Desperate opposition

In 2006, a fellow pastor and I were reported for heresy to the diocesan chapter of Porvoo. The reason eas that we had participated in an ongoing debate about sexual minorities in the Church, and since we wanted to accept them, we were labeled heretics. Well, the Chapter didn't agree and we were exonorated.

Now, an even flimsier excuse has been used to report another pastor to the Chapter of her diocese, Mikkeli in eastern Finland. Pastor Maarit Hirvi of Sammonlahti parish wrote a letter to the Editor of a local paper, saying that if the gender neutral marriage law now being prepared is passed by Parliament, and if pastors are given the right to marry same-sex couples, she would be prepared to do so. Kotimaa24 reported this on October 18.
So, if a hypothetical legal situation arises, she is willing to follow the law. That was the extent of her message, but that was enough for someone to react. This reaction is, in my opinion, desperate and ridiculous. If you are opposed to the aforementioned law, to the Church adopting its principles, and to pastors willingly following it, then there are ample political measures yet to use in your struggle. Legally persecuting individual opponents is hardly above board.

I have no doubt that pastor Hirvi will be exonorated, just as we were eight years ago. But i know how taxing the situation can be, so I wish her strength!

Mekane Yesus severs relationship with ELCA, CofS

The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus is severing its relationship with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), the Church of Sweden and “those churches who have openly accepted same-sex marriage.”
The action for “all Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus departments and institutions (at every level) to implement this decision” was ratified at the denomination’s general assembly, which met Jan. 27-Feb. 2 in Addis Ababa. The denomination’s church council took action at its July 2012 meeting to initially sever these relationships.
“The ELCA is very saddened by this decision,” said the Rev. Rafael Malpica Padilla, executive director for ELCA Global Mission. [...]
To ensure that the decisions by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus are implemented, members of the denomination “will not receive Holy Communion from the leadership and pastors of the (ELCA and the Church of Sweden). The Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus will not distribute communion to these churches,” as stated in the minutes of the denomination’s July 2012 council meeting. [...]
While the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus is “closing the door to this partnership,” Malpica Padilla said that the ELCA and the Church of Sweden “are not locking the doors from our side. It is open for when you decide it is time to resume this journey together. It is my hope that in the near future, we will again walk together in Christian love. We will do this not because of doctrinal agreements or consensus, but because the gospel compels us to do so.” [...]
The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said the actions of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus are “deeply troubling.”
“Our own statement on human sexuality acknowledges that the position held by the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus is also held by members of the ELCA. We are not of one mind, but we are one in Christ, in faith and in baptism,” said Hanson, adding that the relationships between Lutherans in North America and in Ethiopia “has been sustained through periods of oppression, divisions within the Ethiopian church and in times of turmoil among Lutherans in North America. The action of the Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus church diminishes our capacity together to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ, to serve our neighbors and to care for the creation. [...]” 

ELCA 7.2.13

Iceland: First female bishop

Iceland’s first female bishop, Agnes M. Sigurðardóttir, was consecrated in Hallgrímskirkja, the cathedral of Reykjavik, on 24 June 2012. Sigurðardóttir was elected with 64.3 percent of votes in a second round of elections. She succeeds Karl Sigurbjörnsson, who retired at the end of June. The new bishop has worked with youth, as a parish pastor and as regional dean.

The Lutheran World Federation (LWF) General Secretary Rev. Martin Junge has welcomed the installation of Bishop, as an affirmation of the leadership role women play in the church.
“We celebrate your ordination as a bishop in the memory of Jesus’ commissioning women disciples to become his followers and partaking in God’s mission to the world,” Junge said in a congratulatory greeting conveyed on behalf of the LWF by Bishop Jana Jeruma-Grinberga, Lutheran Church in Great Britain, at a reception following consecration service.

One of the main goals of the new bishop will be to attract more people to The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland, which has suffered losses in recent years. “We should do that with joy and interest, not just to raise the number, but because of the good message that we are entrusted with,” she said.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Iceland has 247,245 members.

LWF 11.7.12
ENI 11.7.12
evl.fi 12.7.12



Denmark: Parliament introduces same-sex marriage

Folketinget, the Danish Parliament, has voted to allow same-sex couples to marry, Österbottens Tidning reports 7.6.12. Previously, they had only been allowed to register their partnerships. The new law was passed by 85 votes to 24.
Since Denmark has a state church, the new law immediately takes effect also within the (Lutheran) church. The church is divided, however; one pastor in three is unwilling to perform same-sex marriages. The new law gives them the right to refuse to do so. 

