Finland - Research Article from Encyclopedia of Religious Practices

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 11 pages of information about Finland.

Finland - Research Article from Encyclopedia of Religious Practices

This encyclopedia article consists of approximately 11 pages of information about Finland.
This section contains 3,151 words
(approx. 11 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Finland Encyclopedia Article

POPULATION 5,183,545
EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN 84.9 percent
ORTHODOX CHRISTIAN 1.1 percent
PENTECOSTAL 1 percent
OTHER 1.1 percent
NONAFFILIATED 11.9 percent

Finland

Country Overview

Introduction

Situated in northern Europe between Sweden and Russia, Finland has been strongly influenced by both of these countries throughout its history. It was ruled by Sweden from the 1320s until 1809, when it became an autonomous grand duchy of the Russian Empire. Independence from Russia in 1917 was followed by a brief but devastating civil war in 1918 and, finally, confirmation of the constitution of the Republic of Finland in 1919.

In 1157 the Swedes launched the first of three crusades into Finland in an attempt to gain control of the country and to spread the word of Christianity there. Ultimately the Swede's Roman Catholicism replaced the indigenous religions of the Finns. Even before the arrival of the Swedes, Orthodox missionaries from Russia had worked in eastern Finland, notably the area around Lake Ladoga in Karelia. These...

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This section contains 3,151 words
(approx. 11 pages at 300 words per page)
Buy the Finland Encyclopedia Article
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Gale
Finland from Gale. ©2005-2006 Thomson Gale, a part of the Thomson Corporation. All rights reserved.