cultural resources in henrik ibsen's early environment - Ibsen.net

B. SKIEN.
I. From Terje Christensen. Gjerpen Bygds Historie. Vol. 2: Bygdehistorie.
Fra Omkring 1700 til 1964. Skien: Utgitt av Skien kommune, 1978.
A Norwegian historian, Terje Christensen, wrote a three-volume history of
Gjerpen parish, where Ibsen lived between the ages of 7 and 15, where he received his
elementary education, and in whose Lutheran church he was confirmed. Following are
translations of several selections from Christensen's work:
PP. 562 ff. "The preaching of the word -- in and outside the state church."
Hans Nielsen Hauge's preaching around 1800 had a lasting effect in Gjerpen. For
a few people the encounter with Hauge was decisive for their lives. The strong inner life
of faith which was awakened in a few prepared the ground for religious trends which
would seize many more later in the century.
Those who carried the flame forward more than anyone else were Erik Eriksen
and his wife Ingeborg in Bøle. Hauge had stayed at their farm when he visited the
district, and he also exchanged letters with the family there. Here lay the center of the
movement, which had initially acquired its members at Uthaugen. Other friends of
Hauge's were Jacob Hansen at Nærum, who was married to Ragnhild Eriksdatter Bøhle,
and Lars Larsen Aabye at Meen. But there were also parish people in other parts who
wanted to hear Hauge's message and were willing to open their homes to him. After
many years in prison he was feeble and broken and could not resume his earlier travelling
activity again. But in any case he was on a visit here as late as 1818, and held prayer
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