Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland

Finland

Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...

. The church professes the Lutheran

Lutheranism

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...

branch of Christianity

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion

Porvoo Communion

The Porvoo Communion is a communion of 12 mainly northern European Anglican and Lutheran churches. It was established in 1992 by an agreement entitled the Porvoo Common Statement which establishes full communion between and among the churches...

.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church is Finland's largest religious body. As of the end of 2010, 78.2% of the Finns were members of the church a decrease of 1.7% from the previous year. With 4.2 million members, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is one of the largest Lutheran churches in the world. The head of the church is the Archbishop of Turku, currently Kari Mäkinen

Kari Mäkinen

Kari Mäkinen is the archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. On 11 March 2010 he was elected the 14th Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and he succeeded Jukka Paarma in that position on 6 June 2010...

, who succeeded Jukka Paarma

Jukka Paarma

Jukka Paarma was the Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and the spiritual head of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. He retired as Archbishop on June 1, 2010.-References:...

as the Archbishop on 1 June 2010.

Especially in recent years, the number of church members leaving the Lutheran church of Finland has been increasing rapidly. A record 83,097 members left the church in 2010; the large number caused in part by a Finnish television discussion programme broadcast on 12 October 2010 concerning gay rights, in which church clergy and laymen were divided both for and against the proposed legal amendments.

A Master's degree in theology

Theology

Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...

is compulsory before one can be ordained. The church also has a own vocational postgraduate educational system. A newly ordained pastor is eligible for the position of a parish pastor , formerly called assistant priest . In order to be eligible for the position of a chaplain or a vicar the Pastoral degree of the church is compulsory. Before being able to apply for the post of a vicar, a degree in leadership skills is also compulsory.

In order to be eligible for the position of a vicar general or a dean of the diocese the Higher Pastoral Degree of the church is compulsory.

In addition to religious worship, local Lutheran communities arrange many non-religious activities as well. In Finland, as in other Nordic countries, most people go to church only occasionally, or on special occasions such as Christmas and weddings.

Position in Finnish society

year	Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland	Finnish Orthodox Church	Other	Not religious
Religion in Finland
1950	95.7%	1.7%	0.4%	2.7%
1980	90.3%	1.1%	0.7%	7.8%
1990	87.9%	1.1%	0.9%	10.2%
2000	85.1%	1.1%	1.1%	12.7%
2005	83.1%	1.1%	1.1%	14.7%
2009	79.9%	1.1%	1.3%	17.7%
2010	78.2%

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has a legal position as a national church

National church

National church is a concept of a Christian church associated with a specific ethnic group or nation state. The idea was notably discussed during the 19th century, during the emergence of modern nationalism....

in the country, along with the Finnish Orthodox Church

Finnish Orthodox Church

The Finnish Orthodox Church is an autonomous Orthodox archdiocese of the Patriarchate of Constantinople. The Church has a legal position as a national church in the country, along with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland....

. Finnish society has experienced a general secularization

Secularization

Secularization is the transformation of a society from close identification with religious values and institutions toward non-religious values and secular institutions...

of society, and membership in the church has decreased in recent decades.
Nevertheless, the church retains the allegiance of a large majority of the population, a special role in state ceremonies and the right to collect church tax from its members in conjunction with governmental income taxation. In addition to membership tax, businesses also, to some extent, participate by a way of taxation in contributing financially to the church.

Avoiding the church tax (between 1 and 2 percent depending on where you live) has been one of the popular reasons cited for defection from the church. In 2010 the number of defections hit a record of 83,097, caused partly by the church's controversial view that homosexuality is a sin. Indeed, Stefan Wallin

Stefan Wallin

Stefan Erik Wallin is a Swedish-speaking Finnish politician. He is currently Finland's Minister of Defence in Jyrki Katainen's cabinet....

, Finland's minister responsible for church affairs, accused Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Räsänen

Päivi Maria Räsänen, née Kuvaja , is a Finnish politician. The chairwoman of the Christian Democrats since 2004, she is the current Minister of the Interior of Finland....

, the Christian Democrat

Christian Democrats (Finland)

The Christian Democrats is a Christian democratic political party in Finland. Formerly known as the Finnish Christian League , the Christian Democrats have six seats in the Finnish Parliament and one in the European Parliament.The party was founded in 1958, chiefly from the Christian faction of...

leader, of deliberately taking a public position against homosexuality and gay rights in order to drive away from the church those people who might hold more liberal views on gay acceptance.

