Norway is a long, mountainous fjord-indented land. It is one of four Scandinavian countries. It has a strong and wealthy industrial state from oil, mining, fishing, forest products and high-tech industries. Their average income is $94,000 per person which is 199% of the USA. They are number one in the human development index, which is composed of life expectancy, education and per capita indicators. The Lutheran Church (or Church of Norway) is the official state church. It all sounds really nice.
Norway has had a powerful spiritual heritage over the last 200 years which is evident in their success. But it cannot be taken for granted for the next generation. Less than 10% of young people in Norway are committed Christians. And while 90% of Norwegians are church members, only 4% attend church on any given Sunday. More than half doubt or don’t believe in the existence of God. Pray for the roots of Norway’s rich Christian heritage to be re-ignited.
