Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs of Denmark () is a Danish political minister office. The main responsibility of the minister is the Church of Denmark. The minister is politically appointed without any requirements being a member of the state church.

The office was created in 1916 when the post Kultus Minister was split up into the posts of Minister of Education and Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs. The new Minister of Ecclesiastical Affairs also took over the responsibility for culture from the Kultus Minister. In 1961 responsibility of culture was transferred to the Minister of Cultural Affairs.

Since 3 June 2026, Ida Auken from the Social Democrats, holds the post in the third Frederiksen cabinet.

List of ministers Portrait Name Term of office Political party Government Took office Left office Time in office 1 28 April 1916 30 March 1920 Social Liberal Zahle II 2 30 March 1920 5 April 1920 Independent Liebe 3 5 April 1920 5 May 1920 Independent Friis 4 Jens Christian Christensen 5 May 1920 15 August 1922 Venstre Neergaard II 5 15 August 1922 23 April 1924 Venstre Neergaard II–III 6 23 April 1924 14 December 1926 Social Democrats Stauning I 7 14 December 1926 30 April 1929 Venstre Madsen-Mygdal (6) 30 April 1929 4 November 1935 Social Democrats Stauning II 8 4 November 1935 8 July 1940 Social Democrats Stauning III–IV–V 9 8 July 1940 9 November 1942 Conservative People's Party Stauning VIBuhl I 10 9 November 1942 29 August 1943 Independent Scavenius No Danish government in between and . Office is assumed by the permanent secretary. 11 Arne Sørensen 5 May 1945 7 November 1945 Danish Unity Buhl II – 7 November 1945 12 November 1945 Venstre Kristensen 12 12 November 1945 13 November 1947 Venstre Kristensen 13 13 November 1947 16 September 1950 Social Democrats Hedtoft I 14 Bodil Koch 16 September 1950 30 October 1950 Social Democrats Hedtoft II 15 Jens Sønderup 30 October 1950 13 September 1951 Venstre Eriksen (12) 13 September 1951 30 September 1953 Venstre Eriksen (14) Bodil Koch 30 September 1953 28 November 1966 Social Democrats Hedtoft IIIHansen I–IIKampmann I–IIKrag I–II 16 Orla Møller 28 November 1966 2 February 1968 Social Democrats Krag II 17 2 February 1968 11 October 1971 Venstre Baunsgaard 18 Dorte Bennedsen 11 October 1971 19 December 1973 Social Democrats Krag IIIJørgensen I 19 19 December 1973 29 January 1975 Venstre Hartling 20 Jørgen Peder Hansen 13 February 1975 30 August 1978 Social Democrats Jørgensen II 21 Egon Jensen 30 August 1978 26 October 1979 Social Democrats Jørgensen III (20) Jørgen Peder Hansen 26 October 1979 20 January 1981 Social Democrats Jørgensen IV 22 Tove Lindbo Larsen 20 January 1981 10 September 1982 Social Democrats Jørgensen IV–V 23 Elsebeth Kock-Petersen 10 September 1982 23 July 1984 Venstre Schlüter I 24 Mette Madsen 23 July 1984 3 June 1988 Venstre Schlüter I–II 25 Torben Rechendorff 3 June 1988 25 January 1993 Conservative People's Party Schlüter III–IV 26 25 January 1993 27 September 1994 Centre Democrats P. N. Rasmussen I 27 Birte Weiss 27 September 1994 30 December 1996 Social Democrats P. N. Rasmussen II 28 30 December 1996 23 March 1998 Social Liberal P. N. Rasmussen III 29 Margrethe Vestager 23 March 1998 21 December 2000 Social Liberal P. N. Rasmussen IV 30 Johannes Lebech 21 December 2000 27 November 2001 Social Liberal P. N. Rasmussen IV 31 Tove Fergo 27 November 2001 18 February 2005 Venstre A. F. Rasmussen I 32 Bertel Haarder 18 February 2005 23 November 2007 Venstre A. F. Rasmussen II 33 Birthe Rønn Hornbech 23 November 2007 8 March 2011 Venstre A. F. Rasmussen IIIL. L. Rasmussen I 34 Per Stig Møller 23 February 2010 3 October 2011 Conservative People's Party L. L. Rasmussen I 35 Manu Sareen 3 October 2011 6 December 2012 Social Liberal Thorning-Schmidt I 36 Marianne Jelved 6 December 2012 28 June 2015 Social Liberal Thorning-Schmidt I–II (32) Bertel Haarder 28 June 2015 28 November 2016 Venstre L. L. Rasmussen II 37 Mette Bock 28 November 2016 27 June 2019 Liberal Alliance L. L. Rasmussen III 38 Joy Mogensen 27 June 2019 16 August 2021 Social Democrats Frederiksen I 39 Ane Halsboe-Jørgensen 16 August 2021 15 December 2022 Social Democrats Frederiksen I 40 Louise Schack Elholm 15 December 2022 23 November 2023 Venstre Frederiksen II 41 Morten Dahlin 23 November 2023 3 June 2026 Venstre Frederiksen II 42 Ida Auken 3 June 2026 Incumbent Social Democrats Frederiksen III

Notes

References

List of Church Ministers - From the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs. Danske Regeringsledere - Danish cabinets from 1848 to today. Danish Governments - From Folketinget.

External links The Danish Church Minister - From the Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs.