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In a historic move, the Church of Norway has formally apologized to LGBTQ+ individuals for decades of discrimination and exclusion. The apology was delivered by Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit on Thursday at the London Pub in Oslo, a significant LGBTQ+ venue and the site of the tragic 2022 Oslo Pride shooting, where two people were killed.
During the apology, Tveit acknowledged the pain and shame inflicted upon LGBTQ+ individuals by the church, stating that this suffering should never have occurred. The event marked a significant turning point, symbolizing a long-overdue reckoning with the church’s past. A special service held later at Oslo Cathedral provided an opportunity for collective mourning and reflection.
Historically, the Church of Norway, the largest religious institution in the country, opposed LGBTQ+ rights. It once denied LGBTQ+ individuals the right to become pastors, marry in church, or fully participate in their faith communities. In the 1950s, church leaders labeled gay individuals as a “social danger.” However, societal changes in Norway led the church to evolve, beginning with the legalization of same-sex registered partnerships in 1993, followed by same-sex marriage in 2009. The church ordained its first openly gay pastors in 2007, and by 2017, same-sex couples were permitted to marry within the church.
The apology is seen as a critical step toward healing, although it has elicited mixed emotions from the community. Many expressed relief and validation, while others felt profound sorrow, noting that the apology came too late for many who suffered during the AIDS crisis, when the church viewed the epidemic as divine punishment.
The Church of Norway’s apology aligns with a broader global trend, as various religious institutions seek to address past injustices against LGBTQ+ individuals. In recent years, other churches, including the Church of England and the United Church of Canada, have also issued apologies, reflecting a growing recognition of the need for accountability and inclusion.
As the Church of Norway embarks on this path of reconciliation, it sends a powerful message to other institutions: the journey toward justice and love must follow the acknowledgment of past wrongs.
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