Epifaniy's guest bishops from Scandinavia turn out to be LGBT supporters
Lutheran bishops received by Epifaniy Dumenko. Photo: UOJ
Most of the Lutheran bishops and bishopesses who prayed at the "liturgy" of the OCU at St. Michael's Cathedral and were received by Dumenko at his residence turned out to be LGBT supporters.
This information became available to the UOJ from open sources.
The head of the Lutheran Church of Iceland, Bishopess Guðrún Karls Helgudóttir, regularly participates in gay parades, organizes flash mobs in churches for priests to use stoles (a liturgical vestment) in rainbow colors, and uses a crucifix in LGBT colors.
She supports her transgender daughter and states that the Church of Iceland is "in debt to the queer community".
The Chairman of the Norwegian Bishops' Conference, Olav Fykse Tveit, stated in 2022 that the Church should apologise because it made "the living situation of people with an LGBT identity difficult through [its] attitudes and the way [it] behaved." He regularly participates in gay parades and keeps an LGBT flag on his desk.
Archbishop Tapio Luoma of Finland supports same-sex marriages. He also participates in "rainbow" gatherings. Speaking about homosexuals, Luoma emphasizes that Christ is "close to those who are rejected by others."
Bishop Peter Skov-Jakobsen of Copenhagen proposes a same-sex marriage rite. He believes that the church should be "open" towards such couples: "The ritual for same-sex marriages shows a church rooted in an Evangelical Lutheran tradition of interpreting the Christian Gospel in its contemporary setting. As a church we are highly conscious of interpreting in present and not in past time."
He also said that “the Gospel creates openness towards people and now at last also openness towards same-sex couples. In that way our national church will now reflect the wider society, which is incredibly important”.
Archbishopess of Sweden Antje Jackelén also supports same-sex marriages: "I hope that one day all priests will want to marry same-sex couples." But she does not see discrimination happening today and coercive measures as a way forward.
Earlier, the UOJ wrote that Dumenko, at a meeting with Lutheran bishops, claimed that the law banning the UOC was approved by the Venice Commission.
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