Arni Thor Sigurdsson, deputy chairman of the Left Green Movement group of MPs in the Icelandic parliament, has said he intends to start a debate about the separation of church and state when the Althingi parliament reconvenes for its autumn term.
He says that given the troubles the state church is currently grappling with, it is the right time for parliament to re-examine the close links between the church and the state, RUV reports.
He says the debate should centre on the fact that there is no longer only one religious organisation in Iceland which enjoys widespread support.
If the government does decide to loosen ties to the church, Sigurdsson says: “We would no longer have one religion which has access to more state funding than all the others. The church would not have the same direct ties to the state that it has today.”
The problems of the church would not disappear, he warns: “The church needs, of course, to sort out its issues whether it is a state church or not”.
Sigurdsson has not yet decided whether the debate will be presented to parliament as a formal bill or as a parliamentary resolution – but he said that either way, the issue will be discussed in Althingi.
The state church in Iceland is currently embroiled in a sex abuse scandal; but public support for making the church independent of the state has been growing steadily for some years.
(Main page photo not recent (taken at Christmas time) and shows Althingi and the Domkirkjan cathedral side-by-side in Reykjavik: taken by Alex Elliott)
>” If the government does decide to loosen ties to the church, Sigurdsson says: “We would no longer have one religion which has access to more state funding than all the others. The church would not have the same direct ties to the state that it has today. ”
Its not shocking to see this idea presnted — as it should have been made years ago by our parliament.
What is shocking is to see represenetative of ” iron fist ” left winger party that believes in state power arguing against state subsidy.
Of course tax payer should not be subsidizing this people in Churches regardless of they behaviour; where is our “wall of separation” between church and state ?
If people do be members of the church out of they own free will of course then the Church will be more legitimate. Maybe also more active in social program taking back its old function before welfare state did take virtue out of looking after people that need it.
What is the Icelandic Justice minister and D.A. doing to investigate this horrible sex abuse scandal? The claim of “religious confidentiality” for the priest-parishioner relationship is ridiculous. I thought Iceland was forward thinking about the individual? With the financial crisis and sex abuse scandal(s), is Iceland is facing a test of its moral standards?
Separation of Estate and Church? WOW! Did it not happen in many countries like centuries ago?? I did not know that Iceland was still in the middle ages…
Hi Sir Euro,
There is no separation of church and state in Denmark either, and our parliment is not even discussing the topic…..welcome further back in time my friend.
“With the financial crisis and sex abuse scandal(s), is Iceland is facing a test of its moral standards?”
It may!!