OCU Primate Celebrates Liturgy With Pro-LGBT Lutheran Bishopess
Several Lutheran bishops known for supporting LGBT rights participated in an OCU liturgy in Kyiv and met with its leader, Serhii Dumenko.
KYIV — Several Lutheran “bishops” (including a number of women) who participated in the OCU "liturgy" at St. Michael's Cathedral in Kyiv and met with Dumenko at his residence are known supporters of LGBT "rights."
Serhii Petrovych Dumenko, who styles himself Epifany I, is the head of the schismatic Orthodox Church in Ukraine.
Guðrún Karls Helgudóttir, head of the Lutheran Church of Iceland, actively participates in gay pride parades, organizes church flash mobs encouraging priests to wear rainbow-colored stoles, and uses an LGBT-colored crucifix in the Lutheran Cathedral of Iceland. She supports her transgender daughter and has stated that the Church of Iceland owes a debt to the queer community.
Olav Fykse Tveit, Chairman of the Norwegian Bishops' Conference, has called for the Church to apologize for its past treatment of LGBT individuals, noting in 2022 that the Church’s attitudes and actions made life difficult for them. He participates in gay pride events and keeps an LGBT flag on his desk.
Archbishop Tapio Luoma of Finland supports same-sex marriages and attends "rainbow" gatherings. He emphasizes that Christ is close to those rejected by society, referring to homosexuals.
Bishop Peter Skov-Jakobsen of Copenhagen advocates for a same-sex marriage rite, stressing that the church should reflect contemporary society and the Evangelical Lutheran tradition of interpreting the Gospel in a modern context. He views the Gospel as fostering openness toward same-sex couples.
Archbishopess Antje Jackelén of Sweden also supports same-sex marriages, expressing hope that all priests will eventually embrace marrying same-sex couples, though she opposes coercive measures and does not see discrimination as a current issue.
Last month, the UOJ reported that Pat. Bartholomew of Constantinople—Dumenko's most powerful supporter in the Church—met with pro-LGBT politicians in Latvia and led an "ecumenical service" with Lutherans and Catholics.
