Posted: August 31st, 2022

The Religion of Scandinavian People

The Religion of Scandinavian People
For centuries, the term “Vikings” has been used to describe the inhabitants of the Scandinavian region. The Scandinavian population represents people from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland. The Viking culture is believed to have been dominated by pagans who were against Christianity. They comprised a group of people who initially resisted conversion to Christianity until the 10th century.
The native religion of the Scandinavians was polytheistic, a religious system that believed and worshiped more than one deity. The Vikings culture also embraced polygamy, meaning that most families comprised of more than two spouses. This culture dominated the region for many centuries until suddenly it was threatened by the introduction of Christianity. With time, the Vikings culture was gradually and steadily usurped by the new Christian religion, beliefs, traditions, and values that were introduced by the missionaries and the clerics.
Today, the religion of the Scandinavian people is still comparatively secular compared to other countries around the world. According to surveys, Sweden is considered one of the least religious nations in the world. Studies have shown that in every five people, only one or none claims to be religious in Sweden. But they cannot be described as entirely non-religious. Region still influences the cultural practices of the Scandinavian people. The majority of people are members of a church. However, people are more concerned about cultural belonging and practices rather than actual religious beliefs and norms associated with Christianity. Cultural gatherings such as weddings, burials, and baptism are held in churches, but in reality, most of the members are atheists, deists, or “non-religious” as they are commonly referred. Only a small portion of the church identifies as true believers.
Religion is viewed as a private matter where everyone has the freedom to believe in and practice whatever beliefs they want. However, many are against the outward expression of religious affiliation. To them, religion is not a topic or a conversation that you can strike up anytime in public, whether in support or against the issue. You will seldom hear people quoting or referencing religion in their discussions or arguments.
Many still think the old Nordic religion was taken over by Christianity. But it did not disappear completely. Today, there is still a small group of around 500 to 1000 people who still believe and practice the old Nordic religion in secret. The majority of people who believe in the existence of a supreme being and the afterlife are from rural areas. And even there, you will not find any organized religion. To them, religion is strictly a personal and private matter.

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