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.

Nokia Missio sacked its leader, Markku Koivisto

In the beginning of the 1990's, Markku Koivisto was vicar in the small city of Nokia outside of Tampere in central Finland. The electronics company Nokia was founded in that city, if wou're wondering (and even if you're not). Anyway, Koivisto (no relation to Mauno Koivisto, the President of the Republic in 1982-94) arranged charismatic meetings in his parish. While this is all right, it was felt that he as vicar failed to meet his responsibility to all his parishioners, and thus he got into hot water with the Diocese of Tampere (which I blogged about at the time). In the end, he had to step down as vicar.
He then founded an organisation, Nokia Missio, that arranged meetings at home and abroad, and in 2008 was reorganised as an independent denomination with Koivisto as one of the most prominent leaders. Some free churches feared that Nokia Missio would steal their members, but this threat failed to materialise. While its meetings drew thousands of people, the actual membership of the church stayed at some 400 people. Finns are often naturally conservative.

In August, 2011, came the news that Koivisto was on sick leave, and at the end of the month, Nokia Missio informed that he had been sacked. Apparently, there had been some sexual misconduct on his part. Nothing illegal - thankfully, no children involved! - but immoral. There were speculations about homosexual harrassment.
When Koivisto returned from his sick leave, he claimed that no harrassment had taken place. Last Sunday (11.9.11), he made a statement to his congregation, admitting to "wrong choices", and in particular to a homosexual relationship. Since he was married (to a woman, if that is relevant), the relation was adulterous, which is regrettable. More serious in Koivisto's eyes, however, were the homosexual acts, which he denounced, quoting one of the "clobber passages" from Romans. After his statement, one of the pastors pronounced God's forgiveness and a whole team of pastors prayed for Koivisto. He then left the gathering, and his future is still open.

I am no great friend of either Nokia Missio or Markku Koivisto. I went to a meeting they had in Porvoo a few years back and was not impressed. Neither do I know exactly what now has occurred.
That said, I am gratified that Nokia Missio has taken action. All too often, sexual and other immorality (especially paedophilia) among religious and other leaders is swept under the rug in the name of forgiveness and mercy, and those responsible are not held accountable for their actions. Thus, the situation can continue for years on end, and many people can get hurt. This has happened internationally within the Roman Catholic church and in Finland within the Laestadian revival movement. Hopefully, that will not now be repeated in Nokia Mission. Apparently, whatever else might be said about that church, its leadership is not spineless. Good for them!
I am a bit miffed, however, since the main issue here seems to be Koivisto's apparent bisexuality, not his adultery, which I personally think is far more serious.

Markku Koivisto sivussa Nokia Mission toiminnasta (Kotimaa 19.8.11)
Nokia Mission tiedote 29.8.2011
Kyrkoherdens sexliv gav honom sparken i Nokia (Hufvudstadsbladet 30.8.11)
Nokia Missio erotti Markku Koiviston (Kotimaa 30.8.11)
Markku Koivisto erotettu Nokia Missiosta (yle.fi 30.8.11)
Koiviston tehtävistä vapauttamiseen ei liity rikosprosessia (Kotimaa 30.8.11)
Nokiamissionen har sparkat sin grundare (Dagen 31.8.11)
”Koivisto-kultti on median luomus” (Kotimaa 1.9.11)
Radio Dei: Koivisto ahdistellut seksuaalisesti miehiä (Kotimaa 2.9.11)
Markku Koivisto medgav homosexuell relation (STT through Vasabladet 11.9.11)
Markku Koivisto tunnusti syntinsä seurakunnalleen (Kotimaa 11.9.11)
Kohupastori Markku Koivisto myönsi suhteen mieheen (Helsingin Sanomat 11.9.11)
Markku Koivisto tuli kaapista (Dosentin ikkunasta: Raamattu, kirkko ja köyhyys 11.9.11)

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) 

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)

Conservatives boycott ELCF bishops

I noted earlier that the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland consecrated its first woman bishop, Irja Askola in Helsinki, on 12 September, 2010, and that some sister churches abroad boycotted the event.
Now, five of the ten ELCF bishops are being boycotted by groups within and without the ELCF for being too liberal. These are, in addition to Askola, archbishop Kari Mäkinen, Mikko Heikka (Espoo), Wille Riekkinen (Kuopio) and my own bishop Björn Vikström (Porvoo). The groups honoring these bishops are the neopietist revival movement Kansanlähetys (the People's Mission) and some Free Churches, including the Pentecostals.
This boycott seems to be mainly a Finnish-speaking affair. The Swedish-speaking Free Churches in Porvoo aren't keen on an actual boycott, even if they, too, have misgivings about the Bishops' support for a so-called "homosexual lifestyle". But (they say) they have a good relationship with bishop Björn, who has been invited to speak at some of their conferences.

That's all well and good. I do, however, feel that the Pentecostal Filadelfia Church is behaving rather hypocritically in this matter. Let me explain.
A few years back, I was responsible for the ecumenical relationships of my congregation. We had monthly meetings, the Free Church pastors and I, and our relationship was warm and cordial. We arranged common events and preached in each other's services. The system was that I would preach at one of the Free Churches (Pentecostal, Methodist, Adventist, Mission Church and, at times, the Salvation Army) twice a year, and they would reciprocate. In March that year, the Pentecostal pastor preached a fine sermon in one of our services, and I was supposed to preach in Filadelfia in May. A couple of weeks before my sermon was due, the Pentecostal pastor called to tell me that it was off. Despite the pastor's efforts, the Elders of Filadelfia had decided that I was too controversial to preach at their church; that if I did so, someone might think that they, too, were in favour of "the homosexual lifestyle".
This came as a shock, and the whole ecumenical cooperation, that thus far had worked so well in Porvoo, was shattered. Since they rejected me as the Lutheran representative, they rejected the Lutheran Church, too, and we had no choice but to withdraw for a couple of years. Now, we have sent another representative, but the relationship is not the same.
Not all of the Free Churches had the same hostile attitude, I hasten to add. The Methodists and the Adventists would have liked to continue their cooperation with us, but I was (we were) so dejected by the blow we had recieved that it seemed impossible for us to continue at that point.

