Norwegian Prestegjeld

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A Prestegjeld (Clerical District) is a geographic and administrative area of the church of Norway (Den Norske Kirke). A prestegjeld can consist of one or many congregations or sogn (Parishes). A prestegjeld usually has several prestestillinger or kappelaner (chaplains) who administratively serves under the sogneprest (Parish priest). A prestegjeld had others employed such as a curate, deacon and cantor. This group was employed by the prestegjeld and did service in all the parishes in the prestegjeld. The parish priest was to report to the Prost. See Prosti.

From 1989 the parish priest and chaplains are appointed by the bispeømmene (bishopric counsel). There are approximately 1300 priests serving in the congregations in Den norske kirke (The Norwegian Church). The prestegjeld was the administrative jurisdiction by itself for the Norwegian church up to 2004 when the a change took place and now and each sogn (parish) took over and became the administrative area for the a given parish, and the priest are employed by the Prosti. See Prosti.

A separation of church and state in Norway took place in 2012.

References: -Wikipedia. “Prestegjeld.” &lt;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestegjeld&gt;. Accessed 15 November 2012. -Wikipedia. “Prestegjeld.” &lt;http://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestegjeld&gt;. Accessed 15 November 2012. -Imsen, Steinar and Winge, Harald. Norsk Historisk Leksikon- Kultur og samfunn ca. 1500 – ca. 1800, Pages 324-331, 2nd ed. (Oslo: Cappelen Akademisk Forlag, 2004). Accessed 15 November 2012.