Bertil Gärtner
Encyclopedia
Bertil Edgar Gärtner was a Swedish
Lutheran bishop
of Gothenburg
(1970–1991), and professor
of New Testament
's exegesis
at Princeton Theological Seminary
, United States
.
In 1969 Gärtner became provost
of Gothenburg
cathedral and on 24 July 1970 bishop of the Lutheran diocese of Gothenburg. Like his predecessor Bo Giertz
, Gärtner was theologically conservative and High Church. He was the writer of a number of books about the ministry of the Church as well as on New Testament
subjects. He was one of the Swedish church leaders opposing the ordination of women
in the Church of Sweden
. He was also an episcopal Visitor
of Societas Sanctae Birgittae
.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
Lutheran 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...
of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
(1970–1991), and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of 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....
's exegesis
Exegesis
Exegesis is a critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially a religious text. Traditionally the term was used primarily for exegesis of the Bible; however, in contemporary usage it has broadened to mean a critical explanation of any text, and the term "Biblical exegesis" is used...
at Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary
Princeton Theological Seminary is a theological seminary of the Presbyterian Church located in the Borough of Princeton, New Jersey in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 1969 Gärtner became provost
Provost (religion)
A provost is a senior official in a number of Christian churches.-Historical Development:The word praepositus was originally applied to any ecclesiastical ruler or dignitary...
of Gothenburg
Gothenburg
Gothenburg is the second-largest city in Sweden and the fifth-largest in the Nordic countries. Situated on the west coast of Sweden, the city proper has a population of 519,399, with 549,839 in the urban area and total of 937,015 inhabitants in the metropolitan area...
cathedral and on 24 July 1970 bishop of the Lutheran diocese of Gothenburg. Like his predecessor Bo Giertz
Bo Giertz
Bo Harald Giertz , was a Swedish Confessional Lutheran bishop and Christian novelist....
, Gärtner was theologically conservative and High Church. He was the writer of a number of books about the ministry of the Church as well as on 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....
subjects. He was one of the Swedish church leaders opposing the ordination of women
Ordination of women
Ordination in general religious usage is the process by which a person is consecrated . The ordination of women is a regular practice among some major religious groups, as it was of several religions of antiquity...
in the 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...
. He was also an episcopal Visitor
Visitor
A Visitor, in United Kingdom law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution , who can intervene in the internal affairs of that institution...
of Societas Sanctae Birgittae
Societas Sanctae Birgittae
Societas Sanctæ Birgittæ is a High Church Lutheran religious society with character of third order for priests and laity, men and women in the Church of Sweden....
.
External links
- photograph of Bishop Gärtner
- The Experience of the Church of Sweden by Bertil E. Gärtner and Carl Strandberg from Man, Woman, and Priesthood, pp. 123-133, edited by Peter Moore, SPCK London, 1978
- Bertil bloggar, Bishop Gärtner's personal weblog