  1849,  all  citizens  in  Denmark   were  obliged  to  be  members  of  the  Lutheran  state  church  just  as  they  were   forced   to   be   baptized   and   to   attend   services.   In   1849,   the   state   church   became   a   folk   church   and   the   law   began   enforcing   freedom   of   religion.   However,  most  Danes  remained  members  of  the  church.  The  folk  church   was  supposed  to  have  a  constitution  and  a  General  Synod,  but  they  were   never   formed.   Therefore,   during   the   past   two   centuries,   while   various   constitutional   proposals   have   been   presented,   the   folk   church   still   does   not  have  a  constitution.20  As  a  result,  especially  in  the  past  years,  Iversen   has  argued  that  the  folk  church  should  loosen  its  ties  to  the  state,  adopt  a   constitution  and  establish  a  General  Synod.21 Sociologically,  Iversen  pays  much  attention  to  the  fact  that  around  eighty   percent  of  the  Danish  population  are  members  of  the  Danish  folk  church   even  though  less  than  two  percent  of  the  population  attend  church  services   on  a  given  Sunday.22  Due  to  this  low  church  service  attendance,  Iversen   claims  that  no  country  in  the  world  has  a  weaker  church  service  attendance   than  Denmark.23  This  leads  him  to  designate  the  Danish  folk  church  as  the   weakest  monopoly  church  in  the  world.24  Christianity  in  Denmark  is  church-­   See   Iversen   and   Harbsmeier,   Praktisk   teologi,   61-­63.   However,   here   Iversen   and   +DUEVPHLHUPHQWLRQVHYHUDORWKHUXQGHUVWDQGLQJVRIWKHFRQFHSWRIµIRONFKXUFK¶,WKLQN LW LV IDLU WR VD\ WKDW WKH ¿UVW FRQFHSWLRQ RI WKH IRON FKXUFK LV   particularly   evident   in   his   sociological   analyses,   whereas   the   second   conception   is   evident   in   his   more   systematic   theological  writings. 20  6HH ,YHUVHQ µ)RONHNLUNHRUGQLQJHQV XGYLNOLQJ¶ LQ Kirkens   mund   og   Mæle,   ed.   Margrete   Auken   et.   al.   (Copenhagen:   Selskab   for   kirkeret,   1992),   174-­177.   See   also   Iversen   and   Harbsmeier,  Praktisk  teologi,  31-­46. 21 6HHIRUH[DPSOH+DQV5DXQ,YHUVHQµ(WGHPRNUDWLVNVDPIXQGWDOHUIRUHQGHPRNUDWLVN kirke,’  in  Christian  Daily  2FWREHU6HHDOVR+DQV5DXQ,YHUVHQµ/XWKHUGRPPHQ I OGHUVWDWVNLUNHQL'DQPDUN¶LQChristian  Daily  22  June  2011. 22  Here  I  refer  to  the  most  recent  statistics,  but  these  percentages  have  of  course  changed   over  the  past  decades. 23 ,YHUVHQµ)RONHNLUNHRUGQLQJHQVXGYLNOLQJ¶ 24 +DQV5DXQ,YHUVHQµ/HDYLQJWKH'LVWDQW&KXUFK¶LQChurch,  Society  and  Mission:  Twelve   Danish  Contributions  to  International  Discussions,  ed.  Hans  Raun  Iversen  (Copenhagen:   University   of   Copenhagen,   2010),   9,   13.   6HH DOVR ,YHUVHQ µ)RONHNLUNHRUGQLQJHQV XGYLNOLQJ¶+DQV5DXQ,YHUVHQµ'HQNLUNHO¡VHNULVWHQGRPL'DQPDUN'HQVEDJJUXQG 19