Catholic bishopric

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland traces its lineage from the medieval Diocese of Turku which more or less coincides geographically with present-day Finland. Christianity was introduced to Finland slowly. The first sign of Christianity can be found in prehistorial burial sites dated to the 11th century. Based on etymological evidence, it seems that the very first influences came from Eastern Christianity. The archeological evidence shows that in the middle 12th century, Christianity was already dominant in the region around present-day Turku

Turku

Turku is a city situated on the southwest coast of Finland at the mouth of the Aura River. It is located in the region of Finland Proper. It is believed that Turku came into existence during the end of the 13th century which makes it the oldest city in Finland...

. A later legend recounts a crusade dated around 1054, but no contemporary or archeological evidence backs the story. The legend of the martyr bishop St. Henry founding the Finnish Church is also most likely fictional. The introduction of Christianity was mostly a peaceful, slow process. At the same time, Finland was integrated with Sweden. The first historical bishop whose name is known was Thomas

Thomas, Bishop of Finland

Thomas is the first known Bishop of Finland. Only a few facts are known about his life. He resigned in 1245 and died in Visby three years later.- Biography :...

who lived in the first half of 13th century. The ecclesiastical hierarchy was finally established during the Second Swedish Crusade

Second Swedish Crusade

The Second Swedish Crusade was a Swedish military expedition to areas in present-day Finland by Birger jarl in the 13th century. As a result of the crusade, Finland became permanently part of Sweden for the next 550 years.-Year of the crusade:...

During the Middle Ages

Middle Ages

The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...

, the diocese of Turku was under the primacy of archbishop of Uppsala

Archbishop of Uppsala

The Archbishop of Uppsala has been the primate in Sweden in an unbroken succession since 1164, first during the Catholic era, and from the 1530s and onward under the Lutheran church.- Historical overview :...

, mirroring the political situation. The diocese had a school, making it capable of raising its own priests. Several Finns also studied abroad in the universities of Paris and Germany. Before the Reformation, Finland was rather thoroughly a part of Catholic culture. The most important monastic orders active in the bishopric were the Franciscans, Dominicans

Dominican Order

The Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...

and the order of Bridgettines

Bridgettines

The Bridgettine or Birgittine Order is a monastic religious order of Augustinian nuns, Religious Sisters and monks founded by Saint Birgitta of Sweden in approximately 1350, and approved by Pope Urban V in 1370...

. The liturgy of the diocese followed the Dominican model.

Part of the Church of Sweden

The Swedish reformation was started by King Gustav Vasa, who wished to confiscate the church property. The reformation was accomplished in 1520s. In Finland, episcopal castle of Kuusisto and most of the estates of monasteries were confiscated to the state. The first bishop of Turku during the reformation was Martinus Johannis Skytte, the former Vicar General of the province of Dacia of the Dominican Order, who retained most old catholic forms inside the diocese which was part of the now-independent Church of Sweden

Church of Sweden

The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...

. After Skytte's death, the diocese of Turku was split into dioceses of Turku and Viipuri, the later nowadays transferred to form the diocese of Tampere

Tampere

Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in...

.

The doctrinal reformation of Finnish Church took place during the episcopate of Mikael Agricola

Mikael Agricola

Mikael Agricola was a clergyman who became the de facto founder of written Finnish and a prominent proponent of the Protestant Reformation in Sweden . He is often called the "father of the Finnish written language". Agricola was consecrated as the bishop of Turku in 1554, without papal approval...

, who had studied in University of Wittenberg under Martin Luther

Martin Luther

Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...

. He translated the New Testament

New Testament

The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....

and large portions of Old Testament

Old Testament

The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...

into Finnish

Finnish language

Finnish is the language spoken by the majority of the population in Finland Primarily for use by restaurant menus and by ethnic Finns outside Finland. It is one of the two official languages of Finland and an official minority language in Sweden. In Sweden, both standard Finnish and Meänkieli, a...

. In addition, he wrote a large amount of Finnish liturgical texts in the spirit of reformation, however preserving a number of decidedly catholic customs, such as the celebrations of visitatio Mariae, exaltatio crusis
Feast of the Cross
In the Christian liturgical calendar, there are several different Feasts of the Cross, all of which commemorate the cross used in the crucifixion of Jesus....

, and the use of mitre

Mitre

The mitre , also spelled miter, is a type of headwear now known as the traditional, ceremonial head-dress of bishops and certain abbots in the Roman Catholic Church, as well as in the Anglican Communion, some Lutheran churches, and also bishops and certain other clergy in the Eastern Orthodox...

. Even the images and sculptures of Catholic saints were retained in the churches, although they were no longer venerated. Agricola was also the first bishop of Turku who was married.

In the end of the 16th century, the reformation of the Church of Sweden was finally accomplished. The following century is known as the time of Lutheran orthodoxy

Lutheran Orthodoxy

Lutheran orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment. Lutheran orthodoxy was paralleled by similar eras in Calvinism and tridentine Roman Catholicism after the...

