# Confirmation becomes compulsory (1736)

URL: https://allhistories.com/norway/timeline/1736-confirmation-becomes-compulsory
Location: Denmark–Norway (ordinance from Copenhagen)
Themes: Key Events

In 1736 the Pietist king Christian VI made confirmation compulsory for all young people in Denmark–Norway. Before being confirmed, candidates had to be examined by the parish priest on their knowledge of Christian doctrine,. In 1737 Erik Pontoppidan published the textbook Sandhed til Gudfrygtighed, an explanation of Luther's Small Catechism in 759 questions and answers. Christian VI and his officials sought to deepen popular piety through Pietist reforms of church and education. Because candidates needed to understand the catechism, the reform created pressure for basic literacy and led directly to the school ordinance of 1739. Pontoppidan's explanation was used in Norwegian religious instruction for generations, and confirmation remained compulsory in Norway until 1912.

## Why it matters
Compulsory confirmation tied every Norwegian to church instruction and, through its demand for reading, became a driving force behind mass literacy.

Ruler at the Time: [Christian VI](https://allhistories.com/norway/rulers/christian-vi)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Christian VI](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_VI)
- [Wikipedia — Erik Pontoppidan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Pontoppidan)
- [Store norske leksikon — Konfirmasjon](https://snl.no/konfirmasjon)
- [Wikipedia — Absolute Monarchy (period overview)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denmark–Norway)