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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less,  and  Danes  want  it  that  way,  according  to  Iversen.25  They  want  to  be   members  of  the  folk  church,  but  they  do  not  want  to  attend  the  services.  As   Iversen  puts  it,  the  Danes  use  the  church  as  they  use  a  hospital:  They  use  it   only  when  it  is  absolutely  necessary!26  Iversen  refers  to  the  Danish  church   historian,  Hal  Koch,  who  has  said  that  it  is  impossible  to  force  Danes  into   the  church,  while  at  the  same  time  it  is  impossible  to  force  them  to  leave  the   church.27  However,  this  is  beginning  to  change,  as  the  number  of  members   seems  to  continue  to  decrease.  In  the  two  biggest  cities  in  Denmark,  Aarhus   and  Copenhagen,  in  some  parishes  only  25-­30%  of  the  citizens  are  now   members  of  the  folk  church.  Therefore,  some  theologians  now  question  if   it  still  makes  sense  to  even  talk  about  the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of   Denmark  as  a  folk  church.28 So,   how   does   Iversen   then   regard   the   current   state   of   the   folk   church?   Iversen  is  clearly  quite  critical  of  the  Danish  folk  church.  In  some  articles,   he  bluntly  questions  to  what  extent  the  Danish  folk  church  can  be  regarded   as  a  church  at  all.29  Sometimes,  he  even  contrasts  the  Danes’  understanding   of  the  Danish  folk  church  with  the  New  Testament  concept  of  ecclesia.30   2WKHUWLPHVKHVWDWHVWKDWWKH'DQLVKIRONFKXUFK¿QGVLWVHOILQDVRUWRI Babylonian  captivity.31  However,  Iversen’s  response  to  the  critical  situation   for  the  church  is  clear:  the  Danish  folk  church  must  be  renewed.  And  as  we   shall  now  see,  developing  the  Danish  folk  church  as  a  missional  church  plays   DVLJQL¿FDQWUROHLQKLVSURSRVDOIRUDUHQHZDORIWKH'DQLVKIRONFKXUFK

...og  konsekvenser,’  in  Vinduer  til  Guds  Rige.  Seksten  forelæsninger  om  kirken,  ed.  Hans  Raun   ,YHUVHQ )UHGHULNVEHUJ$QLV ,YHUVHQµ) QRPHQHWGHQGDQVNHIRONHNLUNH¶ 25 ,YHUVHQµ'HQNLUNHO¡VHNULVWHQGRPL'DQPDUN¶16. 26  +DQV 5DXQ ,YHUVHQ µ)OXNWXHUHQGH PHQLJKHGHU ± Q\H DUEHMGVYLONnU IRU NLUNHQ¶ Dansk   Tidsskrift  for  Teologi  og  Kirke  36.2  (2009),  48. 27  ,YHUVHQ µ'HQ NLUNHO¡VH NULVWHQGRP L 'DQPDUN¶  ,YHUVHQ µ) QRPHQHW GHQ GDQVNH folkekirke,’  78. 28   Here   the   folk   church   is   clearly   understood   as   a   church   of   the   Danish   people   (cf.   2.2   above).  This  is  the  most  common  and  widespread  understanding  of  the  folk  church  concept   in  Denmark. 29 6HHIRUH[DPSOH,YHUVHQµ) QRPHQHWGHQGDQVNHIRONHNLUNH¶VHHDOVRIQEHORZ 30 ,YHUVHQµ'HQNLUNHO¡VHNULVWHQGRPL'DQPDUN¶ 31 ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶$ORQJWKHVDPHOLQHVVHH ,YHUVHQµ) QRPHQHWGHQGDQVNHIRONHNLUNH¶

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2.3  Missional  Church  Ecclesiology Iversen’s  preoccupation  with  missional  ecclesiology  goes  back  to  his   time  at  Aarhus  University.  As  mentioned,  already  two  years  before  his   graduation  he  was  employed  at  the  university  where  he  worked  closely   together  with  the  Danish  missiologist  Johannes  Aagaard.32  Iversen  says, I  was  educated  as  a  missiologist  during  the  1970s  in  the  wave  after  the  study   program   on   The   Missionary   Structure   of   the   Congregation,   launched   by   the  World  Council  of  Churches  after  the  merger  between  the  WCC  and  the   International  Missionary  Council  in  New  Delhi  in  1961.  The  relationship   between  Church  and  mission  has  therefore  always  been  a  key  issue  for  me.   Basically   I   am   convinced   that   congregations   must   be   missional,   just   as   mission   must   be   congregational.   Mission   and   Church   belong   together   as   two  interwoven  dimensions  of  the  same  reality.33

