Eivind Berggrav
Encyclopedia
Eivind Josef Berggrav was a Norwegian
Lutheran bishop
, primarily known as Primate of the Church of Norway
(Norwegian:Preses i Bispemøtet i Den norske kirke) and remembered for his unyielding resistance against the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II
.
, Norway. He studied theology
and became a priest
in the Church of Norway
and subsequently bishop, first in the Diocese of Hålogaland
from 1928 to 1937 and secondly in the Diocese of Oslo
from 1937 to 1951.
His father, Otto Jensen
was Norwegian National Minister of Education and Church Affairs and later bishop of the Diocese of Hamar
and dean in the Diocese of Kristiania
.
His son Dag Berggrav
became an important civil servant and sports administrator.
occupation
of Norway
during World War II, even though he was under isolated house arrest during most of the war. During the shock of the German invasion of Norway, Berggrav did not immediately publicly oppose the occupation, but instead initially appealed to Norwegian Christians to "refrain from any interference" and to refuse to "mix themselves up in the war by sabotage or in any other way." However, as it became increasingly clear that the occupying Nazi powers would not honor their promise to allow Norwegians freedom of religion
and the preservation of their structures of government, Berggrav was a leader in forming the Christian Council for Joint Deliberation, and when the Church of Norway was ordered by the Nazis to alter its liturgical practices, Bishop Berggrav refused to comply.
On 9 April 1942, Berggrav was arrested. Along with four other members of the Christian Council, he was initially imprisoned in the Bredtvet concentration camp, but he was later moved to an isolated location in the forests north of Oslo where he was placed in solitary confinement
, and allowed to see no one but his Nazi guards. From this prison he orchestrated the mass resignation of almost all of the priests of the Church of Norway in protest against the Nazi tyranny. Since all the clergy of the Church of Norway were also civil servants at the time, this shunning of the orders of the Nazi government sent a powerful message to the people that tyrants would not be obeyed - no matter what the price.
In December 1944 Berggrav was featured on the cover of TIME magazine, becoming one of the relatively few protestant religious figures to have been thus honored. Berggrav was also an important figure in 20th-century ecumenical
movements, including the Universal Church
movement and the World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches.
Berggrav was the author of a large numbers of books which were all written in the Norwegian language. The Norwegian Church in Its International Setting, Man and State, and With God in the Darkness, and Other Papers Illustrating the Norwegian Church Conflict have been translated into English. Berggrav's life and memory are commemorated on the Calendar of Saints
by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
on 14 January.
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
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...
, primarily known as Primate of the 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...
(Norwegian:Preses i Bispemøtet i Den norske kirke) and remembered for his unyielding resistance against the Nazi occupation of Norway during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Background
Berggrav was born in StavangerStavanger
Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.Stavanger municipality has a population of 126,469. There are 197,852 people living in the Stavanger conurbation, making Stavanger the fourth largest city, but the third largest urban area, in Norway...
, Norway. He studied 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...
and became a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in the 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...
and subsequently bishop, first in the Diocese of Hålogaland
Diocese of Nord-Hålogaland
Nord-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. It covers Lutheran churches in the counties of Troms, Finnmark and Svalbard. The cathedral city is Tromsø, and the bishop since 2002 is Per Oskar Kjølaas...
from 1928 to 1937 and secondly in the Diocese of Oslo
Diocese of Oslo
Oslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...
from 1937 to 1951.
His father, Otto Jensen
Otto Jensen
Otto Jensen was a Norwegian bishop and politician. He was Minister of Education and Church Affairs from 1906 to 1907 and bishop of Hamar from 1917 to 1918....
was Norwegian National Minister of Education and Church Affairs and later bishop of the Diocese of Hamar
Diocese of Hamar
Hamar is a present Lutheran diocese, named after its episcopal see, the Norwegian city of Hamar.There are 164 parishes in the diocese.-Lutheran diocese:...
and dean in the Diocese of Kristiania
Diocese of Oslo
Oslo bishopric is The Church of Norway's bishopric for the municipalities of Oslo, Asker and Bærum. It is one of Norway's five traditional bishoprics and was founded around the year 1070.-History:...
.
His son Dag Berggrav
Dag Berggrav
Dag Berggrav was a Norwegian jurist, civil servant and sports administrator. Known mostly for his long tenure at the Norwegian Office of the Prime Minister, he also held important positions in sporting life, including the vice presidency of the International Ski Federation.-Early and personal...
became an important civil servant and sports administrator.
