Helsingin Sanomat on Saturday reported that pastor Toni Fagerholm blessed the same-sex partnership during the Helsinki Pride event, prompting various church spokespersons to publicly emphasise that the service was in fact a prayer, not a blessing.

The joyous moment of a lesbian couple in Punavuori, Helsinki, has stirred quite a dispute within the ranks of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.

On Wednesday, Irja Askola, the Bishop of Helsinki, stated in public what had already become apparent for many. “Information I've received suggests that the pastor considered the service a blessing. The details about the service he initially provided to various people were contradictory,” Askola said.

If Fagerholm had such a pressing urge to speak up for the equal treatment of same-sex couples, why did he later retract his actions?

The answer to the question is two-fold. First, the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland has for decades been torn over how to uphold traditional views on marriage while acknowledging the human rights of sexual minorities.

Although the church has over four million members in Finland, less than one in five use their right to vote in parish elections. The most conservative members, however, are active voters, and therefore the General Synod – and hence the church in general – is governed by conservatives.

Officially, the Evangelical Lutheran Church considers marriage a union between a man and woman. Yet, the church has permitted its pastors to pray for the partnerships of gay and lesbian couples.

Therefore, Fagerholm received little public support from his colleagues after flouting the rules.

The service he officiated in a makeshift church on Saturday was similar to a traditional church wedding ceremony, with one marginal exception. When it was time to exchange rings, Fagerholm asked not if the women wanted to take each other as spouse, but if they had anything to say to each other.

The couple exchanged vows and slipped a ring on each other's finger.

Second, conversations between Helsingin Sanomat and spokespersons at the Evangelical Lutheran Church indicate that there was a desire ensure there would be no drastic repercussions for Fagerholm.

As of Wednesday, no complaints over his actions had been filed with the diocesan administration.

Askola on Wednesday also bemoaned the direction of the subsequent debate. “The debate has focused on the disagreement within the church, not the fact that the church actively participated in a gay pride event,” she said.

At the diocese of Helsinki, the pressure to include gay and lesbian couples is considerable. Askola is a staunch advocate of equal marriage rights, while four in five pastors of the diocese voiced their willingness to bless same-sex unions in a recent survey.

If the Evangelical Lutheran Church wants to be a part of the liberal capital region, it must seek measures to ensure also same-sex couples feel accepted.

“As a church, we've been cruel to sexual minorities. The focus of the prayer service has been on what shouldn't be done. Tolerance will increase once we end the culture of silence and engage in an open discussion,” gauges Askola.

One alternative is to extend marriage rights to same-sex couples and strip the church of its right to officiate weddings. A secular arrangement would guarantee equal rights to everyone and allow the church to bless whoever they please.

Katja Kuokkanen – HS

Aleksi Teivainen – HT

© HELSINGIN SANOMAT

Photo: Benjamin Suomela / HS