. The membership of the church was obligatory as was the weekly attendance of services, the former under the pain of death, the latter under the pain of fine. In newly conquered Finnish Karelia

Finnish Karelia

Karelia is a historical province of Finland. It refers to the Western Karelia that during the second millennium has been under western dominance, religiously and politically. Western, i.e. Finnish Karelia is separate from Eastern, i.e...

, the Lutheran Church persecuted the Orthodox population, which to large extent fled to Russia. During the century, the church started the first rudiments of comprehensive education. Every person was required to know the basics tenets of the Christian faith. To ensure this, the parish verger

Verger

A verger is a person, usually a layman, who assists in the ordering of religious services, particularly in Anglican churches.-History:...

s got the duty of instructing children in reading and Christian faith. The education of priests was also improved, not the least with the founding of The Royal Academy of Turku

The Royal Academy of Turku

The Royal Academy of Turku was the first university in Finland, and the only university in present-day Finland to be founded when it was still a part of Sweden. In 1809, after Finland became a Grand Duchy under the suzerainty of the Russian Tzar, it was renamed the Imperial Academy of Turku...

. The system formed during the century was codified in the Church Act of 1686.

In the early 18th century, Finland was occupied by Russia for a decade in the Great Northern War

Great Northern War

The Great Northern War was a conflict in which a coalition led by the Tsardom of Russia successfully contested the supremacy of the Swedish Empire in northern Central Europe and Eastern Europe. The initial leaders of the anti-Swedish alliance were Peter I the Great of Russia, Frederick IV of...

. It took several decades to repair the ravages of war. A large portion of Finland was annexed by Russia. There, the Lutheran church remained active, now under Russian rule. The two branches of Finnish Lutheranism were reunited in the early 19th century. In both Russia and in Sweden, the Lutheranism was greatly affected by the theology of Enlightenment

Age of Enlightenment

The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...

which had the effect of secularizing the church. This, and the lavish lifestyle of the parish vicar

Vicar

In the broadest sense, a vicar is a representative, deputy or substitute; anyone acting "in the person of" or agent for a superior . In this sense, the title is comparable to lieutenant...

s, caused resentment which became visible in local, popular revival movements.

An independent state church

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is a successor to the Church of Sweden

Church of Sweden

of which it was a part until 1809, when the Grand Duchy of Finland

Grand Duchy of Finland

The Grand Duchy of Finland was the predecessor state of modern Finland. It existed 1809–1917 as part of the Russian Empire and was ruled by the Russian czar as Grand Prince.- History :...

was established as a part of the Russian Empire. After this, the church shared the state church status with the Finnish Orthodox Church

Finnish Orthodox Church

. In 1869, A new Church Act was passed by the Finnish Lantdag

Diet of Finland

The Diet of Finland , was the legislative assembly of the Grand Duchy of Finland from 1809 to 1906 and the recipient of the powers of the Swedish Riksdag of the Estates....

. The Act separated the church and the state, giving the church its own legislative body, the central synod. The changes into the form of the Church could only be made by the central synod, which had the sole right to propose changes to the Church Act. These changes could subsequently either be passed or vetoed by the Lantdag and the Russian Emperor. A year before, the Lutheran parishes were differentiated from the secular municipalities, both being given their own finances and administrative bodies. The general responsibility for comprehensive education and for the care of the poor was transferred from the church to secular municipalities.. The church accepted the separation from the state without qualms, as it wished to get more independence. As the head of state was the Orthodox Russian Emperor, complete integration with the state had been by no means unproblematic for the church.

In 1889 an act was passed allowing other Christian religion

Religion

Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...

s to act freely in the country. The members of the Lutheran Church were given the right to leave the church to join other Christian communities. Since 1923 it has been possible to leave the state church

National church

without having to join another religious congregation.

For the Church herself, the 19th century was marked by several revivalist movements, four of which were particularly prominent. These movements were:

Rukoilevaisuus, founded by peasant girl Liisa Erkintytär, and later, by the priest Abraham Achrenius. The movement has been active mostly in Western Finland
The Awakening
Awakening (religious movement)
The Awakening is a Lutheran religious movement in Finland which has found followers in the provinces of Savo and Ostrobothnia. The origins of the movement are in the 18th century. It has functioned inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland throughout its existence...

, founded by the peasant Paavo Ruotsalainen
Paavo Ruotsalainen
Paavo Ruotsalainen was a Finnish farmer and lay preacher.Born in Tölvänniemi as the oldest son of plain farmers, he received his first bible at age six. At the time of his confirmation he had already read it three times. His preoccupation with the words of the bible gained him the nickname...
Evankelisuus (connected to Neo-Lutheranism
Neo-Lutheranism
Neo-Lutheranism was a 19th century revival movement within Lutheranism which began with the Pietist driven Erweckung, or Awakening, and developed in reaction against theological rationalism and pietism...