Something  that  probably  also  has  impacted  Iversen  is  his  study  in  Tanzania,   where  he  experienced  a  vital  and  growing  Lutheran  church.  Moreover,   from   1996   to   2002,   together   with   the   Danish   theologian   Jørn   Henrik   Olsen,  he  organized  several  courses  on  missiology  at  the  University  of   Copenhagen.  Here  he  lectured  together  with  such  missiologists  as  Charles   H.  Kraft,  Charles  E.  Van  Engen  and  Wilbert  R.  Shenk,  just  to  mention  a   few.  Hence,  his  preoccupation  with  missiology  has  played  a  major  role   throughout  his  career. Iversen  points  out  that  the  Danish  folk  church,  according  to  a  report  from   WKH 0LQLVWU\ RI (FFOHVLDVWLFDO$IIDLUV LQ 'HQPDUN LV LQ IDFW GH¿QHG LQ missiological  terms.34  According  to  this  report,  the  fundamental  task  of  the   Danish  folk  church  is  to  proclaim  Christ  as  savior  of  the  world.35  Similar  to   WKLV,YHUVHQVWDWHVµ,IWKHFKXUFKLVQRWPDNLQJ&KULVWNQRZQDQGEHOLHYHG as  a  basic  dimension  of  whatever  it  is,  the  Church  is  no  longer  a  Christian   Church.’36  Therefore,  he  argues  that  evangelization  must  be  incorporated   in   the   missional   understanding   of   congregations,   which   he   believes   is    See  2.1  above. ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 34  Hans  Raun  Iversen,  µ.LUNHQVSULP UHRSJDYHPnLNNHEOLYHY N¶LQChristian  Daily,  2   October  2009. 35   Ministry   of   Ecclesiastical  Affairs,   Betænkning   1477.   Opgaver   i   sogn,   provsti   og   stift.   Betænkning  fra  Arbejdsgruppen  om  ændring  af  den  kirkelige  struktur  (Copenhagen:  Minis-­ try  of  Ecclesiastical  Affairs,  2006),  12,  17,  63. 36 ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 32 33

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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developing  in  the  folk  church  these  days.37  He  presents  concrete  suggestions   as  to  how  this  is  to  happen:  the  churches  must  be  open  and  must  be  ready   to  receive  new  people,  the  pastors  and  the  congregations  must  be  trained  as   evangelists,  and  the  folk  church  must  also  begin  to  employ  evangelists.38   These  constructive  suggestions  are  clear  examples  of  how  he  envisions  the   folk  church  becoming  a  missional  folk  church.  However,  Iversen  is  well   aware  that  this  is  not  uncomplicated.  As  he  puts  it, A  Folk  Church  like  any  other  church  does  have  its  anti-­missional  sides.  It   is,  for  example,  very  much  an  established,  even  bureaucratic,  Church.  The   Danish  Folk  Church  is  in  fact  a  state-­governed  Church  –  with  a  secular  state  as   its  legal  subject  at  the  national  level.  It  is  a  church  in  a  Babylonian  captivity;;   to  a  far  extent  run  by  other  criteria  than  those  of  the  Gospel.39