ELCF extends hand to immigrants

A remnant of the bond between Church and State in Finland is the fact that members of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland (ELCF) have to have a registered home municipality in Finland. Citizenship is not required, however.

Now, the ELCF is endeavouring to help immigrants join its ranks. Most immigrants, a majority of which are nominally Christian, do have a registered home municipality, but some, especially refugees, do not.
In September, the House of Bishops gave support to a change in the law to allow immigrants to join even if they do not have a registered home municipality. Archbishop Kari Mäkinen says the aim is to ensure that immigrants could join any congregation without legal obstacles. I welcome this move; it is about time!

The ELCF has developed various services for immigrants over the years mainly in big cities. Other denominations also offer similar services. Membership of non-Lutheran denominations such as The Finnish Free Church or the Finnish Orthodox church does not require registration.

Evangelical Lutheran Church extends hand to immigrants (YLE News 14.9.11)
Ingen finsk hemort inget hinder för medlemskap (Kyrkpressen 15.9.11)

Latvia: Churches defend "traditional family values"

Leaders of the Lutheran, Catholic, Baptist and Adventist churches in Latvia have criticized a new social science school textbook that describes gay and lesbian life as a ”normal aspect of sexuality.” The Latvian Ministry of Education is giving in to the Churches’ demands, and that, in turn, is criticized by local representatives of sexual- minorities.
The Churches promise to continue to defend ”traditional family values”. ”The church isn't alone in its traditional view of the family in Latvia,” said Ivars Kubcis, spokesman for the country's Evangelical Lutheran church (ELCL).

About a quarter of the Latvians are Lutherans and Catholics, respectively, while some six per cent are Orthodox.
Latvia decriminalized homosexuality as late as 1993, and was the last EU member to forbid discrimination of homosexuals in 2006.

Latvian churches reiterate condemnation of homosexuality (ENInews 17.6.11)
Latvian kirkot paheksuvat oppikirjaa (Kotimaa24 23.6.11)



CofS pastors must perform marriages

In the year 2009, the General Synod of the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden decided to enlarge the concept of marriage to include same-sex couples. In other words, a gender neutral marriage was created. Pastors who conscienciously objected to the new order were to be allowed to refrain from marrying same-sex couples.
In spite of this, a handful of oastors elected to apply to have their licence to perform marriages revoked. The state office called Kammarkollegiet granted them this.

At the end of October, 2011, the General Synod discussed the situation at length. The decision taken (161 votes for, 77 against) was that no pastor can be allowed to give up his or her licence, since performing marriages is an integral part of the work of a parish pastor. If any pastor can't perform same-sex marriages, other arrangements can be made.
The licence to perform marriages is not owned by the pastor, proponents said. It is the Church that applies for it from the State on its pastors' behalf. If you want to be a pastor, you can't just pick and choose.

Det är inte prästen som äger vigselrätten (Marta Axner 25.10.11)
Vigselbehörighet för alla präster (Kyrkans Tidning 28.10.11)
Backlash för Frimodig Kyrka (Karin Långström Vinge 31.10.11)
Alla präster ska ha vigselbehörighet (Dagen 1.11.11)


Sign in a tailor's shop on Rhodes

Order your summer suit. Because is big rush we will execute customers in strict order. 

A UN enquiry

The UN sent out an enquiry:
WOULD YOU PLEASE GIVE YOUR HONEST OPINION ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THE FOOD SHORTAGE IN THE REST OF THE WORLD?

It was a fiasco:
Eastern Europe didn't know what “honest” meant.
Western Europe didn't know what “shortage” meant.
Africa didn't know what “food” meant.
China didn't know what “opinion” meant.
The Middle East didn't know what “solution” meant.
The USA didn't know what “the rest of the world” meant. 

Found it on Facebook.
Thank you, Karin!

Eviction notice recieved

In Porvoo, chaplains (second pastors, curates, whatever we're called in your tradition) have been living in Kaplansgården (Chaplain's House) since 1763. Four years ago, I became the latest in the series. Little did I suspect that I would also be the last.
The parishes of Porvoo have decided to break this tradition just before it would celebrate its quarter millennium in 2013. Last week, we recieved our eviction notice and have to move out before the end of March, 2012.