), founded by the priest Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg
Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg
Fredrik Gabriel Hedberg was Finnish Lutheran priest, Neo-Lutheran writer and father of confessional Lutheranism in Finland....
Laestadianism
Laestadianism
Laestadianism is a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in the middle of the 19th century. It is strongly marked by both pietistic and Moravian influences. It is the biggest revivalist movement in the Nordic countries. It has members mainly in Finland, North America, Norway, Russia and...

, founded by Lars Levi Laestadius

The revivalist movements were all born during the first half of the century. They met strong opposition from the bishops and the educated part of the population, but drew large followings in the countryside. In modern Finnish historiography, the revivalist movements have been considered to be a part of the social upheaval caused by the modernization of society.

In the late 19th century, the Church started to face opposition from liberalism

Liberalism

Liberalism is the belief in the importance of liberty and equal rights. Liberals espouse a wide array of views depending on their understanding of these principles, but generally, liberals support ideas such as constitutionalism, liberal democracy, free and fair elections, human rights,...

. The position of the Church was especially questioned by the emerging labour movement. On the spiritual side, the Church was met by baptism

Baptism

In Christianity, baptism is for the majority the rite of admission , almost invariably with the use of water, into the Christian Church generally and also membership of a particular church tradition...

and methodism

Methodism

Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...

which became the first two private religious communities in Finland. The Church reacted by allowing its own revivalist movements more space and by starting new youth activities, e.g. Sunday schools and Christian youth associations. However, the main current of Finnish nationalism was affected by Lutheranism. For example, the most important philosopher of Finnish nationalism, Johan Vilhelm Snellman

Johan Vilhelm Snellman

Johan Vilhelm Snellman was an influential Fennoman philosopher and Finnish statesman, ennobled in 1866.Snellman was born in Stockholm, Sweden, as son of Kristian Henrik Snellman, a ship's captain...

, considered Lutheranism an important factor of the Finnish identity, although he was critical of the Church as an organization.

Disestablished national church

In the early 20th century, the old landtag, based on the four estates of realm, was changed into a unicameral parliament selected by equal vote. In 1908, a change of the Church Act freed the members of the church from the legal duty to participate in Holy Communion at least once a year. After this, the church attendance decreased and has become a sign of personal religious feeling.

The Finnish independence in 1917 was immediately followed by the Finnish Civil War

Finnish Civil War

The Finnish Civil War was a part of the national, political and social turmoil caused by World War I in Europe. The Civil War concerned control and leadership of The Grand Duchy of Finland as it achieved independence from Russia after the October Revolution in Petrograd...

. During the war, the Lutheran Church assumed the White position without question, while the Red side engaged in anticlericalism, even murdering priests. In the new constitution

Constitution of Finland

The Constitution of Finland is the supreme source of national law of Finland. It defines the basis, structures and organisation of government, the relationship between the different constitutional organs, and lays out the fundamental rights of Finnish citizens...

of 1919, the new republic was deemed to be non-confessional and the freedom of religion was made a constitutional right. In 1923, the right was implemented through Freedom of Religion Act. Although the act gave the right for every adult Finn to leave the church, and thus be freed from the duty of paying the church tax, the vast majority of the people remained members, regardless of their political opinions.

During the Second World War, the Church was an important factor in Finnish nationalism. The common nationalist cry during the war was Kodin, uskonnon ja isänmaan puolesta (in ; translation to For the home, the faith and the Fatherland). However, during the war, the church participated actively in social work, becoming closer to the labour movement. The military chaplains, who shared the life of the common soldiers for several years, also grew closer to the life of the working man. After the war, these priests, so-called asevelipapit/vapenbrödra präster (brother-in-arms-priests), continued their work in factories and elsewhere in the society. The diaconial, family and youth work emerged as new forms of church activity and the position of laity in the church was strengthened. The so-called fifth revivalist movement also begun as a result of revivals experienced during the war. Two Finnish archbishops, Martti Simojoki and Mikko Juva, were former military chaplains, their terms of archepiscopy covering two decades.

