Sweden: Gay priest refuses to marry heterosexual couples, asks church to tackle homophobia

Openly homosexual priest Lars Gardfeldt of Carl Johan Parish in Gothenburg, Sweden has refused to officiate marriages of heterosexual couples. In order to do so, he has referred to an individual priest’s right not to marry a couple in case of conscientious objection. Notably, the Swedish church presently allows the individual priests to refuse to wed specific couples if they are considered to have an issue with the union. This is typically illustrated if the involved parties are intoxicated or are under the influence of any drugs, but could also include homosexuality which the individual clergy might condone.

While speaking on Swedish Radio, Gardfeldt works in a parish said that he will no longer marry opposite-sex couples in order to “show the absurdity of refusing marriage to two consenting adults.” As per the Expressen newspaper, the homosexual priest said that he felt “great sadness” that he would no longer wed the heterosexual couples but noted that he wants to show how the church’s present position is “theologically and ethically reprehensible.”

Gardfeldt said, “I want to fix the debate...We should not recruit new anti-gay priests. We should not ordain new priests who pass on the idea that homosexuals are inferior people.”

Gardfeldt wants church to tackle homophobia

The Swedish priest has also called for the church to tackle homophobia within the institution by refusing anti-gay priests. Gardfeldt said that it could only happen if the bishops take a stringent approach. The openly homosexual clergy has now also called on the senior officials in the Church of Sweden to safeguard the rights of queer people by committing to overturning the conscientious objection rule before the church elections on September 19.

The Church of Sweden, as per Pink News report is the country’s largest Christian denomination. It is not only a former state church but has at least 5.8 million members. Reportedly, the church is known for being a trailblazing force within the religious circles of Sweden.

While same-sex couples have been allowed to get married in the Church of Sweden since 2009, there still isn’t any requirement for priests to agree to perform such a union. The individual clergy is allowed to refuse, a right that several church politicians do not wish to remove.

IMAGE: @larsgardfeldt/Twitter