This is, of course, sad news on a personal level. Where will we move? Should we buy a house or go on renting? How about the children's school? There are many questions and problems to be considered.
The way the eviction was handled also shows little regard for the human side of the story. I knew that the decision was coming on October 5, but last week the leading bureaucrats all of a sudden were in a great hurry to present the eviction notice. Since we have a legal six month period of grace starting from the end of the calender month in which the notice is presented, they wanted it done in September rather that October, so we'd be out in March rather than April. This in spite of the fact that the decision itself hadn't been made yet.
I think this is very poor personnel management, and am now thinking seriously about whether or not I can remain in the employ of such a "firm" or whether I should start looking elsewhere. One problem there is my vociferous engagement for the rights of sexual minorities within the ELCF, which has made me persona non grata in many circles, and which might affect my job seeking negatively. We'll have to see how it goes.

But what saddens me the most, I think, is the lack of historical sensibility that the bureaucrats and the Church Council displays in this matter. It seems to be enough that our Cathedral stems from the XIII Century - other historically valuable buildings don't count (Kaplansgården is not the only object to be sold). What counts is their economical value. Yes, by selling Kaplansgården, the parishes would probably net a round million Euros to be used for many good things, but a million is not that much money, after all. In a few years (if that!) it will be gone, and so will a bit of the city's and the church's history.

"A people who forgets its history has no past - and no future."
- Robert A. Heinlein

See previous blogs in Swedish here and here.

Estonia - the world's 'least religious' country

I love Estonia, Finland's neighbour to the south.
We have no land border, but are separated by the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea that I have lived by all my life. Estonia is closer to Helsinki and Porvoo than most of the rest of Finland, as a matter of fact - the city of Tampere is some 200 km to the north, which isn't so much, but Tallinn is even closer, only some 70 km to the south. Of course, in travel time the difference isn't so big, as Tampere is two hours by train from Helsinki, while Tallinn is two hours by ferry. But Lapland is so, so far away. The distance from Porvoo to the north of Lapland is equal to the distance to, say, Berlin.

For some years now, I have been engaged in S:t John Aid in Estonia (Johanniitide Abi Eestis), and this summer I got fed up with only knowing a bit of Estonian, so I have promised myself to learn the language properly. Which isn't too hard, since it is a fairly close relative to Finnish. You just have to be wary of the pitfalls - words that sound similar but have entirely different meaning. "Pulma" means problem in Finnish, but "pulmad" means wedding in Estonian, for instance. Not that the meaning is so different there, perhaps...

But our modern history separates us. While Finland was able to stay out of the Soviet Union after WWII, Estonia and the other Baltic states, Latvia and Lithuania, were annexed. This has had far-reaching consequences, of course, both economically and culturally.
One consequence is on the religious front. The Soviet anti-religious propaganda struck hard in many parts of the union. In Finland, some 80% of the population belongs to the Lutheran church. In modern-day Estonia, only 13% do, and yet the Lutheran church is the country's largest. A colleague in Tallinn said that he avoids wearing ecclesiastical garb in public because of the negative reactions he gets. I use it myself, since it often gives people an opportunity to contact the pastor and talk a bit. But that is at home in Finland, of course.

This does naturally not mean that Estonians are unspiritual. It only means that they now seek their answers outside of the churches. Which is their right, but it also shows that half a century of violent propaganda can have an effect on a good people. It is sad.

Spirituality in Estonia - the world's 'least religious' country (BBC News 26.8.11)
The Least Religious Country in the World (Aqurette 26.8.11)
Estonia: "We do not tolerate homosexuality" (Karl's comments 6.9.11)

Estonia: "We do not tolerate homosexuality"

The Estonian Justice Chancellor Indrek Teder made a statement in May 2011, saying that Estonia should start registering partnerships, since the present system with exclusively heterosexual marriages doesn't give same-sex couples enough protection. In his opinion, the Constitution wouldn't bar a gender neutral marriage law, but that the time isn't ripe as yet. In 2010, the Conservative government stopped the preparations of a law on registered partnerships, but now the country has a new government.
In July, the Estonian Council of Churches (Eesti Kirikute Nõukogu), an ecumenical body consisting of the leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran and the Roman Catholic churches, the two Orthodox churches (Moscow and Constantinople) working in Estonia, and a number of Free Churches, sent an open letter to the Ministry of Justice as a reaction to the Chancellor's statement. "The Council of Churches does not tolerate homosexuality," they wrote, and claim that the traditional marriage is a guarantee for the stability of the Estonian people and the Estonian State.
Most regrettable.

