The pastor Gyrid Gunnes writes in Klassekampen that the 2030 celebration should take place by religious communities, including the hill community, coming together for a ritual. In Vårt Land 7/10, she elaborates that this should happen at Stiklestad “where the battle and violence took place”.

Prayer may well be common, but it must be decided by the faith communities themselves. Gunnes says that he cannot learn in principle between believing in God and in gods, since we have nothing that can bake the world we observe. Religion is just trying to put words to this unknown.

The intention behind the plot is undoubtedly god, but is based on a series of myths.

God and other gods

The first myth is that gods are as good an explanation of life as God. It’s harder to believe that a Christian priest can mean something like that. For precisely here we see crucial principled various. These are completely different categories. God is the eternal and uncreated existence bak the world we observe, while gods are highly mortal and I world, created by other gods and subject to many kinds of forces. God can explain the world we observe, gods can not.

Another myth is that Norway was Christianized by a battle between Christians and believers. In reality, the struggle was about Norwegian independence. Although Frank Aarebrot was probably not right that there were more believers in Olav’s army still in the peasant army, it was Christians on both sides – and believers.

God can explain the world we observe, gods can not.

– Bjørn Are Davidsen

The choice was between two Christian kings, Norwegian Olav and the Danish Knut. Christian Danes had previously defeated both Håkon the Good and Olav Tryggvasson, and now ruled Norway via i.a. ladejarlene. Even though he lost at Stiklestad, Olav Haraldsson became such a unifying symbol that in a few years we were able to abolish the Danish government, even in Trøndelag.

I still do not think that some will propose to celebrate 2030 in Copenhagen and be Danish for forgiveness for violence against their empire building.

[ Åsatrohøvding vil delta på Stiklestad ]

Prayer in hill believers

It is more difficult to imagine Viking kings without an ax in the power struggle, but much of Christianity still happened through cultural contact over a long period of time. We find little other than Christian tombs after the 10th century, and it is unclear whether some of our kings posed on anything other than the Christian side. It was probably no coincidence that Harald Hårfagre, more than a hundred years before Olav the Holy, sent his son Håkon to England for a Christian upbringing, something that combined the teachings of antiquity and European government.

A third myth is that prayer is important for believers. This shows how easy it is to draw other denominations in the image of the church.

– Bjørn Are Davidsen

A third myth is that prayer is important for believers. This shows how easy it is to draw other denominations in the image of the church. Sunniva Saksvik, the leader of the Åsatru community Bifrost, prioritizes in Vårt Land that prayer is so little central that there is no common prayer at their gatherings. She can reassure critics that they are not going to be to her gods in a common ritual. Instead, she sees it as more natural to gather around values ​​such as common respect for creation.

Then you can discuss where it can come from, since it is not found in source writings from Norse times. Because a lot has happened after Christianity – also with believers. Thus, they will not mark 2030 with swords either.

Avoid myths

If we are to understand the millennium anniversary of 2030, we should use myths. We need research and reflection, and boosting knowledge about important roots and looking ahead. Candy those responsible for the National Anniversary at Stiklestad National Cultural Center explains, anniversaries with a national perspective “are in danger of appearing exclusive, retrospective and myth-worshiping”.

At the same time, they have an intrinsic value as a starting point for conversations about big issues. The whole country should thus be involved “in a dialogue about nation, society and identity” in a “past, present and future context”.

In that discussion, everyone is equally important and welcome, regardless of religious affiliation or not.

[ Elise Kruse: «Det må bli slutt på dårlige sex-metaforer og ekskluderende guttastemning» ]