Helsinki's Bishop Askola reports on trends in Church and society to the Nordic Baltic Deanery Synod

Bishop Irja Askola with Archdeacon-designate Colin Williams to her right
The Bishop of Helsinki, Irja Askola, visited the recent synod of the Nordic and Baltic deanery at its meeting in Helsinki last week. She was welcomed warmly as our local "Porvoo Bishop". She reflected with us on what has now been 5 years in the episcopal office. Bishop Irja was the first woman to be made a bishop in the Church of Finland, and is still the only woman bishop in that Church.

Bishop Irja spoke of trends in her Church. In the Helsinki area the Church is facing a decreasing membership. "Only every other baby born in Helsinki is now brought to baptism", she reported. Confirmation camps are still well attended but there appears to be a failure on the part of the Church to retain these young people within the active life of the Church. One of the challenges the Finnish Church is facing is moving from an emphasis on organisational life to developing more of a community life, engaging with people's questions more, and opening up to exploring new ideas.

Bishop Irja also spoke of trends in the country itself. There is a worrying growth in negative attitudes to refugees. There have been growing numbers of incidents of violence against them, particularly since the national elections last April when a centrist government lost to a more right-wing coalition. Also of concern is the new government's cuts in overseas development aid. As a result, Finn Church Aid, the development arm of the Finnish Church which receives government funding for its overseas work, is being forced to close down entirely its operations in five countries and reduce its support to many others, cutting out assistance to nearly 1/2 million people who received direct aid from the Church agency.

Incidentally, Bishop Irja knows our new Archdeacon of Germany and Northern Europe well as they both have worked for the Conference of European Churches.

Bishop Askola at her consecration 5 years ago

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Farewell to the Diocese in Europe

Image
Deacon Frances and I packed up our office yesterday and turned over our official files, emails and equipment. Thus a close working together for 22 years comes to an end. So it is hard to believe that today, St David's day, a new chapter begins, after 44 years of stipendiary ministry, 22 years as deacon then priest and 22 as a bishop.  Here are just a few memories from the last couple of months...   But now it is time to begin a new chapter.  O God, by whose command the order of time runs its course: forgive our impatience, perfect our faith and, while we await the fulfilment of your promise, grant us to have a good hope because of your Word,  even Jesus Christ our Lord. (St Gregory Nazianzus, 330 - 390)
Read more

Archbishop of Canterbury's Pentecost Letter: A European Consequence

Image
In his Pentecost letter, the Archbishop of Canterbury warned of certain consequences for provinces of the Anglican Communion which have failed to stand by the three moratoria . (No authorisation of blessings services for same-sex unions; no consecrations of bishops living in same-sex relationships; and no bishop authorising any ministry within the diocese of another bishop without explicit permission). One consequence would be that representatives from such provinces w ould not be able to participate in the formal international interchurch dialogues of the Communion. One of those dialogues is the Anglican-Old Catholic International Co-ordinating Council ( AOCICC ), the official instrument set up to deepen the relationship of communion established in 1931 between the Anglican Communion and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht . As the member Churches of the Union of Utrecht are all European, the AOCICC is effectively a European body. (I am one of the members, appo...
Read more

New Area Dean for Belgium and Luxembourg

Image
The Revd Andrew Wagstaff (above), chaplain of St Boniface Church, Antwerp, was commissioned by Bishop Geoffrey as Area Dean of Belgium and Luxembourg on 9 October, at the Eucharist which concluded the sessions of the synod of the Archdeaconry of NW Europe. Fr Andrew succeeds the Revd Canon Ray Jones who retired earlier this year. The Area Dean will work under Archdeacon John de Wit (who is based in Utrecht, Netherlands) in providing pastoral support to the clergy of Belgium and Luxembourg. He will also work with the President of the Anglican Central Committee for Belgium, the Revd Canon Dr Robert Innes, Chancellor of Holy Trinity Pro-Cathedral, Brussels. (A unique and helpful feature of our Anglican life in the Kingdom of Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg is that our clergy in those countries receive a traitement or stipend support from the state. Canon Innes represents our Anglican Church in all dealings with the Belgian State, including the matter of traitements). ...
Read more