Missionsprovinsen
Encyclopedia
Missionsprovinsen mɪˈɧuːnspruvinsən (the Mission Province) is a second, independent ecclesiastical province
within the Church of Sweden
and somewhat also inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
, founded by members of the "orthodox opposition" to the ordination of women
to the priesthood and episcopate. The Mission Province was founded on 6 September 2003, following the establishment of the Nordic Catholic Church
in Norway.
The Province was founded as an alternative ecclesiastical jurisdiction in order to support the establishment of new free Eucharist
ic communities (koinonias). It contains the Catholic
, Schartauan Confessional and Evangelical
expressions found in the Church of Sweden on the doctrinal basis of the Book of Concord
.
On 5 February 2005, The Most Reverend Walter Obare Omwanza
, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, assisted by bishops Leonid Zviki from Belarus, David Tswaedi from South Africa
, Børre Knudsen
and Ulf Asp from Norway, consecrated Arne Olsson
in apostolic succession
as the Ordinary
for the Mission Province.
In April 2006, Bishop Arne Olsson
consecrated pastors Lars Artman and Göran Beijer
as other bishops for the Mission Province. The alternative hierarchy of the Mission province ordains candidates for the priesthood who are not in favour of the ordination of women
and who are therefore not accepted for ordination in the national Churches of Sweden or Finland.
Bishops of the Church of Sweden do not acknowledge the Mission Province as a part of the Church of Sweden and Bishop Arne Olsson
was defrocked
soon after his episcopal ordination as were Lars Artman and Göran Beijer
.
Ecclesiastical Province
An ecclesiastical province is a large jurisdiction of religious government, so named by analogy with a secular province, existing in certain hierarchical Christian churches, especially in the Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches and in the Anglican Communion...
within 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...
and somewhat also inside the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland is the national church of Finland. The church professes the Lutheran branch of Christianity, and is a member of the Porvoo Communion....
, founded by members of the "orthodox opposition" to 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...
to the priesthood and episcopate. The Mission Province was founded on 6 September 2003, following the establishment of the Nordic Catholic Church
Nordic Catholic Church
The Nordic Catholic Church is a church body in Norway of High Church Lutheran origin, under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church and Scranton Union....
in Norway.
The Province was founded as an alternative ecclesiastical jurisdiction in order to support the establishment of new free Eucharist
Eucharist
The Eucharist , also called Holy Communion, the Sacrament of the Altar, the Blessed Sacrament, the Lord's Supper, and other names, is a Christian sacrament or ordinance...
ic communities (koinonias). It contains the Catholic
High Church Lutheranism
"High Church Lutheranism" is the name given in Europe for the 20th century Lutheran movement that emphasizes worship practices and doctrines that are similar to those found within both Roman Catholicism and the Anglo-Catholic wing of Anglicanism...
, Schartauan Confessional and Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
expressions found in the Church of Sweden on the doctrinal basis of the Book of Concord
Book of Concord
The Book of Concord or Concordia is the historic doctrinal standard of the Lutheran Church, consisting of ten credal documents recognized as authoritative in Lutheranism since the 16th century...
.
On 5 February 2005, The Most Reverend Walter Obare Omwanza
Walter Obare
Walter Obare Omwanza is the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, which is a member of the Lutheran World Federation. On 5 February 2005 he consecrated a Swedish pastor Arne Olsson as bishop for a conservative group called the Mission Province, which opposes the Church of...
, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenya, assisted by bishops Leonid Zviki from Belarus, David Tswaedi from South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Børre Knudsen
Børre Knudsen
Børre Knudsen is a Norwegian Lutheran minister noted for his pro-life activism.Knudsen completed his seminary education in 1966 and was ordained in the Church of Norway in 1967...
and Ulf Asp from Norway, consecrated Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson is the Bishop Ordinary of the Mission Province.Olsson is a retired pastor in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, having been e.g. the parish priest of Habo. On 5 February in Gothenburg, 2005 he was consecrated as bishop of The Mission Province by The Most Reverend Walter Obare, the...
in 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...
as the Ordinary
Ordinary
In those hierarchically organised churches of Western Christianity which have an ecclesiastical law system, an ordinary is an officer of the church who by reason of office has ordinary power to execute the church's laws...
for the Mission Province.
In April 2006, Bishop Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson is the Bishop Ordinary of the Mission Province.Olsson is a retired pastor in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, having been e.g. the parish priest of Habo. On 5 February in Gothenburg, 2005 he was consecrated as bishop of The Mission Province by The Most Reverend Walter Obare, the...
consecrated pastors Lars Artman and Göran Beijer
Göran Beijer
Rt Revd Göran Beijer is Swedish traditionalist bishop of the independent Mission Province.Beijer received his theological degree from the University of Uppsala and was ordained to priesthood in Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden in 1967. The Middle Eastern Council of Churches sponsored his...
as other bishops for the Mission Province. The alternative hierarchy of the Mission province ordains candidates for the priesthood who are not in favour of 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...
and who are therefore not accepted for ordination in the national Churches of Sweden or Finland.
Bishops of the Church of Sweden do not acknowledge the Mission Province as a part of the Church of Sweden and Bishop Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson
Arne Olsson is the Bishop Ordinary of the Mission Province.Olsson is a retired pastor in the Lutheran Church of Sweden, having been e.g. the parish priest of Habo. On 5 February in Gothenburg, 2005 he was consecrated as bishop of The Mission Province by The Most Reverend Walter Obare, the...
was defrocked
Defrocking
To defrock, unfrock, or laicize ministers or priests is to remove their rights to exercise the functions of the ordained ministry. This may be due to criminal convictions, disciplinary matters, or disagreements over doctrine or dogma...
soon after his episcopal ordination as were Lars Artman and Göran Beijer
Göran Beijer
Rt Revd Göran Beijer is Swedish traditionalist bishop of the independent Mission Province.Beijer received his theological degree from the University of Uppsala and was ordained to priesthood in Diocese of Visby of the Church of Sweden in 1967. The Middle Eastern Council of Churches sponsored his...
.
See also
- Matti Väisänen (bishop)Matti Väisänen (bishop)Matti Kalevi Väisänen is a former priest of Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland and the bishop of independent Luther Foundation ordained by Swedish-based Missionsprovinsen, an ecclesiastical province that opposes ordination of women. He graduated doctor of theology from University of Helsinki...
- Nordic Catholic ChurchNordic Catholic ChurchThe Nordic Catholic Church is a church body in Norway of High Church Lutheran origin, under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church and Scranton Union....
- Continuing Anglican movementContinuing Anglican MovementThe term Continuing Anglican movement refers to a number of churches in various countries that have been formed outside of the Anglican Communion. These churches generally believe that "traditional" forms of Anglican faith and worship have been unacceptably revised or abandoned within some...
External links
- Homepage of Missionsprovinsen
- A Report on a Visit to the Free Synod of the Church of Sweden and the Missionary Province 18 – 29 August, 2003 by The Rev. Paul C. Hewett, SSC
- Report from Sweden by Bishop Goran Beijer. The National Assembly of Forward in FaithForward in FaithForward in Faith is a movement operating in a number of provinces of the Anglican Communion. It represents a traditionalist strand of Anglo-Catholicism and is characterised by its opposition to the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate and, more recently, to more liberal Anglican...
UK on Friday 6th and Saturday 7 October 2006