Princess Ingrid Alexandra's confirmation: August 31, 2019

[Somebody]

Reply 1: The RF wanted to focus on the environment because this is something both they and the Church of Norway care about. But that doesn't mean it was at the expense of Bible-related teaching.

So, what exactly was the main Biblical message at the confirmation ceremony?

Reply 2: Wartenberg7 wanted to know what Bishop Veiteberg said that ''shocked The Princess a second'' and made everyone laugh. I then explained the stuff you quoted above. (Yes, I chose to double-quote the post, so people could see what I had written.)

And let's translate what the bishop went on to say: Ingrid had continued: ''Men spør meg gjerne om noe skikkelig vanskelig!''
''But feel free to ask me something really difficult!" (Indicating that what her father was asked about back in 1988 wasn't difficult enough. LOL. And yes, I love her more and more!)
The bishop then said: ''Kjære konfirmant, dessverre kommer det ingen vanskelige spørsmål fra meg. Jeg vil heller si: Hold fram med å stille spørsmål om det som er viktig og vanskeleg! Og finn gjerne fram til de voksenpersonene, eller de vennene, som har evne og klokskap til å romme de. Som ser deg og vil deg vel.''
''Dear Confirmand, *Unfortunately* (be aware that this word was used ironically), there will come no difficult questions from me. I'd rather say: Keep asking questions about what's important and difficult! And feel free to find those adults, or friends, who have the ability and wisdom to accommodate them. Who sees you and wants you well.'' (Yes, I could have written ''answer'' instead of ''accommodate,'' but not what Veiteberg said.)

BTW: To those wondering why the then Prince Haakon had to answer questions and not Princess Ingrid?
Well, when The Crown Prince was confirmed, he had to attend a so-called ''overhøringsgudstjeneste'' (''overhearing-service'') in Asker Church some days prior to the day itself, where he and the other confirmands were questioned by the priest. But that was changed in the 1990s, so it's not something one does today.

Hope this cleared it up for you (for the poster ''Somebody,'' I mean)!

Thanks! That's a great story about the princess asking for 'more difficult questions'!

That was actually (and still is) the main thing here too!

In Denmark-Norway, confirmation was required by law in 1736. It was enacted that everyone during their youth should be confirmed through a public examination of the Christian faith and an ecclesiastical initiation. With this, it became a legal necessity for full entry into the adult community. No one could take military service, marry, be a godparent at a christening or testify in court without having done it. And if one didn't pass the exam in the church, you were "disproved" and had to be confirmed again next year. God! And if you hadn't met for it within the age of 19, one could be punished with prison or the pillory (heavens, glad I wasn't around in those days).

The confirmation, BTW, remained mandatory in Norway until 1912.

But to mention another thing, the significance of the confirmation in Norway is, I would say, much bigger than in Sweden. And according to Norwegian commentators/experts, even bigger than in DK!
Yes, it is actually considered to be one of the biggest milestones in a Norwegian's life, ''det er da du skal tre inn i de voksnes rekker'' (''that's when you step into the ranks of adults'') as we say it here.

And as I wrote in post 38, whether one is confirmed in The Norwegian Church (which a record-low 56% chose to do in 2018), in a humanistic way (which a record-high 18% opted for) or in another way (as the rest did, i.e. in another church or in a nonfirmation), it's celebrated with a BIG celebratory dinner for family/friends (including grandparents, uncles/aunts, cousins, etc) where one is given a LOT of money. And where it's VERY common for the females to use bunad.

Thanks again, this seems to confirm that my take that this is primarily a 'coming of age' ceremony and secondary a 'Christian version' of it seems about right.