In God's Name

At the webpage of Hordaland Theatre the following, among other things, was written about In God's Name:

"In God's Name is Hordaland Theatre's contribution to The Bicentenary of the Norwegian Constitution 2014.

With this production the theatre wants to reflect upon Article 2 (SIC, look below) in the Norwegian constitution: «All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion.»

The Evangelical-Lutheran religion was the official religion of the state in Norway until 2012. The law said that the citizens professing to the religion had the obligation to raise their children within the same.

How was this law exercised in relationship to the child?
Was the child robbed of reflecting on his or her own, in the name of God?
Is this freedom of religion?
And for whom?"

The production was intended to be performed at schools all over Hordaland through The Cultural Rucksack, but 18 out of 28 schools cancelled it. In God's Name became strongly controversial due to its content, and the bishop of Bjørgvin (the diocese of Bergen and the surrounding area) was among those writing opinion letters to newspapers opposing it.

Sceneweb notes that the constitutional article quoted is part of Article 16, not 2, as indicated by the theatre. As of 2014, Article 16 in full reads as follows: "All inhabitants of the Realm shall have the right to free exercise of their religion. The Norwegian Church, an Evangelical-Lutheran church, will remain the Norwegian National Church and will as such be supported by the State. Detailed provisions as to its system will be laid down by law. All religious and philosophical communities should be supported on equal terms."

The original Article 2, of 1814, read as follows: "The Evangelical-Lutheran religion shall remain the official religion of the State. The inhabitants professing it are bound to bring up their children in the same. Jesuits and monastic orders are not permitted. Jews are still prohibitedfrom entry to the Realm." This has been changed several times, and now reads: "Our values will remain our Christian and humanist heritage. This Constitution shall ensure democracy, a state based on the rule of law and human rights."

Sources:

Hordaland Theatre, www.hordalandteater.no, 05.03.2014, http://www.hordalandteater.no/default.aspx?pageId=48

Scenekunst, text called Feigt å avlyse? (literally: Cowardly to cancel?), 05.03.2014, www.scenekunst.no, http://www.scenekunst.no/pub/scenekunst/nyheter/?aid=4818

Import from the Scenekunst.no list of openings 26/11-2013

Lovdata, lovdata.no, 06.03.2014, http://lovdata.no/dokument/NL/lov/1814-05-17#KAPITTEL_1

The Norwegian Parliament, www.stortinget.no, 06.03.2014, https://www.stortinget.no/no/Stortinget-og-demokratiet/Lover-og-instrukser/Grunnloven-fra-1814/