Christians in Finland are having a hard time of it lately. On the heels of the Finnish Supreme Court convicting MP Päivi Räsänen of “hate speech” over a booklet on the biblical view on homosexuality, now the country is going after mentions of God in songs sung at school graduations.
The Finnish Discrimination and Equality Board has fined the city of Espoo for repeatedly discriminating against the same student by exposing him to Christian content in songs traditionally performed at Christmas and end-of-year celebrations in spring. The city was fined €10,000 and ordered to pay the student an additional €2,500 in compensation.
Parents of the student said in their complaint that they had not been informed ahead of time or given the opportunity to withdraw their student from the events.
“Varpusta jouluaamuna” (The Sparrow on Christmas Morning)—a song chosen and performed by another student—is not a hymn but includes the apparently offending phrase “God shall reward him who is a friend of the poor.” The first couple of verses of “Den blomstertid nu kommer” (The Flowering Season is Coming), Psalm 535 in the Hymnal of the Finnish Lutheran Church, which are the ones traditionally sung, include lyrics considering “the riches of God’s goodness” while beholding the beauty of nature in spring.
According to the student, he was discriminated against in grades 1–6 due to his religious beliefs for a full six years. The Discrimination and Equality Board—an independent authority appointed by the government—ruled that Espoo has neglected its obligation to promote equality.
School principals in Espoo have already sent messages to parents informing them that the traditional spring hymn, part of the end-of-year celebration in Finnish as well as Swedish schools for generations, will be part of this year’s celebrations as well.
Neither the discrimination board nor Finnish media clarified what particular religious belief the student embraced that found offensive the ideas of God rewarding friends of the poor or promoting gratitude to God for natural beauty.