Õiguskantsler: samasoolistel peab olema võimalus kooselu registreerida (Postimees 23.5.11)
Õiguskantsler soovitab samasooliste partnerlussuhted reguleerida (Delfi 23.5.11)
Postimees: Viron oikeuskansleri haluaa Viroon rekisteröidyn parisuhteen (Ranneliike 23.5.11)
Viron kirkot ilmoittavat, etteivät ne suvaitse homoseksuaalisuutta (Ranneliike 9.7.11)



Prayers for partnerships: Reactions in southern Finland

Last year, the General Synod of the ELCF decided to allow prayers for couples in registered partnerships (i.e. same-sex couples) to be performed, as long as these events are clearly distiguishable from marriages. In February, the bishops, as requested, gave instructions on how these events should be performed in practise.

This has given rise to strong feelings in different parishes around the country.
In Huittinen, Sinikka Ritakallio, a member of the Church Council, wants the parish to refuse to perform such prayer meetings altogether. This is not, however, in the power of the Church Council to decide. The bishops have given their instructions, and they, not the Church Council, are the foremen of the pastors. The Church Council can decide not to allow these prayers to be performed in the church building, but that's it.
In Nurmijärvi, the Church Council has, slightly surprisingly, reached a compromise that allows same-sex couples to be prayed for in the chapel, but not in the main church. It is said that this practise would show that the church doesn't equate same-sex partnerships with heterosexual marriages. I agree that the idea is discriminatory, but isn't the chapel a consecrated building just as much as the church? Wherein lies the logic?
In my own parish in Porvoo, we have a preliminary order of service for the event that it would be needed. I worked it out with the clear intent to balance between the needs of the parishioners and the instructions of the bishops, and I think I succeeded. At least, my colleagues approved. The other day, I was accosted by a man in the street, who talked a lot about how God does not bless sin. He never specified, but I assume that it was in context with this question, since both the local paper Borgåbladet and the church newspaper Kyrkpressen interviewed me about it the week before. I didn't rebut, for he was so elliptical in his statements that I easily agreed: God does indeed not condone sin. Homosexuality, however, is not a sin, of course.

Huittisissa yritetään estää homoparien puolesta rukoilu (Turun Sanomat 25.2.11)
TS: Huittisissa halutaan estää rukous homoparien puolesta (Kotimaa 26.2.11)
Domkyrkoförsamlingen först med förbönsformulär (Kyrkpressen 20.7.11)
Rukoukset homosuhteiden puolesta kappeleissa (Nurmijärven Uutiset 27.7.11)
Nurmijärvellä parisuhderukoukset kappeliin (Kotimaa 29.7.11) 

"It's the fault of the gays!"

Earlier this year, I linked to a song on YouTube, called Bögarnas fel (The fault of the gays). This satirical song is written and performed by the Swedish comic group Grotesco, and I just loved it.
It has different people relating their woes and ascribing them to the gays. Some examples (my translation):
"My son killed four people with a hunting rifle, but somehow I feel it's the fault of the gays."
"My upbringing has made it impossible for me to be psychologically sound, but my family all agree: it's the fault of the gays!"
"The European Song Contest never seems to end, and it's the fault of the gays!"
Then enter a nun, a Moslem, and an orthodox Jew, all in distinctive garb, and sing about how all fundamentalism and all religious wars actually are the fault of the gays. It is rather hilarious, but unfortunately, of course, this satire is too close to the truth. Not that these things actually are the fault of the gays, I mean, but that this oratory is used far too often. There are preachers, for instance, who warn Sweden of earthquakes, floods and other calamities as divine retribution for a too permissive attitude tiwards homosexuality.
As I said, I loved this song. Except, perhaps, that the tune is so catchy, that it will ring in your head for a very long time...

I bring this up, because this song recently created some controversy. Grotesco performed it in the popular TV show Allsång på Skansen, a sing-along program aired from Skansen in Stockholm. As might have been expected, some people found it objectionable. Especially the satirical portrayal of Moslems, Jews, and Christians has been an irritant. The police are being asked to investigate whether the song contains hate speech.
The song does contain generalisations, to be sure. Not all Moslems, Jews, or Christians behave or talk as those portrayed. But some do, indeed, and it is those that are being satirized. We'll have to see what conclusions the investigation reaches.
I hope, however, that those objecting to the song take a good look in the mirror before taking legal action. The shoe is now on the other foot - are you sure that's not what irritates you? 

Stoltenberg on showing love

If one man is able to show so much hatred, then how much love should not all of us be able to show? 