In the 1960s, the church met strong opposition from the radical left. It was considered old-fashioned fortress of reaction. Especially, the rudiments of the state church system were criticized. The 1966 blasphemy

Blasphemy

Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...

trial of the novelist Hannu Salama

Hannu Salama

Hannu Salama is a Finnish author.- Biography and work :Hannu Salama was born in Kouvola, Kymenlaakso region in Southern Finland. He spent his childhood in the Pispala district of the city of Tampere, in a traditional working-class area with working class politics and culture...

became a cause célèbre

Cause célèbre

A is an issue or incident arousing widespread controversy, outside campaigning and heated public debate. The term is particularly used in connection with celebrated legal cases. It is a French phrase in common English use...

for this position. Salama was sentenced to three months in prison but placed on probation. Salama was subsequently pardoned by President

President of Finland

The President of the Republic of Finland is the nation's head of state. Under the Finnish constitution, executive power is vested in the President and the government, with the President possessing extensive powers. The President is elected directly by the people of Finland for a term of six years....

Urho Kekkonen

Urho Kaleva Kekkonen , was a Finnish politician who served as Prime Minister of Finland and later as the eighth President of Finland . Kekkonen continued the “active neutrality” policy of his predecessor President Juho Kusti Paasikivi, a doctrine which came to be known as the “Paasikivi–Kekkonen...

. Another particularly criticized aspect of church-state relationship was the prohibition to hold public dances or show movies on the Saturdays preceding certain Sundays. The prohibition was lifted in 1968.

The Church answered to the situation by modernizing. During 1970s, work on new Finnish Bible translation and a new hymnal were begun. The hymnal, which incorporated a large number of revivalist and youth hymns, was taken into use in 1986 and the Bible translation, based on dynamical equivalence, was finished and authorized in 1992. In 1986, the central synod of the church opened the priesthood to women. The change had been first discussed by the synod in 1963, but the motion did not pass. The change was met by heavy opposition and remains controversial.

Teachings

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland sees itself as part of the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic

Four Marks of the Church

The Four Marks of the Church is a term describing four specific adjectives—one, holy, catholic and apostolic—indicating four major distinctive marks or distinguishing characteristics of the Christian Church...

Church. It is Lutheran in doctrine, following the teachings of Martin Luther

Martin Luther

. The church is a member of the Lutheran World Federation

Lutheran World Federation

The Lutheran World Federation is a global communion of national and regional Lutheran churches headquartered in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland. The federation was founded in the Swedish city of Lund in the aftermath of the Second World War in 1947 to coordinate the activities of the...

and the Porvoo Communion

Porvoo Communion

, but does not sign the Leuenberg Agreement

Leuenberg Agreement

Leuenberg Agreement is an ecumenical document adopted in 1973 by major European Lutheran and Reformed churches at the Swiss conference centre Leuenberg . Under this agreement the churches agree on a common understanding of the Gospel, including elementary agreement on important doctrines including...

. The faith of the Church is pronounced in the three confession

Confession

This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...

s of the old church (Apostles' Creed

Apostles' Creed

The Apostles' Creed , sometimes titled Symbol of the Apostles, is an early statement of Christian belief, a creed or "symbol"...

, Nicene Creed

Nicene Creed

The Nicene Creed is the creed or profession of faith that is most widely used in Christian liturgy. It is called Nicene because, in its original form, it was adopted in the city of Nicaea by the first ecumenical council, which met there in the year 325.The Nicene Creed has been normative to the...

and Athanasian Creed

Athanasian Creed

The Athanasian Creed is a Christian statement of belief, focusing on Trinitarian doctrine and Christology. The Latin name of the creed, Quicumque vult, is taken from the opening words, "Whosoever wishes." The Athanasian Creed has been used by Christian churches since the sixth century...

) and the Lutheran confessional documents as defined in Liber concordiae The practical faith is described in the Catechism

Catechism

A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...

of the church, which is based on and literally includes the Short Catechism of Martin Luther

Martin Luther

. The latest version of the Catechism was accepted by the General synod in 1999.

In most contemporarily controversial doctrines, the Church takes a middle position. The Church does not embrace creationism

Creationism

Creationism is the religious beliefthat humanity, life, the Earth, and the universe are the creation of a supernatural being, most often referring to the Abrahamic god. As science developed from the 18th century onwards, various views developed which aimed to reconcile science with the Genesis...

but states The Church accepts without reservation the doctrines of the virgin birth and bodily resurrection. The Church allows its members to work as military personnel or as judges, considering these duties important to the welfare of the society. The relation of the church to sexuality is somewhat ambiguous. It strictly condemns extramarital sex but in relation to pre-marital sex it states only Divorce and subsequent remarriage is accepted, with reservations. Abortion is accepted, because the church deems that the woman has all the rights to decide what to do about her own body. However, the woman must not be alone when she makes the decision. In LBGT issues, the Church has not yet adopted a clear position. The synod of bishops has stated that the sexual minorities should not be shunned or persecuted, but that they are, as all people, responsible for the applications of their sexuality. Homosexuals should refrain from practising sex, but they should be guided with love to understand their sexuality and the limitations and positive aspects caused by it.

