Protestantism in Luxembourg
Encyclopedia
The practice of Protestantism in Luxembourg is divided across several different churches and denominations
. The largest Protestant churches in the Grand Duchy are the Protestant Church of Luxembourg
, Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg
, Evangelical Church in Germany
, Church of England
, and Protestant Church in the Netherlands
. Altogether, Protestantism is the largest minority religion
in Luxembourg (after the majority Roman Catholic Church
), with estimates of adherents ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 (1% to 3.2% of the population).
ists, Protestantism was outlawed in Luxembourg until 1768. By 1815, Luxembourg had small populations of Lutherans
, Calvinists
, and Waldensians
. The Congress of Vienna
changed the religious establishment; not only did Luxembourg pass to the Protestant House of Orange-Nassau
, but it was also occupied by the armies of Protestant Prussia
. The first permanent Protestant church was Luxembourg City's Baroque
Trinity Church, which was appropriated by the Prussian garrison to hold their services. When the Prussian army left Luxembourg, the Trinity Church passed to the civilian population.
Most of the nineteenth century saw little change in the religious composition of Luxembourg's population, with only a marginal increase in the number of Protestants. However, towards the end, tens of thousands of German immigrants, many of whom were Lutheran or Calvinist, moved to Luxembourg to work in the steel
industry. Grand Duke Adolphe
sought to both recognise the contribution of Protestants and to establish state authority over the new denominations. To these ends, he ordered the creation of a new church, the Protestant Church of Luxembourg (PKL), which would unite the Lutherans and Calvinists together. Immediately, new church became recognised by the state as an officially-mandated religion, similar in status to the Roman Catholic Church.
Nonetheless, generally, Protestants did not join the new church. The Grand Ducal decree that established the PKL described its theology
as "of the Augsburg and Helvetian creeds", meaning a synthesis of Lutheranism and Calvinism. This alienated the new immigrants, who were unwilling to change their religious beliefs to conform, and the separate creeds survived. In recognition of the failure to unite the churches, in 1982, the state created the Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg (PRKL), a Calvinist church based in Esch-sur-Alzette
.
Throughout the twentieth century, the growth of expatriate
s in Luxembourg caused a surge in number of foreign Protestant churches. New churches includes Lutheran churches from the Netherlands
, Denmark
, and Sweden
, Anglican
and Presbyterian
churches from the United Kingdom
, and Evangelical
churches from the United States
. In 2003, the Church of England
unsuccessfully applied to be given the same officially-mandated status as the PKL and the PRKL.
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
. The largest Protestant churches in the Grand Duchy are the Protestant Church of Luxembourg
Protestant Church of Luxembourg
The Protestant Church of Luxembourg is a Protestant denomination that operates solely in Luxembourg. It is a united church, unifying facets of Calvinism and Lutheranism.The church was founded by order of Grand Duke Adolphe on 16 April 1894...
, Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg
Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg
The Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg is a Protestant reformed church that operates solely in Luxembourg.Established in 1982 by decree of Grand Duke Jean, it is one of the six state-supported...
, Evangelical Church in Germany
Evangelical Church in Germany
The Evangelical Church in Germany is a federation of 22 Lutheran, Unified and Reformed Protestant regional church bodies in Germany. The EKD is not a church in a theological understanding because of the denominational differences. However, the member churches share full pulpit and altar...
, Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
, and Protestant Church in the Netherlands
Protestant Church in the Netherlands
The Protestant Church in the Netherlands is the largest Protestant Christian denomination in the Netherlands. With 2,000 congregations and a membership of some 1.8 million , it is the second largest church in the Netherlands after the Roman Catholic Church.It was founded 1 May 2004 as a merger of...
. Altogether, Protestantism is the largest minority religion
Minority religion
A minority religion is a religion held by a minority of the population of a country, state, or region. Minority religions may be subject to stigma or discrimination. An example of a stigma is using the term cult with its extremely negative connotations for certain new religious movements...
in Luxembourg (after the majority Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
), with estimates of adherents ranging from 5,000 to 15,000 (1% to 3.2% of the population).
