Jerusalem and the Christianization of Norway (original) (raw)

The Christianization of Norway spanned over centuries and covered much of what is now known as the Viking Age (late eighth to early eleventh centuries). At the turn of the first millennium, this process was in the phase of institutionalization: churches were built, and church laws were introduced. People who failed to meet basic regulations concerning food and fasting, baptism of children, exogamous marriages, etc., were sanctioned with outlawry. This punishment was also found before Christianization, banishing those who violated the balance in the farming society based on notions of honour. In spatial terms, the new church legislation challenged the farm as the focal point in society and world view, but at the same time used established terminology and conceptions. Bjørn Bandlien, Professor of Medieval History, University of South-Eastern Norway 1 De eldste østlandske kristenrettene, ed. Eyvind Fjeld Halvorsen and Magnus Rindal, Norrøne tekster, 7, Oslo: Riksarkivet, 2008,122: Þet er uphaf lagha uarra. at austr skulum luta oc gevaz Kristi røkia kirkiur oc kenne men. (My translation.)