The apostolic succession

Apostolic Succession

Apostolic succession is a doctrine, held by some Christian denominations, which asserts that the chosen successors of the Twelve Apostles, from the first century to the present day, have inherited the spiritual, ecclesiastical and sacramental authority, power, and responsibility that were...

of the church is considered to have remained intact through the proper ordination of bishop Mikael Agricola

Mikael Agricola

, but it was broken in 1884, when all the Finnish Lutheran bishops died within a year. The succession remained valid in the Church of Sweden

Church of Sweden

where it was returned from in 1930s in the ordination of the bishop of Tampere

Tampere

. However, the concept of apostolic succession is important foremost in ecumenical contexts, particularly in dealings with the Anglican Communion. In the theology of the church herself, the valid signs of the church include only the "pure preaching of the gospel and the performance of the sacraments according to the decree of Christ"

The central point of the Church doctrine, does not, however, lie in the areas of sexuality and creation but in the doctrine of justification. The human being is always a sinner, completely unable to reach God by his own merit. However, Christians are atoned by the grace of God, through the sacrifice of Christ, completely undeservedly. The Christian is simultaneously a sinner and a righteous person. At the end of time, the Christ will return and subject all to his judgment. Then everlasting perdition can only be avoided by Christ's mercy.

The saving grace becomes visible in the two sacrament

Sacrament

A sacrament is a sacred rite recognized as of particular importance and significance. There are various views on the existence and meaning of such rites.-General definitions and terms:...

s, the Holy Communion and Baptism. The baptism is administered even to children

Infant baptism

Infant baptism is the practice of baptising infants or young children. In theological discussions, the practice is sometimes referred to as paedobaptism or pedobaptism from the Greek pais meaning "child." The practice is sometimes contrasted with what is called "believer's baptism", or...

, as it is effective regardless of personal attitudes, "for Baptism and faith are God’s work in us." Any Christian may perform a valid baptism, but in normal cases, the priest should perform the sacrament. An emergency baptism performed by a member of the church must immediately be reported to the parish where the baptism took place. In the Holy Communion, the Sacrament of Altar, Christ gives his own, real body and blood for people to eat and to drink. The Church practises closed Communion

Closed communion

Closed communion is the practice of restricting the serving of the elements of Holy Communion to those who are members of a particular church, denomination, sect, or congregation...

but does not put any limitations on its members for partaking the Holy Communion. The only prerequisite needed is faith, however fragile. Children may take part in Communion after their parents have instructed them to understand the meaning of Communion. If a person is in mortal danger and wishes to receive Holy Communion, any Christian is allowed to administer him a valid sacrament. Normally, nonetheless, the administering the sacrament is reserved to priests.

The position of the Church on society has changed largely during the last century. While the Church was formerly considered to be a socially conservative force, it is now seen as leftist, even radical. The synod of bishops has in several occasions criticized the market economy sharply, and the Catechism calls repeatedly for moderation in private pursuits, e.g. equating profiteering and exploitative practices with theft. Publicly, the Church supports strongly the existing Finnish social welfare model, which it sees threatened especially by neoliberalism and globalization. This has led to the church being criticized from the political right for being the religious arm of social democracy

Social democracy

Social democracy is a political ideology of the center-left on the political spectrum. Social democracy is officially a form of evolutionary reformist socialism. It supports class collaboration as the course to achieve socialism...

. The church has answered that it takes no political sides but strives to work for the weakest in the society.

The church does not control its members strictly. Rituals such as weddings and funerals are often considered to be the most important reasons to remain a member.

There were five Revivalist movements in the history of the church: Beseecherism, Evangelicalism, The Fifth Revivalist Movement, The Laestadian movement

Laestadianism

Laestadianism is a conservative Lutheran revival movement started in the middle of the 19th century. It is strongly marked by both pietistic and Moravian influences. It is the biggest revivalist movement in the Nordic countries. It has members mainly in Finland, North America, Norway, Russia and...

and pietist Awakening

Awakening (religious movement)

The Awakening is a Lutheran religious movement in Finland which has found followers in the provinces of Savo and Ostrobothnia. The origins of the movement are in the 18th century. It has functioned inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland throughout its existence...

Organization

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is based on geographical division. Every member belongs to the parish

Parish

A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...

of their domicile. The parish boundaries follow the municipal boundaries. However, large cities are usually divided into several parishes. In such case, the geographical location of the members' homes places them into the parishes. The membership of a parish varies from a few hundred of a small municipalities to around 60.000 members of the parish of Malmi in Helsinki

Helsinki

Helsinki is the capital and largest city in Finland. It is in the region of Uusimaa, located in southern Finland, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland, an arm of the Baltic Sea. The population of the city of Helsinki is , making it by far the most populous municipality in Finland. Helsinki is...

