People’s church Finland at a crossroads

16-06-2021

Northern Europe

Geerten Moerkerken, RD

Parish pastor Marja Malvaranta serves the Maundy Thursday mass to her parishioners via webcast from the Espoo Cathedral in Espoo, Finland on April 9, 2020. photo AFP, Vesa Moilanen

The persecution of a Finnish MP and a bishop for their views on same-sex marriage is splitting Finnish society and the people’s church. While the Finns are becoming more and more secular, the Lutheran people’s church struggles with its position.