Prime minister Jens Stoltenberg
in Oslo Cathedral 24.7.11

Hungary: New Constitution Enshrines Discrimination

The new Hungarian constitution approved by parliament contains provisions that could lead to discrimination, according to Human Rights Watch (HRW). President Pál Schmitt should send the constitution back to Parliament to address these and other human rights issues, HRW said 19.4.11.
The proposed constitution was passed on April 18 by a vote of 262 to 44, with 1 abstention. It includes provisions that could lead to discrimination against women, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people, and people with disabilities, HRW said.
"The ruling Fidesz members of Parliament pushed through a constitution that puts Hungary at odds with its obligation to uphold and respect human rights," said Amanda McRae, a Western Balkans researcher for HRW. "The president needs to use his authority to fix this fundamental document before it becomes law and enshrines discrimination."

In a letter to Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on April 15, HRW raised concerns about provisions in the constitution that put the rights of people with disabilities, women, and LGBT people at risk.
HRW is also concerned that civil society and opposition groups in Hungary were largely excluded from the process of drafting and reviewing the constitution. Numerous groups in and outside of Hungary called for essential changes and more time to debate and review the document, but the constitution, which was introduced for public debate in mid-March, passed the Parliament with few changes only a month later.

The adoption of this new constitution comes in the midst of a number of other human rights concerns in Hungary. In recent months, a new law went into effect that restricts media freedom; vigilante groups have attacked and held demonstrations against Roma, with little government condemnation of such actions; and concerns have been raised about the treatment of asylum seekers and other migrants in Hungary, including those who are pushed back to Ukraine from the Hungarian border and face abuse in Ukrainian detention.

Although civil society and opposition groups have questioned the need for a new constitution, members of the ruling party Fidesz, which currently holds a two-thirds majority in the Parliament, have said that a new constitution is necessary to finish the transition from communism to democracy. The current Hungarian constitution dates from 1949 but was significantly amended in 1989 following the collapse of communism in Hungary.

New member and observers in the Porvoo Communion

The Church of Denmark has ended years of separation from Anglican Churches in northern Europe by signing the Porvoo Agreement. The Agreement underscores the Porvoo Communion of Evangelical-Lutheran Churches in northern Europe and Anglican Churches in Britain and Ireland.
Although the Church of Denmark participated in the discussions that in 1996 led up to the Porvoo Agreement, it never signed the document because of differences over the status of women. With women now being accepted into the priesthood by the Anglican Churches in the Porvoo Communion, the Church of Denmark announced in 2009 that there was no longer any barrier to becoming a full member.
The Agreement was signed on 3 October 2010 at a service in Copenhagen Cathedral by Hanna Broadbridge, chairman of the Council of International Relations of the Danish Church, and Bishop of Viborg, Karsten Nissen.

The Church of Denmark has thus far had observer status within the Communion, together with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. In 2010, the Communion received two new observers: the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church Abroad (LELCA) and the Lutheran Church in Great Britain (LCiGB; not to be confused with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England, ELCE, that I've had occasion to comment on earlier, and which decidedly is not a Porvoo church).

Since I myself serve and live in the city (Porvoo in Finnish, Borgå in Swedish) that has given the Porvoo Agreement and the Porvoo Communion their names, they are, of course, of special interest to me. I cordially welcome the new member and the new observers!

The Church of Denmark signs Porvoo (The Porvoo Communion 3.10.10)
Danmark med i Borgågemenskapen (Kyrkpressen 5.10.10)
Church of Denmark signs Porvoo Agreement (Christian Today 5.10.10)
The LELCA a new observer in Porvoo (The Porvoo Communion 6.10.10)
New observer in the Porvoo Communion (The Porvoo Communion 6.10.10)
Porvoon kirkkoyhteisö sai kaksi uutta tarkkailijakirkkoa (Kirkon tiedotuskeskus 13.10.10)
The Scottish Episcopal Church in full communion with the Church of Denmark (The Scottish Episcopal Church 20.10.10)

Denmark: Cathedral parish wants to marry same-sex couples

In Denmark, same-sex couples can form a civil partnership with the same status as a marriage. If they wish, they can then have their partnership blessed by the Church of Denmark in a ceremony without legal connotations. A pastor can refuse to perform this blessing, but then has to refer the couple to another pastor. I wrote about this some time ago.