Yet  Iversen  is  not  ready  to  give  up  on  the  folk  church,  mainly  because  he   still  believes  that  the  folk  church  has  a  considerable  potential  for  mission.40   $VKHVD\Vµ,WKDVJRRGUHODWLRQVKLSVZLWKDQGHDV\DFFHVVWRWKHJUHDW majority  of  the  Danish  people,  most  of  whom  are  in  fact  members  paying   their  Church  tax.’41  Consequently,  Iversen  in  fact  believes  that  the  folk  church   as  it  exists  right  now  can  be  understood  as  a  missional  folk  church.  Essential   to  Iversen’s  understanding  of  the  folk  church  as  a  missional  church  is  his   differentiation  between,  Culture  Christians  (who  very  rarely  attend  church   services,  even  though  they  are  members  of  the  church)  on  the  one  hand,   and  Church  Christians  and  Charismatic  Christians  (who  attend  the  church   services  regularly).42  Iversen’s  characterization  of  Church  Christians  is  rather   weak,  but  the  main  difference  between  Church  Christians  and  Charismatic   Christians  seems  to  be  that  Charismatic  Christians  are  more  enthusiastic   than  Church  Christians.43  +DQV 5DXQ ,YHUVHQ µ(YDQJHOLVHULQJ VRP NULVWHQGRPPHQV µHVVH¶ ± VQDUW RJVn L folkekirken,’  in  Evangelisering  –  missionens  fokus,  ed.  Mogens  S.  Mogensen  (Copenhagen:   Unitas  forlag,  2008),  122. 38 ,YHUVHQµ(YDQJHOLVHULQJVRPNULVWHQGRPPHQVµHVVH¶±VQDUWRJVnLIRONHNLUNHQ¶ 39 ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 40  Iversen  has  been  a  member  of  the  Danish  folk  church  his  whole  life  and  as  he  states  there   exists  no  real  alternative  to  the  folk  church  for  him  or  for  most  Danes.  See  ,YHUVHQµ'HQ kirkeløse  kristendom  i  Danmark,’  22. 41 ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 42  Sometimes  Iversen  uses  the  term  µ&XOWXUH&KULVWLDQV¶DQGRWKHUWLPHVµ&XOWXUDO&KULVWLDQV¶ See  Iversen’s  articles,  µ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶DQGµ)RON&KXUFK as  Mission  to  Culture  Christians.’+HUH,XVHWKHSKUDVHµ&XOWXUH&KULVWLDQV¶ 43  Iversen,  µ.XOWXUNULVWQHNLUNHNULVWQHRJNDULVPDWLVNNULVWQH¶ 37

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As  is  well  known,  the  problem  of  members  not  attending  church  services   is  a  problem  not  only  for  the  Danish  folk  church.  Most  churches,  including   free  churches,  have  members  who  rarely  show  up  to  the  church  services.   The  problem  is,  however,  rather  extreme  in  the  case  of  the  folk  church  in   Denmark.   Iversen   claims   that   all   three   the   previously   mentioned   groups   embody   Christianity   in   Denmark.   However,   the   presumed   faith   of   the   Culture  Christians  should  be  valued,  but  at  the  same,  challenged;;  that  is,   they  should  be  invited  to  participate  in  church  services  together  with  the   Church  Christians  and  the  Charismatic  Christians.44 Therefore,  Iversen  believes  that  the  folk  church,  as  it  exists  today,  provides   a  model  for  mission  in  Danish  society.  The  decisive  question  is  if  Iversen’s   proposal  presents  a  comprehensive  understanding  of  the  Danish  folk  church   as  a  missional  model  in  Danish  society  and  a  convincing  theological  envi-­ sioning  of  how  it  could  be  a  missional  church.  Many  aspects  could  certainly   be  discussed  in  relation  to  such  a  question.  I  will  limit  myself  to  evaluating   and  discussing  two  important  aspects  of  his  ecclesiological  proposal,  namely   his  understanding  of  the  missional  identity  and  the  distinctive  identity  of  a   missional  folk  church.

3.  Discussion:  Missional  Folk  Church? 3.1  The  Missional  Identity  of  the  Missional  Folk  Church $VZHKDYHVHHQ,YHUVHQGH¿QHVWKHIXQGDPHQWDOSXUSRVHRIWKH'DQLVKIRON church  in  missiological  terms.45  He  states  that  mission  should  be  regarded   as  the  very  nature  of  the  folk  church  and  that  the  basic  task  of  the  church   should  be  the  proclaiming  of  Christ  as  savior  of  the  world. $V , KDYH VWDWHG HDUOLHU ,YHUVHQ LV QRW ¿UVW DQG IRUHPRVW D V\VWHPDWLF theologian,  but  a  practical  theologian.46  Thus,  when  he  proposes  that  the  Danish   folk  church  should  be  understood  as  functioning  missionally  in  Danish  society,   it  is  more  a  pragmatic  interpretation  of  the  current  situation  than  a  constructive   theological  vision  of  how  the  folk  church  should  develop.  Accordingly,  Iversen   never  presents  a  coherent  and  well-­developed  missional  ecclesiology. ,YHUVHQµ)RON&KXUFKDV0LVVLRQWR&XOWXUH&KULVWLDQV¶  See  2.3  above. 46  See  2.1  above. 44 45

