Einar Gelius is a Norwegian priest who has also been involved in politics for the Labour Party

Norwegian Labour Party

The Labour Party is a social-democratic political party in Norway. It is the senior partner in the current Norwegian government as part of the Red-Green Coalition, and its leader, Jens Stoltenberg, is the current Prime Minister of Norway....

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He is known as the priest of Vålerenga

Vålerenga

Vålerenga is a neighbourhood in the city of Oslo, Norway, belonging to the borough of Gamle Oslo. Vålerenga is located between the neighbourhoods of Gamlebyen, Jordal, Ensjø, Etterstad and Lodalen. Vålerenga is in particular known for its traditional, small wooden houses, and for its football and...

 parish, more specifically Vålerenga church. He previously held the same position in Ørland

Ørland

Ørland is a municipality in Sør-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Fosen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Brekstad. Other villages include Uthaug, Opphaug, and Ottersbo...

, Beitstad

Beitstad

Beitstad is a village and former municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. The village of Beitstad is located at the end of the Beitstadfjorden at the inner end of the Trondheimsfjord, about southwest of Vellamelen. It is a typical farming village that stretches from the bay and into the...

 and Namdalseid

Namdalseid

Namdalseid is village and a municipality in Nord-Trøndelag county, Norway. It is part of the Namdalen region. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Namdalseid. Other villages and farm areas include Sjøåsen, Statland, Tøttdalen, and Sverkmoen.The village of Namdalseid...

. He graduated from the University of Oslo

University of Oslo

The University of Oslo , formerly The Royal Frederick University , is the oldest and largest university in Norway, situated in the Norwegian capital of Oslo. The university was founded in 1811 and was modelled after the recently established University of Berlin...

 in 1985, and was ordained

Ordination

In general religious use, ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart as clergy to perform various religious rites and ceremonies. The process and ceremonies of ordination itself varies by religion and denomination. One who is in preparation for, or who is...

 in 1986.

During the first cabinet Stoltenberg

First cabinet Stoltenberg

Stoltenberg's First Cabinet governed Norway between March 17, 2000 and October 19, 2001. The Labour Party cabinet was led by Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg. It had the following composition.-Cabinet members:-State Secretaries:-References:...

, Gelius was appointed State Secretary in the Ministry of Local Government

Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development

The Royal Norwegian Ministry of Local Government and Regional Development is a Norwegian ministry established in 1948. It is responsible for the housing and building, regional and rural policy, municipal and county administration and finances, and the conduct of elections...

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Gelius is also a radio personality, author, and runs a communications bureau Gelius Kommunikasjon. He is a supporter of the football club Vålerenga IF.

He is the brother of news anchor Jon Gelius

Jon Gelius

Jon Gelius is a Norwegian journalist. He is the television news editor of NRK, and as such the editor of Dagsrevyen, the news channel NRK2 and other programmes....

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Controversy

In September 2009, a commercial for Vålerenga's match against FC Lyn featured Gelius holding a mock funeral for the near bankrupt Lyn team, whose survival is uncertain. Although the stunt was meant to be humorous, Lyn and its supporters found the commercial macabre, and the Oslo bishop Ole Christian Kvarme

Ole Christian Kvarme

Ole Christian Mælen Kvarme is the Bishop of Oslo in the Lutheran Church of Norway since 2005. As Bishop of Oslo, Kvarme is the personal prelate of the Norwegian Royal Family....

 criticized what he considered inappropriate use of the funeral rituals.

In 2010 Gelius published the book Sex i bibelen (Sex in the Bible) which was heavily criticised by Christians. There have been a number of other controversies also related to Gelius's job performance. Twice, and as early as 1999 Gelius was summoned to former Oslo bishop Gunnar Stålsett

Gunnar Stålsett

Gunnar Stålsett is the former bishop of Oslo, in the Church of Norway, from 1998 to 2005.Stålsett is a graduate from MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo, and was awarded the qualification cand.theol. in 1961. He has worked as a minister and taught at the University of Oslo...

, and on both occasions he was asked to consider terminating his position. The reason was complaints about his behavior and his cooperation with the congregation. On November 16, 2010 it was made public that his current bishop has initiated proceedings to strip Gelius of his position. On the 24. of November he decided to leave his position after a meeting with the bishop of Oslo, Ole Christian Kvarme.