The bishops in the Norwegian Church are opening up to leave out The Little Bible in funerals. The Bible verse is a mandatory part of the liturgy, but many priests state that they already skip the words about loss today because it “communicates poorly”. The bishops have therefore tasked the Committee for Divine Liturgy (NFG) to assess whether Den vesle bibelen should instead be “an optional part”. Since then, the debate has raged in the Christian daily newspaper Vårt Land. – It seems that the Bishops’ Conference will no longer stand for classical Christian theology, says Dagen editor Vebjørn Selbekk to news. He points out that John 3:16 is “the most central scripture in the entire Bible”. – I am disappointed by these signals from the bishops, he says. – The church seems anxious and backward Others have objected that the proposal from the bishops is yielding and on the verge of self-destruction. – I think this underpins a tendency over time where the church seems anxious and backward in the way he conveys his own faith, says historian and church musician Olav Rune Bastrup. He adds: – I don’t think the church wins anyone by renouncing its freedom in this way. Many pastors already skip the words about loss because it communicates poorly. Photo: NTB news has been in contact with a number of voices within Church Norway. The majority points out that the funeral ceremony should be “more flexible” and that there are both dramaturgical and principled reasons for omitting the Bible verse. – There are many reasons not to use this Bible town. It sends out a signal that communicates poorly and closes more than it opens, says Merete Thomassen, who is associate professor of liturgy at the Faculty of Theology. Former bishop Tor Berger Jørgensen believes that the Church of Norway should look to the neighboring people and steer clear of anything that could give associations to “the doctrine of perdition as it was preached in Hallesby’s radio speech in the 50s”. Where the introduction to the Norwegian liturgy mentions “judgment”, the Swedes say in short: “Let us hear the Bible’s words about the security of God in life and death.” – It is a less dogmatic and more pastoral approach. Here we should learn from the Swedes, says Jørgensen. See more reactions below. Guri Riksaasen, parish priest in EidsbergVersa will still stand in the gospel anyway, so it is important that we do not avoid the conversation about what it is to believe, and what lies in being lost or lost. Versa can be interpreted as both exclusionary and inclusive, and ultimately that is the debate we have to have. Photo Tor Berger Jørgensen, bishop emeritus I support those who now want to take “Den vesle bibel” out of the compulsory readings. Overall, the liturgy must have a more comforting tone. The expression “get lost” becomes an all-too-clear reference to “being lost” and brings with it feelings about the “classic” doctrine of being lost as it was preached in the 1950s. If one is to use the scripture, it must read in the new biblical translation form: “is lost”.William Grosås, lecturer in theology, religion and philosophy at NLA Høgskolen The placement of the verse gives the impression of being a remnant of liturgy understood as pedagogy and faith education in a Lutheran folk church. It is there because it is perceived as an educational core verse, not because the liturgy actually invites it. Other Bible verses which today are optional, for example at the earth-casting, should perhaps become mandatory instead. Siv Sandvik Gard Sandaker-Nielsen, leader of Open folk church In a funeral, we say goodbye to a fellow human being. We who are left will be helped to live on, and believe and hope that death does not have the last word, but that life and love win. There may be good reasons for making the liturgy more flexible. When what are experienced as challenging texts are read, there must be room to explain how they can and should be understood. UiO Faculty of Theology Merete Thomassen, associate professor of liturgy at the Faculty of Theology, UiO The little Bible has been given a special position in Norway for various reasons. This has led many to believe that it is necessary to use him in several of the church’s liturgies, including at funerals and baptisms. Joh. 3, 16 still does not have this position historically, nor in other church communities. Vebjørn Selbekk, Dagen editor I am disappointed by these signals from the bishops. John 3:16 is considered by the worldwide church to be the most central scripture in the entire Bible that describes the Christian message of salvation in a single verse. It seems that the Bishops’ Conference will no longer stand for classical Christian theology.Oddgeir Sølvfæstersen, leader of Frimodig church. This must also be expressed in practice, both through sermons and in liturgies. At the same time, liturgies and the use of different Bible verses are ecclesiastical arrangements which in themselves are not wrong to change. Anders Runesson, Dean of the Faculty of Theology The Church has always changed languages in order to convey its message in such a way that God’s Word becomes visible in the present day . What is important, however, is that such changes must be familiar to the contemporaries they will speak to. This in turn requires a broad conversation between those in charge and those responsible for making decisions. Christian theology and ritual is not a “one-man show”. Olav Rune Bastrup, church musician I don’t think the church gains anyone by renouncing its freedom in this way. My generation learned to call John 3.16 “the little Bible”, i.e. the essence of the Gospel. If you have a problem with the wording of the verse, it is a call to preach even more strongly and without delay about God’s love.Stephanie Dietrich, professor of theology and diaconia at VID university of science There is no long tradition that Joh. 3.16 is part of the funeral liturgy, and I believe that the Church meeting should decide that it must be done optionally if one wishes to use the verse in the ceremony. Having said that, I understand that the verse is understood differently in different contexts. Jorunn Økland, professor at the University of Oslo There is nothing wrong with Joh. 3.16 in and of itself. And in a Norwegian individual-focused post-pietistic context, I think it works well. But it is not as important in the Gospel of John as the Prologue, and I myself have no doubt as to which chapter of John I want to be read when I myself will one day be exhausted and return to the source of life. Harald Hegstad, leader of the Church Council This is a matter which is for analysis and treatment. I will wait for the bishops’ meeting’s final conclusion before I, as church council leader, take a decision on whether John 3:16 should be a mandatory part of a church funeral or not. – In the church we don’t threaten people The debate about funeral liturgy comes on top of the latest Bible translation where the word “lost” has been replaced with “lost”, which according to critics “weakens the biblical seriousness of the loss”. Oddgeir Sølvfæstersen is the leader of Frimodig church. – The doctrinal basis of the church is clearly that people are born with original sin, which entails eternal loss for all who are not born again by faith in Jesus, he says. He adds that The Little Bible conveys both parts, “both the seriousness of being human and the hope of salvation”. – It is a message that the Church of Norway must be able to proclaim with great courage. Professor of theology and head of the commission in the Church Council, Stephanie Dietrich, believes there are good reasons to make the verse optional. – Where someone hears it as a comforting promise of eternal life, others perceive the verse as a threat of eternal perdition. We have to take that seriously, she says. – In the church we do not scare people into the kingdom of God. We invite them in. The bishops in the Norwegian Church are considering leaving out The Weasel Bible in funeral processions. Pictured: Voss church. Photo: NTB Published 10.11.2024, at 22.31
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