Career
Berggrav is celebrated for his leadership in the Church of Norway's resistance to the NaziNazism
Nazism, the common short form name of National Socialism was the ideology and practice of the Nazi Party and of Nazi Germany...
occupation
Military occupation
Military occupation occurs when the control and authority over a territory passes to a hostile army. The territory then becomes occupied territory.-Military occupation and the laws of war:...
of Norway
Occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany
The occupation of Norway by Nazi Germany started with the German invasion of Norway on April 9, 1940, and ended on May 8, 1945, after the capitulation of German forces in Europe. Throughout this period, Norway was continuously occupied by the Wehrmacht...
during World War II, even though he was under isolated house arrest during most of the war. During the shock of the German invasion of Norway, Berggrav did not immediately publicly oppose the occupation, but instead initially appealed to Norwegian Christians to "refrain from any interference" and to refuse to "mix themselves up in the war by sabotage or in any other way." However, as it became increasingly clear that the occupying Nazi powers would not honor their promise to allow Norwegians freedom of religion
Freedom of religion
Freedom of religion is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance; the concept is generally recognized also to include the freedom to change religion or not to follow any...
and the preservation of their structures of government, Berggrav was a leader in forming the Christian Council for Joint Deliberation, and when the Church of Norway was ordered by the Nazis to alter its liturgical practices, Bishop Berggrav refused to comply.
On 9 April 1942, Berggrav was arrested. Along with four other members of the Christian Council, he was initially imprisoned in the Bredtvet concentration camp, but he was later moved to an isolated location in the forests north of Oslo where he was placed in solitary confinement
Solitary confinement
Solitary confinement is a special form of imprisonment in which a prisoner is isolated from any human contact, though often with the exception of members of prison staff. It is sometimes employed as a form of punishment beyond incarceration for a prisoner, and has been cited as an additional...
, and allowed to see no one but his Nazi guards. From this prison he orchestrated the mass resignation of almost all of the priests of the Church of Norway in protest against the Nazi tyranny. Since all the clergy of the Church of Norway were also civil servants at the time, this shunning of the orders of the Nazi government sent a powerful message to the people that tyrants would not be obeyed - no matter what the price.
In December 1944 Berggrav was featured on the cover of TIME magazine, becoming one of the relatively few protestant religious figures to have been thus honored. Berggrav was also an important figure in 20th-century ecumenical
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
movements, including the Universal Church
Universal church
The phrase universal church can refer to:* Catholic Church* Ecumenism* Unitarian Universalism* Universalism* Universal Church of the Kingdom of God...
movement and the World Alliance for International Friendship through the Churches.
Berggrav was the author of a large numbers of books which were all written in the Norwegian language. The Norwegian Church in Its International Setting, Man and State, and With God in the Darkness, and Other Papers Illustrating the Norwegian Church Conflict have been translated into English. Berggrav's life and memory are commemorated on the Calendar of Saints
Calendar of Saints (Lutheran)
The Lutheran Calendar of Saints is a listing which details the primary annual festivals and events that are celebrated liturgically by some Lutheran Churches in the United States. The calendars of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod are from the...
by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
on 14 January.
Selected works
- Spenningens Land (1937)
- Kirkens ordning i Norge (1945)
- Tider Og Tekster (1947)
- Es Sehnen sich die Kirchen (1953)
- Marie Treschow: En Livsskisse (1955)
- Forgjeves for Fred. Vinteren 1939-40. Forsok Og Samtaler I Norden, Berlin Og London (posthumous 1960)
Other sources
- Godal, Odd Eivind Berggrav: Leader of Christian resistance (SCM Press. 1949)
- Johnson, Alex and Harriet L. Overholt Johnson . Kjell Jordheim, translator. Eivind Berggrav, God's Man of Suspense (Augsburg Publishing House, 1960)
- Robertson, Edwin Hanton Bishop of the Resistance: A Life of Eivind Berggrav, Bishop of Oslo, Norway ( Concordia Publishing House, 2001)
- Molland, Einar Fra Hans Nielsen Hauge til Eivind Berggrav. Hovedlinjer i Norges kirkehistorie i det 19. og 20. århundre ( Oslo: Gyldendal, 1968)
External links
- http://mediabase1.uib.no/krigslex/b/bilder/berggrav-eivind.htmlBishop Eivind Berggrav with Folke BernadotteFolke BernadotteFolke Bernadotte, Count of Wisborg was a Swedish diplomat and nobleman noted for his negotiation of the release of about 31,000 prisoners from German concentration camps during World War II, including 450 Danish Jews from Theresienstadt released on 14 April 1945...
. May 17, 1945]