. According to the Church Act, the parish is responsible for all the practical work performed by the church. The parish is headed by the vicar and the parish council. Both are elected by the members, using equal, closed voting. The term of the parish council is four years, while the vicar is elected for life (or until he fills 68 years of age.) A parish is a legal person of public nature, capable of taxing its members. The amount of tax collected is decided by the parish council and falls between 1–2.25 percent of personal income. In practice, the tax is collected by the state, for a fee. Financially, the parishes are responsible for themselves. However, poor parishes can be assisted by the central administration. On the other hand, all parishes are responsible for contributing 10 percent of their income to the central administration of the church and the dioceses. The day-to-day affairs of the parish administration are taken care of by the vicar and the parish board, elected by the parish council. In cities, the parishes of the city have a common parish council but a separate parish boards.

Dioceses and bishops

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is divided into nine Diocese

Diocese

A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...

s. Each diocese – except the Archdiocese of Turku

Turku

, which has one archbishop and one bishop – is headed by a Bishop

Bishop

A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...

and a cathedral chapter. Eight dioceses are regional, with the remaining one covering all of the country’s Swedish-language parishes. The Church's supreme decision-making body is the Synod

Synod

A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...

, which meets twice a year. Laymen make up a majority of the Synod, but a fixed number of seats have been set aside for clergy. The Synod proposes changes in the Ecclesiastical Act and decides on the Ecclesiastical Order. The Synod deals with questions of doctrine and approves the books of the church. The Synod directs the Church's common activities, administration and finances. Congregation elections are held every four years to fill administrative posts at the local level.

The Church is actively involved in ecumenical relations and is a member of the World Council of Churches

World Council of Churches

The World Council of Churches is a worldwide fellowship of 349 global, regional and sub-regional, national and local churches seeking unity, a common witness and Christian service. It is a Christian ecumenical organization that is based in the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, Switzerland...

and the Conference of European Churches

Conference of European Churches

The Conference of European Churches was founded in 1959 to promote reconciliation, dialogue and friendship between the churches of Europe at a time of growing Cold War political tensions and divisions. It is an ecumenical fellowship of Christian churches in Europe; its membership consists of most...

