Tor Berger Jørgensen
Encyclopedia
Tor Berger Jørgensen is the Bishop
of the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
in the Church of Norway
.
Jørgensen was named the new bishop of Sør-Hålogaland on 17 November 2006 and took over those duties from Øystein Ingar Larsen
on 28 January 2007. Jørgensen had previously been the dean of Bodø Cathedral
since 2000 and had for various periods been deputy for the bishop.
Jørgensen has a cand.theol.
degree from the Misjonshøgskolen/MF Norwegian School of Theology
in 1972. Jørgensen has worked for 15 years as a mission priest in Japan
for the Norwegian Missionary Society
and after that was the general secretary of the same organisation from 1991 to 1999. Jørgensen was also a candidate for bishop of the Diocese of Oslo
in 2005, but Ole Christian Kvarme
was elected.
in the church, and since then has been referred to as one of the liberal bishops in the synod. A week before he became bishop, he gave an interview to a newspaper stating that he supported a ritual in church for homosexuals to take part in a Civil union
.
In 2009, Jørgensen ordained a female priest that was unmarried and living with the father of her child. The issue of cohabitation
of priests is a very controversial topic in the church, and many have called for his resignation.
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 the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland
Sør-Hålogaland is a diocese in the Church of Norway. The Diocese covers the Lutheran Church of Norway churches located within Nordland county in Norway...
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...
.
Jørgensen was named the new bishop of Sør-Hålogaland on 17 November 2006 and took over those duties from Øystein Ingar Larsen
Øystein Ingar Larsen
Øystein Ingar Larsen was Bishop of the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland from 1992 to 2006.Larsen grew up in Høyenhall in Aker. He received his cand.theol. degree at the MF Norwegian School of Theology in 1966. He was ordained as a priest in 1967. Larsen worked for the Norwegian Inner Mission from 1968 to...
on 28 January 2007. Jørgensen had previously been the dean of Bodø Cathedral
Bodø Cathedral
Bodø Cathedral is a cathedral in the municipality of Bodø in Nordland county, Norway. It is located in the town of Bodø. The church is part of the Bodø parish in the Bodø deanery in the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland...
since 2000 and had for various periods been deputy for the bishop.
Jørgensen has a cand.theol.
Cand.theol.
Candidatus theologiæ , Candidata theologiæ , abbreviated cand. theol. is an academic degree with a long tradition, awarded after a six year higher education in theology in Denmark and Norway. In Norway, the title has remained after the "Quality Reform", though it is equivalent to a Master of...
degree from the Misjonshøgskolen/MF Norwegian School of Theology
MF Norwegian School of Theology
The Norwegian School of Theology , is a private, independent, accredited Norwegian specialised university...
in 1972. Jørgensen has worked for 15 years as a mission priest in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the Norwegian Missionary Society
Norwegian Missionary Society
The Norwegian Missionary Society is a Norwegian missionary organization.It was started by a group of approx 180 people in the town of Stavanger in Norway in August 1842. The goal was to spread the Christian religion to other peoples, mainly in Africa...
and after that was the general secretary of the same organisation from 1991 to 1999. Jørgensen was also a candidate for bishop of 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:...
in 2005, but 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....
was elected.
Beliefs
In 2000, Jørgensen entered the debate on homosexualsHomosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
in the church, and since then has been referred to as one of the liberal bishops in the synod. A week before he became bishop, he gave an interview to a newspaper stating that he supported a ritual in church for homosexuals to take part in a Civil union
Civil union
A civil union, also referred to as a civil partnership, is a legally recognized form of partnership similar to marriage. Beginning with Denmark in 1989, civil unions under one name or another have been established by law in many developed countries in order to provide same-sex couples rights,...
.
In 2009, Jørgensen ordained a female priest that was unmarried and living with the father of her child. The issue of cohabitation
Cohabitation
Cohabitation usually refers to an arrangement whereby two people decide to live together on a long-term or permanent basis in an emotionally and/or sexually intimate relationship. The term is most frequently applied to couples who are not married...
of priests is a very controversial topic in the church, and many have called for his resignation.