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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Yet,  in  my  opinion,  Iversen’s  proposal  points  to  a  promising  development   for  missional  ecclesiology  which  can  help  the  folk  church,  as  it  now  stands   LQWKHWZHQW\¿UVWFHQWXU\UHVSRQGEHWWHUWRWKHFKDOOHQJHVDQGWKHRSSRU-­ tunities  with  which  it  is  being  confronted.  Consequently,  below  I  further   develop  some  theological  and  practical  aspects  of  his  proposal. )LUVWKHFRXOGKDYHPDGHSUR¿WDEOHXVHRIWKHWKHRORJLFDOLQVLJKWVJDLQHG from   the   ecumenical  movement   in   the   twentieth   century.   He   could   have   accentuated  the  inner-­Trinitarian  sendings:  that  the  Father  sends  the  Son,   that  the  Father  and  the  Son  send  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  that  the  Father,  the   Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit  send  the  church  to  the  world.  Following  this,  the   missio  Dei  is  the  starting  point  from  which  the  missio  Christi  and  the  missio   ecclesiae  derive.  The  missio  Dei  leads  to  the  sending  of  Jesus,  and  with  the   sending  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  a  missio  continuata  is  set  in  motion.  If  one  is   to  develop  a  constructive  proposal  of  a  missional  ecclesiology,  it  would,  in   my  opinion,  be  necessary  to  develop  a  Trinitarian  theological  framework   for  such  a  missional  ecclesiology.47 Second,  Iversen  could  also  more  clearly  have  substantiated  his  understanding   of  the  mission  of  a  missional  folk  church  through  Christological  analyses  and   better  demonstrating  the  interwovenness  of  Christology,  ecclesiology  and   missiology.  Christ  passed  on  his  mission  to  the  disciples  and  the  church’s   task  is  to  continue  Christ’s  mission  on  earth.  Thus,  the  mission  of  Christ  must   also  be  the  mission  of  the  church.  Thus,  the  church  must  learn  from  Christ   as  it  discerns  how  to  exist  in  the  world.  For  example,  it  must  understand  its   mission  in  light  of  the  mission  of  Christ.48 Third,  if  a  constructive  missional  ecclesiology  is  to  be  developed  for  the   Danish  folk  church,  this  calls  for  an  integration  of  missional  ecclesiology  and   Lutheran  ecclesiology.  Missional  ecclesiology  is  ecumenical  by  nature.  Yet,   the  question  arises  whether  or  not  a  missional  ecclesiology  might  appear  in  a   particular  way  if  determined  by  Lutheran  theology.  Iversen’s  ecclesiological   SURSRVDOFRXOGEHGHYHORSHGIXUWKHULQWRDPLVVLRQDOHFFOHVLRORJ\GH¿QHG E\/XWKHUDQWKHRORJ\FRQVHTXHQWO\ZLWKDVWURQJIRFXVRQMXVWL¿FDWLRQE\ faith,  the  sacraments,  the  common  priesthood,  etc.

 Nikolajsen,  5HGH¿QLQJWKH,GHQWLW\RIWKH&KXUFK,  53,  55-­60.  Nikolajsen,  5HGH¿QLQJWKH,GHQWLW\RIWKH&KXUFK,  50,  59-­60,  67-­68,  93.