History
As a result of fierce opposition by Jesuit counter-ReformationCounter-Reformation
The Counter-Reformation was the period of Catholic revival beginning with the Council of Trent and ending at the close of the Thirty Years' War, 1648 as a response to the Protestant Reformation.The Counter-Reformation was a comprehensive effort, composed of four major elements:#Ecclesiastical or...
ists, Protestantism was outlawed in Luxembourg until 1768. By 1815, Luxembourg had small populations of Lutherans
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
, Calvinists
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
, and Waldensians
Waldensians
Waldensians, Waldenses or Vaudois are names for a Christian movement of the later Middle Ages, descendants of which still exist in various regions, primarily in North-Western Italy. There is considerable uncertainty about the earlier history of the Waldenses because of a lack of extant source...
. The Congress of Vienna
Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna was a conference of ambassadors of European states chaired by Klemens Wenzel von Metternich, and held in Vienna from September, 1814 to June, 1815. The objective of the Congress was to settle the many issues arising from the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic Wars,...
changed the religious establishment; not only did Luxembourg pass to the Protestant House of Orange-Nassau
House of Orange-Nassau
The House of Orange-Nassau , a branch of the European House of Nassau, has played a central role in the political life of the Netherlands — and at times in Europe — since William I of Orange organized the Dutch revolt against Spanish rule, which after the Eighty Years' War...
, but it was also occupied by the armies of Protestant Prussia
Kingdom of Prussia
The Kingdom of Prussia was a German kingdom from 1701 to 1918. Until the defeat of Germany in World War I, it comprised almost two-thirds of the area of the German Empire...
. The first permanent Protestant church was Luxembourg City's Baroque
Baroque architecture
Baroque architecture is a term used to describe the building style of the Baroque era, begun in late sixteenth century Italy, that took the Roman vocabulary of Renaissance architecture and used it in a new rhetorical and theatrical fashion, often to express the triumph of the Catholic Church and...
Trinity Church, which was appropriated by the Prussian garrison to hold their services. When the Prussian army left Luxembourg, the Trinity Church passed to the civilian population.
Most of the nineteenth century saw little change in the religious composition of Luxembourg's population, with only a marginal increase in the number of Protestants. However, towards the end, tens of thousands of German immigrants, many of whom were Lutheran or Calvinist, moved to Luxembourg to work in the steel
Steel
Steel is an alloy that consists mostly of iron and has a carbon content between 0.2% and 2.1% by weight, depending on the grade. Carbon is the most common alloying material for iron, but various other alloying elements are used, such as manganese, chromium, vanadium, and tungsten...
industry. Grand Duke Adolphe
Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg
Adolphe I, Grand Duke of Luxembourg was the last Duke of Nassau, and the fourth Grand Duke of Luxembourg.-Biography:...
sought to both recognise the contribution of Protestants and to establish state authority over the new denominations. To these ends, he ordered the creation of a new church, the Protestant Church of Luxembourg (PKL), which would unite the Lutherans and Calvinists together. Immediately, new church became recognised by the state as an officially-mandated religion, similar in status to the Roman Catholic Church.
Nonetheless, generally, Protestants did not join the new church. The Grand Ducal decree that established the PKL described its theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
as "of the Augsburg and Helvetian creeds", meaning a synthesis of Lutheranism and Calvinism. This alienated the new immigrants, who were unwilling to change their religious beliefs to conform, and the separate creeds survived. In recognition of the failure to unite the churches, in 1982, the state created the Protestant Reformed Church of Luxembourg (PRKL), a Calvinist church based in Esch-sur-Alzette
Esch-sur-Alzette
Esch-sur-Alzette is a commune with city status, in south-western Luxembourg. It is the country's second city, and its second-most populous commune, with a population of 29,853 people...
.
Throughout the twentieth century, the growth of expatriate
Expatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s in Luxembourg caused a surge in number of foreign Protestant churches. New churches includes Lutheran churches from the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, and Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
and Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
churches from the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
churches from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2003, the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
unsuccessfully applied to be given the same officially-mandated status as the PKL and the PRKL.