When the Vor Frue (Our Lady) parish in Copenhagen – which is the Cathedral parish of the diocese – received a question from the State’s Ministry of church affairs, as to whether they would be ready to marry same-sex couples, the pastors and the Church Council were unanimous in answering: Absolutely!
They answer that God’s love to humans is absolute. No church has the right to withhold God’s blessing, but is on the contrary required to give it to those who ask for it, including same-sex couples who wish to be married.
Furthermore, the Church of Denmark doesn’t view wedding or marriage as sacraments, but as a question of order. The wedding is a confirmation of a common life that already exists and an act of blessing – not an act where the church judges and approves some ways of living together.

Köpenhamns domkyrka vill viga homosexuella (Kyrkans Tidning 12.1.11)

Sweden: Lesbian pastor was refused a job

An openly lesbian pastor in the (Lutheran) Church of Sweden heard of a job opening in a parish in central Sweden and contacted the vicar, whom she had met before. He was positive during their telephone conversation, but she later recieved an email saying that the opening wouldn't be filled after all.
When someone from the diocese contacted her about the same job, the pastor wondered about that email. It turned out that the vicar had reported to the Parish Board that the pastor in question was a nice and competent person, but that they couldn't employ "one of those people". It was unthinkable that she and her partner should live in the parsonage and that she should teach confirmation classes.
The pastor was, of course, dismayed by this and in the end reported the parish to the discrimination ombudsman.
The bishop of Strängnäs, Hans-Erik Nordin, won't comment on this specific incident, but says that the Church of Sweden has decided that there is no bar on homosexuals working within the church, even as pastors.
The vicar has since changed jobs and won't comment. The new vicar agrees with the bishop in this.

Some comments on the news sites and on various blogs say things like: "God bless the parish!" and "The vicar is a wise man who wants to follow the Bible." Others say that this shows that the Church of Sweden has double standards, and that religious people in general can't be trusted.
I'm sure the pastor in question will get the job eventually (if she still wants it). But the damage has been done. Specifically, damage to the image of the church as being a loving, generous institution. If, indeed, it has ever had such an image...

Homosexuell präst anmäler pastorat till DO (Kyrkans Tidning 18.1.11)
Homosexuell nekades prästjobb (Svenska Dagbladet 18.1.11) 
DO får anmälan från lesbisk präst (Dagen 18.1.11)
Hos Gud finns ingen synd (Apg 29 18.1.11)
Man vill ju inte anställa "en sån" (Solen i ögonen 18.1.11)
Kyrkan är som kyrkan är (Håll ditt huvud högt 18.1.11)

Finland: Opponent to female ordination fined by the Supreme Court

In March 2007, a male pastor, Ari Norro, was invited to preach in a church in Hyvinkää (southern Finland). One of the parish's pastors, a woman named Petra Pohjanraito, was one of the designated assistants in the mass. Since Norro is a member of the Lutheran Evangelical Association in Finland (LEAF), an association within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland that does not accept the ordination of women, this was a problem. There are several versions of the discussion that took place in the sacristy, but the outcome was that Norro stayed and Pohjanraito left.

The Finnish Supreme Court ruled on 22 October, 2010, that Norro was guilty of discrimination when he refused to work with a female colleague. The court slapped Norro with a 320€ fine for his discriminatory behaviour, thus upholding two lower courts’ decisions.
Norro has maintained that it is impossible for him to perform his duties alongside a woman and has demanded that charges against him be dropped.
However the Supreme Court ruled that religious freedom doesn’t imply that the law can be broken. Earlier court decisions emphasised that the church must abide by the same rules on gender equality as other workplaces.
“Actions determined by faith can’t lead to human rights breaches, such as gender-based discrimination,” the Supreme Court stated.

Around one-third of the pastors in the ELCF are women, but the proportion is growing.

Pappi käännytettiin kirkkonsa ovelta (Kalles kyrkliga kommentarer 5.3.07)
Hyvinge, SLEY och kvinnliga präster (Kalles kyrkliga kommentarer 6.3.07)
Lisätietoa Hyvinkään tapauksesta (Kalles kyrkliga kommentarer 8.3.07)
Vielä Hyvinkäältä (Kalles kyrkliga kommentarer 10.3.07)
Male Pastor Fined for Discrimination (Yle News 22.10.10)
HD: Kvinnopräst diskriminerades (svenska.yle.fi 22.10.10)
HD förbjuder diskriminering av kvinnliga präster i Finland (Dagen 22.10.10)
Präst diskriminerade kvinnlig kollega - döms till böter (Kyrkans Tidning 22.10.10)
HD-dom om kvinnoprästmotstånd i Finland (Karin Långström Vinges blogg 22.10.10)