Paper short abstract:

The paper suggests a model that analyses civil religion in Denmark as a relational construct vis-à-vis other states and as set of rituals and celebrations that are interwoven with celebrations and rituals of church and family.

Paper long abstract:

Drawing on the sociology of Norbert Elias and Emile Durkheim as well as recent research in collective emotions and social ontology, the paper suggests a model that analyses civil religion in Denmark as a relational construct vis-à-vis other states and as a set of rituals and celebrations that are interwoven with celebrations and rituals of church and family.

By doing so, the model is able to explain a somewhat neglected fact, namely the widespread references to other states (and wars against them) found in civil religion. In addition, the paper suggests that mainstream religious practice in Denmark could be seen as a complex system of celebrations and rituals that are intertwined and interwoven.