47 48

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Jeppe  Bach  Nikolajsen

Finally,  some  practical  aspects  of  Iversen’s  proposal  could  also  be  developed   further.  If  the  Danish  folk  church  is  to  be  understood  and  developed  as  a   mission  model  in  Danish  society,  this  implies,  in  my  opinion,  that  the  folk   church   must   continually   develop   contemporary   liturgies.   When   Culture   Christians  chose  to  attend  a  church  service,  they  should  be  able  to  understand   and  relate  to  the  hymns  and  the  liturgy.  Moreover,  the  folk  church  should   DOVRGHYHORSPRUHÀH[LEOHFKXUFKVWUXFWXUHV'DQLVKVRFLHW\LVEHFRPLQJ increasingly   diverse   and,   therefore,   the   folk   church   must   develop   new,   ÀH[LEOHVWUXFWXUHVVRWKDW&KXUFK&KULVWLDQVDQG&KDULVPDWLF&KULVWLDQVPD\ become  present  in  various  segments  of  Danish  society  in  order  to  participate   locally  in  church  services  together  with  Culture  Christians.  The  archbishop  of   WKH$QJOLFDQ&KXUFK5RZDQ:LOOLDPVKDVLQWURGXFHGWKHH[SUHVVLRQµPL[HG HFRQRPLHV¶ZKLFKUHIHUVWRWKHVWUDWHJ\RIPDNLQJ¿QDQFLDOLQYHVWPHQWV in  both  established  churches  with  roots  in  the  Christendom  era  and  in  so-­ FDOOHGµIUHVK¶H[SUHVVLRQVRIWKHFKXUFK,IWKHIRONFKXUFKLVWREHFRPH present  in  various  segments  of  Danish  society,  this  calls  for  new  forms  of   congregational   life.   Therefore,   according   to   English   theologian   Lesslie   1HZELJLQµWKHTXHVWLRQWKDWKDVWREHDVNHG±DQGUHSHDWHGO\DVNHG±LV whether  the  traditional  forms  of  ministry  which  have  been  inherited  from   WKH³&KULVWHQGRP´SHULRGDUHIXOO\FRPSDWLEOHZLWKWKHIDLWKWKDWWKH&KXUFK is  called  to  be  a  missionary  community.’49  For  Newbigin,  this  implies  that   WKHFKXUFKPXVWGHYHORSQHZÀH[LEOHVWUXFWXUHVQHFHVVDU\IRUHPERGLHG witness  in  various  areas  of  diverse,  modern  societies.50 3.2  The  Distinctive  Identity  of  the  Missional  Folk  Church If  the  Danish  folk  church  is  to  be  developed  as  a  missional  church,  a  very   important  task  for  the  church  is,  in  my  mind,  to  re-­appropriate  a  more  clear   sense  of  its  own  distinctiveness.  If  this  task  is  not  engaged,  then  developing   QHZ OLWXUJLHV DQG PRUH ÀH[LEOH VWUXFWXUHV ZLOO QRW EH DQ\WKLQJ HOVH EXW WUHDWLQJWKHV\PSWRPV$W¿UVWJODQFH,YHUVHQVHHPVWREHDZDUHRIWKLV +HVWDWHVWKDWWKHFKXUFK¿QGVLWVHOILQD%DE\ORQLDQFDSWLYLW\DQGPXVWEH freed  from  the  state.51  My  contention  is  that  he  engages  a  problem  that  is   far  more  profound  than  he  gives  account  of.  Centuries  of  captivity  certainly   demand  a  more  profound  engagement  with  this  problem.  Since  Iversen  does   -(/HVVOLH1HZELJLQµ'HYHORSPHQWV'XULQJ$Q(GLWRULDO6XUYH\¶International   Review  of  Mission  52.1  (1963),  7. 50  Cf.  Nikolajsen,  5HGH¿QLQJWKH,GHQWLW\RIWKH&KXUFK,  96-­98. 51  See  fn.  31  and  39  above. 49

Missional  Folk  Church?  A  Discussion  of  Hans  Raun  Iversen’s     Understanding  of  the  Danish  Folk  Church  as  a  Missional  Church

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not  seem  to  have  a  deep  awareness  of  this  problem,  oftentimes  I  disagree   with  his  understanding  of  the  relationship  between  the  Danish  folk  church   and  Danish  society.  For  example,  Iversen  asserts  that  the  folk  church  is  a   normal  part  of  Danish  society  without  actually  clarifying  in  what  sense  this   may  be  true.52  Furthermore,  he  seems  to  appreciate  that  the  folk  church  has   FRQWULEXWHGWRµWKHFXOWXUDODQGSROLWLFDOFRKHUHQFH¶RIWKH'DQLVKSHRSOH DQGWRWKHµFRPPRQHWKLFDODQGFXOWXUDOEDOODVWLQ'HQPDUN¶53  Moreover,  he   states  that  the  Danish  folk  church  generally  speaking  is  non-­controversial   without   actually   questioning   the   legitimacy   of   this   claim.54   Contrary   to   Iversen,  I  would  argue  there  are  two  reasons  that  the  Danish  folk  church   should  recapture  a  more  clear  sense  of  being  a  distinct  community  of  faith.   First,  if  the  era  of  Christendom  is  over  the  church  must  now  come  to  terms   with  new  societal  parameters.  If  not  everybody  is  Christian,  it  can  reasonably   be  questioned  if  the  church  is  supposed  to  create  a  social  cohesion  within   Danish  society  or  to  be  responsible  for  sustaining  a  common  national  identity,   as  Iversen  insinuates.55  Second,  it  is  also  important  for  the  folk  church  to   recapture  a  more  clear  sense  of  being  a  distinct  community  of  faith,  because   the  non-­conformity  of  the  Danish  folk  church  to  Danish  society  and  the   mission  of  the  Danish  folk  church  depend  on  each  other.  Without  a  difference   between  church  and  society,  the  church  cannot  make  a  difference  in  society.   Hence,  without  a  difference  between  church  and  society,  the  mission  of  the   church  will  ultimately  be  undermined.56

