Spirituality and social work: A Norwegian reflection

Abstract

Abstract Inasmuch as social work practice is influenced by the context in which it is performed, it will in some way be influenced by the prevailing belief systems in a country. This article presents some of the context influencing social work in Norway. Even though Norway has a State Church based on the Evangelical‐Lutheran faith, the training of social workers is particularly inclusive of neither a religious nor a spiritual perspective. Religion and spirituality are not a central part in social work practice. We might rather hypothesize that the State Church and its influence on K‐12 education makes religion and culture so intertwined that it is hard to separate them from each other, and that this blend creates a negative alertness for religion and spirituality in general.