Human-Etisk Forbund
The Norwegian Human-Ethical Association of Norway (Human-Etisk Forbund, HEF) , founded in 1956, is currently one of the largest associations of non-religious humanism in the world with around 90,000 members . In Norway, members make up around 1.7% of the Norwegian population. The members are based on non-religious ethical values and are mostly agnostics or atheists .
According to its statutes, the explicitly non-religious organization is committed to the separation between the state and religious institutions (the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Norway was the state church in Norway until 2012), to the promotion of humanistic ceremonies and the dissemination of knowledge about humanism. The HEF also organizes a secular type of confirmation . Another major concern is advocating "freedom of belief" in schools.
The HEF is a member of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU). For membership in the IHEU, the recognition of the following statement is the minimum requirement:
- " Humanism is a democratic and ethical life stance, which affirms that human beings have the right and responsibility to give meaning and shape to their own lives. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic based on human and other natural values in the spirit of reason and free inquiry through human capabilities. It is not theistic, and it does not accept supernatural views of reality. "
- " Humanism is a democratic and ethical approach to life, which means that people have the right and the responsibility to give their own life meaning and form. It stands for the building of a more humane society through an ethic of human and other natural values, in the spirit of reason and free research by human abilities. It is not theism and does not accept a supernatural view of reality. "
history
In 1956, members of a parenting group known as the "Association for Civil Confirmation" expanded their program to include those interested in non-religious approaches to ethical issues. In the years before, the parents' group had started to establish an alternative to the confirmation carried out by the Evangelical Lutheran People's Church in Norway , in which the majority of young people take part in their 15th year. Those who attended the first meeting formed the Human-Etisk Forbund. The first chairman was Kristian Horn .
During the founding period, the main focus was on theoretical, academic and journalistic work. This included the endeavor to find professorships and research positions as well as the promotion of non-religious, humanistic and ethical topics on Norwegian radio .
In 2008, around 8,000 or around 15 percent of Norwegian 15-year-olds took part in secular confirmations.
Former HEF General Secretary Levi Fragell was IHEU President from 1988 to 2003 and is currently Chairman of the IHEU Committee on Growth and Development. In June 2007, Åse Kleveland became chair of the organization.
literature
- Wanda Alberts: Criticism of religion, alternative to religion or secular religion? The Human-Ethical Association of Norway. In: Martin Baumann, Franz Neubert (Hrsg.): Religious Policy - Public - Science: Studies on the Reformation of Religion in the Present . (= Culturel. Volume 1). Theological Verlag, Zurich 2011, ISBN 978-3-290-22007-5 , pp. 219-250.
See also
Individual evidence
- ↑ Human-Etisk Forbund økte med over 2100 medlemmer i 2017 , report by Fritanke , accessed on January 8, 2018
- ↑ CIA World Factbook
- ↑ a b Wanda Alberts: Religionskritik, Alternative ... 2011, p. 219.
- ↑ Finngeir Hiorth : Church and State in Norway (1997).
- ↑ a b J. Gordon Melton, Martin Baumann: Religions of the World, Second Edition: A Comprehensive Encyclopedia of Beliefs and Practices . (= Gale virtual reference library). 2nd edition. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara 2010, ISBN 978-1-59884-204-3 , p. 1364.
- ↑ Wanda Alberts: Religionskritik, Alternative ... 2011, p. 220.
- ↑ "Mr. Levi Question" - Homepage of the International Humanist and Ethical Union ( Memento of the original from October 3, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
