When faith and politics play together

Eleven free churches the country over invite to classic election meetings peppered with a values-political dispute. It is only natural that churches provide a framework for a political debate,” says Mikael Wandt Laursen, secretary General of FrikirkeNet.

The backdrop is a perhaps unusual one, but the discipline is familiar when free churches the country over invite to election meetings ahead of the upcoming general election.
- Politics affects us all, and in recent years religion is coming high up the political agenda. Therefore, it is quite natural that churches around the country provide a framework for political debates,” says Mikael Wandt Laursen, Secretary General of FrikirkeNet.

A total of 11 free churches spread over a large part of the country invite voters to meetings, where mainly candidates from the parties currently represented in the Danish Parliament are running for office. The meetings have a classic content, but with a value-political dispute.
- We would like to invite voters to meetings, which have a more existential and value-oriented aim than one might normally experience. It is clear that we are, for example, very interested in the human vision and the place of religion in Danish society,” explains Mikael Wandt Laursen.

- All politicians have a basic human view, which colours many of their political positions, and with this in mind we would like to listen to and debate the positions of various parliamentary candidates on, among other things, gender and climate - and raise the question whether the demands of the utility society are driving us towards a colder view of people?
- And when it comes to the place of religion in Danish society, the big question is how much religion should be allowed to fill? Should we maintain that Denmark is a Christian country, or does that make no sense in 2019?

The initiative for the election meetings comes from FrikirkeNet— a network of free churches from different denominations — which has provided both a guide book, program proposals, interview guide and personal sparring to churches that have shown interest in holding a voter meeting.
- Most free churches, however, have no experience in how to approach an election meeting, which is why we make resources available to our members and other churches who are passionate about engaging in community debate and facilitating an election meeting, explains Mikael Wandt Laursen.

The following free churches organize voter meetings:

The Evangelical Free Church, Randers — 19 May at 13.00
Daniel Toft Jakobsen (S)
Michael Aastrup Jensen (V)
David Munk Bogballe (K)
Claus Kvist Hansen (DF)
Charlotte Windeløv (SF)

Bykirke, Vejle — 19 May at 13.00
Karina Adsbol (DF)
Anni Matthiesen (V)
Troels Ravn (S)
Henri Nissen (KD)
Lars Olesen (SF)
Lotte Rod (R)

Frikirke Alive, Hillerød - 19 May at 13.30
Martin Lidegaard (R)
Nick Hækkerup (S)
Lise Müller (SF)
Mette Abildgaard (K)
Anna Libak (V)

Nexø Frikirke — 19 May at 14.00
Lea Wermelin (S)
Peter Juel-Jensen (V)
Knud Henrik Folkman (DF)
Mathilde Lissau (R)
Niels Chreste Andersen (KD)
Maria Hach (?)

Vadum Kirkecenter — 21 May at 19.00
Marianne Jelved (R)
Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen (S)
Simon Leed Krøs (?)
Jens Henrik Kirk (K)
David Jakobsen (KD)
Anne Honore Ostergaard (V)

Jacobskirken, Odense — 26 May at 12:30
Trine Bramsen (S)
Rasmus Helveg Petersen (R)
Jane Heitmann (V)
Alex Ahrendtsen (DF)
Kristian Guldfeldt (K)

Copenhagen Vineyard — May 26 at 13.00
Jan E. Jorgensen (V)
Carolina Magdalene Maier (?)
Lars Aslan Rasmussen (S)
Ida Auken (R)
Martin Henriksen (DF)
Stig Grenov (KD)

Impact Church, Roskilde — 26 May at 13.00
Christian Juhl (Ø)
Naser Khader (K)
Merete Dea Larsen (DF)
Mette Gjerskov (S)
Louise Schack Elholm (V)

Copenhagen Free Church — held
Aalborg City Church — is held
City Church, Aarhus — is held

Photo: From the voter meeting in City Church Aarhus, private photo