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Royal seal of approval awaits new female bishop in Norway
Episcopal News Service
Issue:
Section:
2003-021-5
Posted: Monday, February 03, 2003
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Norway's second female Lutheran bishop, a trained scientist, is to be consecrated on February 9 at a ceremony attended by Norway's King Harald V.
Laila Riksaasen Dahl will be ordained as bishop of the Diocese of Tunsberg, in southeastern Norway. The king is the constitutional head of the church, and his attendance at the ceremony is seen as a sign of the royal family's continuing support for female church leaders.
'The consecration will be a big day for the church as well as for the people. All the guests from far and near will show the general public that we are a part of a big family of churches,' said David Gjerp, who is acting bishop of the diocese until Riksaasen Dahl takes over.
Scandinavia's first female bishop, Rosemarie Kohn, also from Norway, was consecrated in 1993. Kohn will also take part in the festivities to mark Riksaasen Dahl's consecration.
Today most Nordic countries have female bishops. In addition to Norway, Sweden has two, Denmark has one, and the Lutheran bishop of Greenland, a self-governing Danish territory, is also a woman. However, Iceland and Finland do not have women bishops.
Riksaasen Dahl was appointed to the Tunsberg diocese in September last year to succeed Bishop Sigurd Osberg, who retired in December after 12 years at the head of the diocese.
Riksaasen Dahl has served as a parish priest since 1995. She has university degrees in mathematics and chemistry, and has been a school teacher as well as a lecturer at the Norwegian Lutheran School of Theology.
The Church of Norway has 11 dioceses, each headed by a bishop. Today, about 15 per cent of the Church of Norway's pastors are women, but more than half of the theological students are female, Lutheran World Information reported. Women make up 40 per cent of the Church of Norway's national council.
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