Of course, Filadelfia have a right to their opinions, as do we. Of course, they don't have to agree with us, as we don't with them. But ecumenism is not about agreeing, but about working together in spite of our differences. And Filadelfia refused.
Now, they're singing a different tune about how important it is that the Churches discuss with each other. Hypocrites! Do you think our memory is that short? What is done cannot be undone, but wouldn't at least an apology be in order?

Konservativa grupper vill bojkotta finska biskopar (Kyrkans Tidning 27.9.10)
"Alla har rätt att föra fram sin åsikt" (Kyrkpressen 27.9.10)
Frikyrkorna sväljer inte vigsel av samkönade par (Borgåbladet 28.9.10)

Gay adoption law in Finland

Last Friday, May 15, 2009, was a great day in Finnish history. Our Parliament voted to allow gay couples in registered partnerships to adopt the biological children of their partners. The bill passed by an 108-29 vote with 61 MPs absent and one abstainee. The individual votes can be found on the Parliament's web site here.
Under the law, children would be eligible for alimony and gain the right to inherit the estate of non-biological parents. In the case of separation, the non-biological parent would also qualify for visitation rights.
Registered partnerships were created for gay couples in 2002.

As can be seen by the large number of absentees, the law didn't pass without controversy. The smaller ruling parties, i.e. the Swedish People's Party (to which I belong) and the Green League, were unanimously for the new law, together with the opposition Left League. Two smaller opposition parties, i.e. the Christian Democrats and the populist True Finns, were unanimously against. All other parties were divided.
The Finnish Parliament has 200 MPs, but the Speaker doesn't vote. And in this case, almost a third of the MPs were absent...

Earlier in the week, a True Finn MP, Pentti Oinonen, caused controversy when he suggested that pet owners may demand the right to marry their pet dogs. Oinonen (whose name was misspelled by PinkNews, btw) later said he had not intended to cause offence. He did not apologize for or retract his statement, however.
This weekend, Oinonen was elected first vice chairman of his party, a strong suggestion that his style of retoric is not frowned upon among the True Finns, but rather embraced.
The one True Finn who was present for Friday's Parliament vote was Pirkko Ruohonen-Lerner, my colleague in the City Council of Porvoo.

Media:
Homoperheiden adoptiolaki kuohutti eduskunnassa (Helsingin Sanomat 12.5.09)
Regnbågspar får adoptionsrätt (Hufvudstadsbladet 15.5.09)
Eduskunta hyväksyi perheen sisäisen adoption homopareille selvin äänin (Helsingin Sanomat 15.5.09)
Riksdagen godkände intern adoption (Vasabladet 15.5.09)
Finland allows gay couples to adopt partner's children (PinkNews 15.5.09)
Lapselle syntyy oikeuksia (Helsingin Sanomat 16.5.09)

Election fraud in Porvoo?

In Finland, we've always been proud of our reputation as an incorruptible nation - whether that's been founded in fact or not... The situation is admittedly good as a whole, but there are always things to be corrected.

Such as the (as yet alleged) case of election fraud that has surfaced in my own town of Borgå (in Finnish, Porvoo).
Apparently election functionaries studied the rolls on the day of the municipal election (October 26) to see which members of their own party hadn't voted yet, and then gave them a phone call to remind them to do so. I do not know, as yet, which party is in question, but that is beside the point. I hope, though, that it doesn't concern my own party, the Swedish People's Party, but somehow it sounds like something that some of us might get the idea of doing.
As election frauds go, this is, of course, on the mild side, internationally speaking, but it is a breach of the functionaries' impartiality, nevertheless. The fraudulent functionaries will be fined, if found guilty.

Påstått valfusk utreds i Borgå (Borgåbladet 7.11.08)
Valnämndsmedlemmar i Borgå anmälda (YLE 10.11.08)

Thank you!

I want to thank the 124 voters in Porvoo who gave me their support and gave me a seat in the city council! I also want to thank all those who have supported me in various ways during my campaign! Now my work begins in earnest...
I'll be back with more details later this week.

Surprise candidate

As you probably know, I'm running for a seat in the city council of Porvoo (Borgå in Swedish).
Rather to my surprise, I seem to be a candidate in another election, as well. Check out this video! And remember to vote...

Power cut

In some parts of the world, power cuts are frequent, I am told. Not so in Finland; not so in Porvoo. Therefore, I felt a certain amount of surprise at the power cut at 8:25 this morning. It was a fairly long one, as well - almost ten minutes. I don’t know what caused it.
Luckily, it was already light out; even more luckily, my coffee was ready!

This summer, Porvoo had another episode that normally happens only in other countries: Our tap water was contaminated. A thunder storm burned out a water purification plant, and at the same time, torrential rains flooded the water intake with surface water. In consequence, intestinal bacteria made their way into the water supply. We had to boil our drinking water for weeks, while the water company raised the chlorine levels sharply, in order to purify the water and the pipes.
Now, the situation is normal again, but it was a reminder of the vulnerability of our technological society in the hands of natural forces.