A short history of norwegian baptists

Since the reformation, the Lutheran Church has been, and still is, the "official" Norwegian religion. Until 1842 any proclamation of the Gospel was the exclusive right of the ordained Lutheran ministry.

Lutheran laymen attempting to witness and conduct house-meetings but were imprisoned. The most famous among them was the Lutheran lay-preacher Hans Nielsen Hauge. From 1797 till he was jailed in 1805, Hauge travelled the southern part of Norway. Local communities and cities experienced a strong and viable revival.

In 1845 a law was passed allowing other faiths and confessions: the bill of religious freedom. The Quakers were the first Norwegian religious "dissidents" (1845).

Baptist Churches were founded after 1845, with no lasting results. In 1857 a Danish sailor, converted and baptised in New York, came to Norway. Supported by Baptists in USA, he concentrated his efforts on the Skien region. During the following years people were converted and baptised. The first Baptist Church was founded in Skien in 1860. During the next five years 5 more congregations were founded.

The Baptist Churches formed regional associations in 1872 (South), North & West (1877). National representatives met in 1877 In 1978 The Baptist Union of Norway was established: 13 representatives from 8 Baptist Churches. Seven Baptist Churches refrained form joining the Union, not wanting jeopardise autonomy of the local congregation.

The first Norwegian Baptists were supported by the Baptist Missionary Society in England. It was supporting their Norwegian friends when the Union was formally established. This support was discontinued in 1892. The Norwegian Baptists felt that financial assistance and external links were still needed, and requested assistance from the American Baptists (American Baptist Missionary Union). Financial support was granted and a fruitful co-operation was established, in particular with Morgan Park Theological Seminary in Chicago (founded by Scandinavians). Between 1884 and 1910 42 Norwegians were educated at St. Morgan, of these 39 returned to Norway as pastors. A few Norwegian also joined the ABMU as missionaries.

These international links have been of great importance to our Union, preserving it from seclusion and sectarianism. Norwegian Baptists have distinguished themselves in Baptist World Alliance; as one of the first vice-presidents, as gen. secs. (Amold Øhrn: 1948-60, Josef Nordenhaug 1960-1969). Our Union is a member of BWA, EBF and EBM.

As the first free church in Norway the Baptists got their own Theological Seminary in 1910.

In 1958 The Peoples High School was started. These two schools are located at Stabekk, Oslo, together with the Union's administration and The Bærum Baptist Church.

The first Norwegian missionaries came to the northern part of Democratic Republic of Congo in 1920. This work has resulted in 2 indigenous Baptist Unions with some 50,000 baptised members

Today the Norwegian Baptist Union support mission work in Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sri Lanka, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam. Support is also extended to smaller projects in several East-European countries. In 1946 The Scandinavian Seamen's Mission was established in San Francisco. This mission has recently been restructured and is now the responsibility of American Baptist Churches of the West.

The Baptists in Norway paricipate in several ecumenical acticities, and has been an active participant in The Council of Free Churches, The Missionary Association and in The Ecumenical Council. The hostility towards the Lutheran State Church has ceased to exist and differences in theological questions are openly acknowledged and discussed.

Statistics
In 1876: 14 Baptist Churches with 511 members. In 1886 18 Baptist Churches with 1335 members.
In 1896 26 churches with 2132 members. In 1902 35 churches with 2.900 members.
Between 1910-1920 and 1930-1946 our churches experienced a considerable growth In 1950: 7.500 members in 6o congregations.
Current membership: 4876 members in 71 congregations.