Denmark: Kindergarten cancels Christmas church service
Via Frederiksborg Amts Avis (Danish):
The Ørnevang kindergarten will not participate in the traditional Christmas service at Lillerød church this year. The kindergarten decided to cancel its participation out of consideration for the non-Christian children.
Local priest Carsten Mulnæs asks why children from culturally-open Muslim families and all other families are being deprived of a piece of Danish Christmas tradition, just because several families or teachers do not want to expose the children to benedictions.
Manager Susan Lund Andersen says that the kindergarten has many Muslim children who weren't able to participate in the event because their parents did not want their children to participate in prayer or benedictions in the Church of Denmark.
Susan Lund Andersen also met with Danish parents who don't want their children to get a benediction, where the family is not a member of the church of Denmark. She says they decided it should be the parents' responsibility to take their children to whatever service they prefer.
the issue will now be discussed by the board.
