Religion in Finland

Helsinki Cathedral

Finland is a predominantly Christian nation where 62.2 % of the Finnish population of 5.6 million are members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (Protestant), 34.9 % are unaffiliated, 1.0% are Orthodox Christians, and 1,8 % follow other religions. [1] These statistics do not include, for example, asylum seekers who have not been granted a permanent residence permit.[2]

There are two national churches (as opposed to state churches): the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (Protestant) and the Finnish Orthodox Church.[3][4] Those who officially belong to one of the two national churches have part of their taxes turned over to their respective church (approximately 1-2% of income).[5]

There are also approximately 44,000 followers of Pentecostal Christianity,[6] and more than 12,000 Catholic Christians in Finland, along with Anglicans, and some various Independent Christian communities. Prior to its Christianisation, beginning in the 11th century, Finnish paganism was the country's primary religion.

  1. ^ Statistics Finland Population structure on 31 December Religion, %
  2. ^ Statistics Finland. "Statistics Finland – About statistics – Population structure". Archived from the original on 31 August 2022. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Kolme neljästä suomalaisesta kuuluu luterilaiseen kirkkoon". HS.fi (in Finnish). Sanoma. 1 February 2013. Archived from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  4. ^ "Kirkon väestötilasto 2012". ORT.fi (in Finnish). Suomen ortodoksinen kirkko. 23 January 2012. Archived from the original on 28 May 2013. Retrieved 17 May 2013.
  5. ^ "Finland". Archived from the original on 31 May 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  6. ^ "Helluntaiseurakuntien jäsenmäärä pienimmillään 25 vuoteen". suomenhelluntaikirkko.fi (in Finnish). Suomen helluntaikirkko. 2021. Retrieved 3 October 2023.

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