Porvoo Communion Bishops Will Not Ordain Someone Opposed to Same-Sex Marriage
Church of Sweden Bishops Tell Newspaper Poll
Christian Network Europe News reports that the Swedish newspaper, Syre asked bishops in the Church of Sweden if they would ordain a candidate who opposed same-sex marriage. Three bishops responded by saying they would not ordain someone in opposition to such.
Bishop of Stockholm, Andreas Holmberg, wrote to the newspaper Varlden Idag, that he would not ordain someone who is clear about not marrying same-sex couples. He told the paper, “This is because, in practice, it would be very difficult for him to a get a priest’s position in the Stockholm diocese. As a bishop, I need to take responsibility for the employability of those who are ordained as priests.”
The story in Syre quotes Bishop Mikael Mogren of Vasteras as saying he would not ordain anyone holding to the traditional view of marriage. When asked, he said, “The answer is no.”
Bishop Soren Dalevi of the Diocese of Karlstad gave the most enthusiastic answer of the three, “all priests should, ‘happily and of their own free will marry couples of different sexes as well as couples off the same sex.” In an earlier interview with Sveriges Radio, Dalevi said “he is always very clear to new priests that his diocese performs gay marriages.”
The CNE News story, quoting Varlden Idag is also careful to point out that “Less than a year ago, the bishops’ meeting of the Church of Sweden declared in a statement that the church should be able to accommodate priests with different theological (traditional) views on marriage.”
The Porvoo Communion of Churches is made up of Northern European churches, primarily Lutheran, but to which the Scottish Episcopal Church, the Church in Wales, the Church of England, and the Church of Ireland also belong.
The Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church in Wales allow for same-sex marriage whilst the Churches of England and Ireland do not.
Next month’s meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England is expected to be at a major point of friction as proponents and opponents ready their arguments for and against the innovation.
The bishops of Oxford and Southwark have openly announced their support for the change. The Bishop of Cork has long been an open proponent of the idea. Three General Synod meetings of the Church of Ireland have voted down the idea by 2 – 1 margins.
