History of Christianity in Iceland

[1] For instance, Dicuil in his De Mensura Orbis Terrae ("Of the Dimensions of the World") writes of Irish hermits who spent, in 795, six months on an otherwise uninhabited island where the nights were so bright "not only at the time of the summer solstice, but for several days before and after" that a man could pick "lice from his shirt".

[14] Likewise, the next missionary sent to Iceland by the king, the German or Flemish Thangbrand, was forced to leave around 999 because he had murdered some of those who opposed his mission.

[21] In order to avoid the breaking out of a civil war, the goðar finally agreed to appoint one of their number, the Lawspeaker Thorgeir Thorkelsson – who was a pagan – to decide the case.

[9][22] He withdrew for a whole day[9] and then announced his decision to the assembled chieftains: all Icelanders had to be baptised, but heathens were allowed to worship Odin and the other gods in secret.

[20][19] He even permitted the continuation of the old practice of exposure of babies at birth and the eating of horsemeat,[19][23] related to the importance of horses in Germanic paganism.

Many goðar and their retinue were baptized on the spot in the cold water, but "all the people from the Northern and Southern Quarters were baptised in Reykjalaug in Laugardalr"[24] where geothermal springs could be found.

People had the right to sacrifice in secret, if they wished, but it would be punishable by the lesser outlawry if witnesses were produced.The story of the consensual conversion of Iceland was first recorded by Ari Thorgilsson in the early 12th century.

[19] On the other hand, the historian Anders Winroth emphasizes that the goðar, through their conversion, "monopolized religion for their group, making it more difficult for new men to join their ranks".

[31] All pagan customs confirmed by Thorgeir Thorkelsson's verdict – including the worship of Norse deities in private – were abolished in 1016, mainly due to the efforts by King Olaf II of Norway.

[25][33] Individual landowners – either goðar or simple farmers – played a preeminent role in the process: they built the earliest churches and employed the first priests.

[33] Likewise a priest hired by a landowner – known as ðingaprestr – became a member of his employer's household, but he received a regular fee for his services and could serve in more than one church.

If they make no special agreement and a man takes the priestling for his church in accordance with the article of the law, then he is to provide him with instruction and fostering; and have him chastised only in such a way that it brings no shame on the boy or his kin; and treat him as if he were his own child.

[38][44] If bishops or priests come to this country who are not versed in the Latin language, whether they are "Armenians" or Ruthenians, it is lawful for people to hear their services if they wish.

[51] Laymen often required bishops to act as impartial peacemakers or advisors which suggests the Icelandic prelates' highly esteemed social status.

[56] He often turned to his superior, the archbishop of Nidaros to defend his case, which created an opportunity for the Norwegian prelate for intervening in the Icelandic Church affairs.

[56] The archbishop even refused to appoint the candidates the Alþingi proposed in 1237 to the two Icelandic episcopal sees and consecrated his two fellow countrymen as bishops.

[64] However, it was Gissur Thorvaldsson, Earl of Iceland (r. 1258–1268) who between 1262 and 1264 persuaded all goðar to accept the suzerainty of King Hakon IV Hakonson of Norway (r.

[72] Upon the young king's death, his mother, Queen Margaret (1387–1412) followed him as "the mighty lady and right master" of Denmark, Norway and all their dependencies, including Iceland.

[77] Connections with the Hansa Towns contributed to the early appearance of Protestant ideas, because most German merchants who settled in Iceland accepted Martin Luther's teaching.

[85] The Roman Catholic Church accumulated significant wealth – including landed property, cattle, trading ships, and precious metals – by the end of the period.

[88] The internal conflict ended with the victory of the deposed monarch's opponent, Christian III (1534–1559)[88] who had since 1521 been a staunch supporter of Luther's views.

[90] Furthermore, the two Catholic bishops – Ögmundur Pálsson of Skálholt and Jón Arason of Hólar – took over the government of the country for the years of the Danish civil war.

[93] The earliest Icelandic translation of the New Testament – which was made by Oddur Gottskálksson, one of the secret Lutherans at Bishop Ögmundur Pálsson's court – was published in Denmark in 1540.

[93] Assisted by Gissur Einarsson, the royal representatives persuaded the Alþingi of 1541 to accept the introduction of the Church Ordinance in the Diocese of Skálholt.

[100] For instance, Hallgrímur Pétursson wrote his Passion Psalms in this period, and Bishop Jón Vidalin of Skálholt (1698–1720)[101] composed a popular book of Family Sermons.

[104] A general fear of damnation to Hell (the main door of which was suspected to be on Mount Hekla)[105] emerged among laymen which contributed to their adoption of a lifestyle required by the Lutheran Church.

[104][106] The overwhelming majority of the victims of witch-hunt were men, which distinguishes Iceland from other parts of Europe where the number of women burned at the stake was higher.

[106] King Frederick III of Denmark (1648–1670) decided to get rid of all barriers of royal power and introduce an absolute monarchy in his realms.

[112] For instance, legend says that Jón Steingrímsson, a clergyman serving in Kirkjubæjarklaustur stopped the flowing lava just at the walls of his church by his "Fire Sermon".

[112] Bishop Hannes Finnsson of Skálholt moved to Reykjavík in 1785 because an earthquake that followed the Skaftá Fires destroyed all buildings at his see.