 Hans  Raun  Iversen,  µDer  bør  forskes  i  folkekirken,’  in  Christian  Daily  2  September  2010. ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 54 ,YHUVHQµ+RZ&DQD)RON&KXUFKEH0LVVLRQDO&KXUFK"¶ 55  Cf.  fn.  52,  53  and  54  above.  On  the  notion  of  creating  social  cohesion  in  society,  see  also   :LOOLDP7&DYDQDXJKµ6HSDUDWLRQDQG:KROHQHVV1RWHVRQWKH8QVHWWOLQJ3ROLWLFDO3UHV-­ ence  of  the  Body  of  Christ,’  in  For  the  Sake  of  the  World:  Swedish  Ecclesiology  in  Dialogue   with   William   T.   Cavanaugh,   ed.   Jonas   Ideström   (Eugene:   Pickwick   Publications,   2009),   25-­26.  On  the  notion  of  sustaining  a  common  national  identity,  see  also  Peter  Lodberg  and   %M|UQ5\PDQµ&KXUFKDQG6RFLHW\¶LQNordic  Folk  Churches:  A  Contemporary  Church   History,  ed.  Gunnar  Heiene,  Aila  Lauha,  Peter  Lodberg  and  Björn  Ryman  (Grand  Rapids:   Eerdmans,  2005),  99-­100. 56   See   Nikolajsen,   5HGH¿QLQJ WKH ,GHQWLW\ RI WKH &KXUFK,   11.  An   important   argument   in   my  dissertation  is  that  an  inescapable  distinctiveness  is  an  integral  part  of  ecclesiology,   missiology,   eschatology,   social   ethics   and   epistemology,   which   is   rooted   in   the   church.   See  fn.  1  above. 52 53

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Jeppe  Bach  Nikolajsen

4.  Conclusion:  Toward  a  Scandinavian  Missional     Ecclesiology? In  conclusion,  Iversen’s  proposal  is,  in  my  mind,  important  and  promising.   However,  I  argue  it  calls  for:  a  Trinitarian  framework  and  a  Christological   substantiation  of  the  mission  of  a  missional  folk  church;;  an  integration  of   missional   ecclesiology   and   Lutheran   ecclesiology;;   and,   a   development   RI FRQWH[WXDO OLWXUJLHV DQG PRUH ÀH[LEOH VWUXFWXUHV IRU WKH IRON FKXUFK Also,  in  my  opinion,  Iversen’s  proposal  lacks  a  profound  perception  of  the   importance  and  relevance  of  the  church  as  a  distinct  community  of  faith.   Thus,   Iversen’s   ecclesiological   proposal   could   be   developed   further   in   cooperation  with  theologians  in  Denmark,  Norway  and  Sweden.  In  North   America,  the  Gospel  and  Our  Culture  Network  has  developed  a  so-­called   vision  for  the  sending  of  the  church  in  North  America.57  Similarly,  Iversen’s   ecclesiological   proposal   could   be   developed   further   into   a   Scandinavian   missional  ecclesiology.  Such  an  ecclesiological  project  is,  in  my  mind,  of   very  high  relevance  for  the  Scandinavian  folk  churches,  which  now  exist   in  multi-­cultural  and  increasingly  multi-­religious  countries.58

 Cf.  the  title  of  the  following  book:  Darrell  L.  Guder,  Missional  Church:  A  Vision  for  the   Sending  of  the  Church  in  North  America  (Grand  Rapids:  Eerdmans,  1998). 58  Cf.  fn.  10  above. 57

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