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BBC World Service - Heart and Soul, Money Iceland

Heart and Soul examines the role of the National Church of Iceland and how it is responding to the country's financial collapse.

"Looking back we might say we failed… the prophetic voice of the church was not loud enough" - Karl Sigurbjornsson, the Bishop of Iceland on the failure of the country's state religion to have any impact on the financial disaster which has devastated Iceland.

This small island of 300,000 inhabitants became one of the richest countries in the world during the boom years, until its banks collapsed owing billions last year - now unemployment is rising, and there's fear about what will happen to the country's currency. More than 90% of people are said to be Christian - the overwhelming majority Lutheran, the state religion. 

HEART AND SOUL examines the role of the National church of Iceland during the "good times", and how it is responding to the country's collapse. RICHARD COLES asks whether this is an opportunity for it to have a real say in the country's future, or whether it signals an end to the influence of the national church.

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