Det folkelige gennembruds storhed og fald i Det forjættede Land

Resumé

Abstract
Henrik Pontoppidan’s novel “Det forjættede land” (The Promised Land) deals with fundamental changes in church-related circles related to the popular breakthrough in the second half of the 19th century. Taking the starting point in the history of the protestant reformation, the paper analyzes Pontoppidan’s characters and tensions within the Grundtvigian movement from its triumphal beginning over increasing internal conflicts to the final breakdown and diffusion into new positions. Also, the paper presents an analysis of the novel’s place in Pontoppidan’s body of writing as well as striking similarities and differences between positions in the novel and contemporary theological and church-related differences.