Karen Horsens

Karen Horsens (born 1932) is a retired Danish minister. In 1981, she became the first woman to be a dean of the Church of Denmark when she was appointed to the cathedral provostship of Roskilde where she served until her retirement in 1998.

Biography Born on 18 September 1932 in Aalborg, Karen Horsens was one of the three daughters of the bicycle retailer Alfred Horsens (1897–1971) and Karla Kristensen (1900–1989). On matriculating from Aalborg Cathedral School in 1951, she decided to study theology which at the time was an unusual choice for a girl. In 1957, she became the first woman theologian to receive Aalborg University's gold medal for a dissertation on Bishop Peder Madsen. On graduating as Cand.theol. in 1958, she continued her studies abroad, first in Oslo and later in New York on a fellowship from the American Association of University Women.

Awards In 1986, Horsens was honoured as a Knight of the Order of the Dannebrog and in 1992 as a Knight 1st Class.