Diocese	Founded	Cathedral	Current bishop
Archdiocese of Turku Archdiocese of Turku The Archdiocese of Turku, or the Archdiocese of Åbo is the seat of the Archbishop of Turku. It is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The Archbishop has many administrative tasks relating to the National church, but he does not act as a supervisor for the other bishops, having...	1156	Turku Cathedral	Archbishop Kari Mäkinen Kari Mäkinen Kari Mäkinen is the archbishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. On 11 March 2010 he was elected the 14th Archbishop of Turku and Finland, and he succeeded Jukka Paarma in that position on 6 June 2010... (2010-)
Diocese of Tampere Diocese of Tampere The Diocese of Tampere is the second oldest and the largest diocese in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It is divided into 69 parishes with a total population of over 660,000 people. The diocese is led by the Bishop of Tampere.-History:...	1554	Tampere Cathedral Tampere Cathedral The Tampere Cathedral is a church in Tampere, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Tampere. The building was designed in the National Romantic style by Lars Sonck, and built between 1902 and 1907.The cathedral is famous for its frescoes, painted by the symbolist Hugo Simberg between 1905 and 1906...	Bishop Matti Repo (2008-)
Diocese of Oulu Diocese of Oulu The Diocese of Oulu is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The diocese was first founded in the town of Kuopio in 1851, but the episcopal see was moved to Oulu in 1900.-Bishops of Oulu:Bishops of Kuopio*Robert Frosterus 1851-1884...	1851	Oulu Cathedral Oulu Cathedral The Oulu Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral and the seat of the Diocese of Oulu, located in the centre of Oulu, Finland. The church was built in 1777 as a tribute to the King of Sweden Gustav III of Sweden and named after his wife as Sofia Magdalena's church.The wooden structures...	Bishop Samuel Salmi (2001-)
Diocese of Mikkeli Diocese of Mikkeli The Diocese of Mikkeli is one of nine dioceses in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It was founded in 1897 in the town of Savonlinna. Later, in 1924 the episcopal see was moved to Viipuri, but after Finland had lost the city to the Soviet Union the see was moved to Mikkeli in 1945...	1897	Mikkeli Cathedral Mikkeli cathedral Mikkeli Cathedral is a large church in Mikkeli, Southern Savonia, Finland, designed by Finnish church architect Josef Stenbäck. It was built in 1896–1897 and represents the Gothic Revival style like many other churches designed by Stenbäck. The bell tower is in the western gable of the church...	Bishop Seppo Häkkinen (2009-)
Diocese of Borgå Diocese of Borgå The Diocese of Borgå is a Diocese for the Swedish speaking minority of Finland. It is a part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. Porvoo is also the old seat of the present-day Diocese of Tampere....	1923	Porvoo Cathedral Porvoo Cathedral Porvoo cathedral is a cathedral in Porvoo, Finland. It was built in the 15th century, although the oldest parts date from the 13th century. It is used by the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and is the seat of the Diocese of Borgå, Finland's Swedish-speaking diocese...	Bishop Björn Vikström (2009-)
Diocese of Kuopio Diocese of Kuopio The Diocese of Kuopio is a diocese within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. It was founded in 1939.-Bishops of Kuopio:Eino Sormunen 1939–1962Olavi Kares 1962–1974Paavo Kortekangas 1974–1981Jukka Malmivaara 1981–1984*Matti Sihvonen 1984–1996...	1939	Kuopio Cathedral Kuopio Cathedral The Kuopio Cathedral is a stone Neoclassical style church in Kuopio, Finland and the seat of the Diocese of Kuopio. The cathedral was built between 1806 and 1815.- External links :...	Bishop Wille Riekkinen (1996-)
Diocese of Lapua Diocese of Lapua The Diocese of Lapua is one of nine dioceses within the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The diocese was founded in 1956 and its current bishop is Simo Peura.-Bishops of Lapua:Eero Lehtinen 1956–1974Yrjö Sariola 1974–1995*Jorma Laulaja 1995–2004...	1959	Lapua Cathedral Lapua Cathedral The Lapua Cathedral is a church in Lapua, Finland, and the seat of the Diocese of Lapua. The neoclassical cathedral was designed by Carl Ludvig Engel and built in 1827. The cathedral's pipe organ is the largest in Finland....	Bishop Simo Peura (2004-)
Diocese of Helsinki Diocese of Helsinki The Diocese of Helsinki is a Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland, and the seat of the Bishop of Helsinki. Its cathedral is Helsinki Cathedral....	1959	Helsinki Cathedral Helsinki Cathedral Helsinki Cathedral is an Evangelical Lutheran cathedral of the Diocese of Helsinki, located in the centre of Helsinki, Finland. The church was originally built as a tribute to the Grand Duke, Nicholas I, the Tsar of Russia and until the independence of Finland in 1917, it was called St...	Bishop Irja Askola Irja Askola Irja Kaarina Askola born December 18, 1952 in Lappeenranta is the Bishop of Helsinki in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.The Diocese was established in 1959 by dividing the Diocese of Tampere. It covers only 1% of the country's territory, but contains 10% of the population. The diocese... (2010-)
Diocese of Espoo Diocese of Espoo The Diocese of Espoo is the newest of the nine dioceses of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The diocese came into existence in 2004 after the Diocese of Helsinki was split in two. The seat of the diocese is the Espoo Cathedral and its first and current bishop is Mikko Heikka. In...	2004	Espoo Cathedral Espoo Cathedral The Espoo Cathedral is a medieval stone church in Espoo, Finland and the seat of the Diocese of Espoo of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland. The cathedral is located in the district of Espoon keskus, near the Espoonjoki river...	Bishop Mikko Heikka Mikko Heikka Mikko Esa Juhani Heikka is a Finnish bishop of the Evangelic Lutheran Church. He was ordained into priesthood in 1968 and became a Doctor of Theology from the University of Helsinki in 1983. He was appointed the first Bishop of Espoo in 2004... (2004-)

The Military Bishop

Military Bishop

Military Bishop is a military rank and position within the Finnish Defence Forces. The military bishop is the leader of the priests and the deacons serving in the army as military chaplains, both Lutheran and orthodox...

(at the moment, Hannu Niskanen) is excluded in this table.

Other Nordic Evangelical-Lutheran churches

Church of Sweden
Church of Sweden
The Church of Sweden is the largest Christian church in Sweden. The church professes the Lutheran faith and is a member of the Porvoo Communion. With 6,589,769 baptized members, it is the largest Lutheran church in the world, although combined, there are more Lutherans in the member churches of...

- Svenska kyrkan
Danish National Church - Folkekirken
Church of Norway
Church of Norway
The Church of Norway is the state church of Norway, established after the Lutheran reformation in Denmark-Norway in 1536-1537 broke the ties to the Holy See. The church confesses the Lutheran Christian faith...

- Den norske kirke
National Church of Iceland - Þjóðkirkjan

External links

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Position in Finnish society

Catholic bishopric

Part of the Church of Sweden

An independent state church

Disestablished national church

Teachings

Organization

Dioceses and bishops

See also

Other Nordic Evangelical-Lutheran churches

External links