The Finnish Evangelical-Lutheran Church will, despite pressure from forces inside the church, not change its biblical view on homosexual marriages.
In May 2024, the Lutheran bishops proposed adding a provision to the Church Order allowing two parallel theological views on marriage: one defining it as a union between a man and a woman, the other as between two persons.
Under the proposal, priests would be allowed to choose whether or not to officiate ‘same-sex marriages,’ but congregations would have to ensure access to church weddings for homosexual couples. Organists and church musicians would also be able to opt out of providing their services at gay weddings, according to the proposal.
The synod on May 8th rejected the proposal with 62 votes for and 40 against, with six abstentions. It would have required three-quarters of the vote to pass.
Finnish law allows secular same-sex marriages, but the church has been divided on the issue, with some pastors performing unauthorized gay marriages despite the church not allowing the practice.
Archbishop Tapio Luoma said a church wedding and asking for God’s blessing is of great importance for all couples, and that he, therefore, finds it “very frustrating” that the bishops’ proposal was not approved. “I am convinced that, in time, the church will allow the marriage of same-sex couples in Finland as well,” he said.
