Oslo, Norway - Norway's government named a conservative bishop to lead the state church in Oslo on Friday, but two government ministers openly opposed the appointment. So have top church officials in Oslo, opposition politicians and 70 percent of Oslo residents questioned in opinion polls.
Ole Christian Kvarme will be Oslo's bishop even though he was far from the unanimous choice. Justice Minister Odd Einar Dørum and Finance Minister Per Kristian Foss, himself from the Conservative Party, refused to support Kvarme's appointment, in a rare display of dissension within the government coalition.
Opposition politicians also have protested, the latest being Jens Stoltenberg, a former prime minister himself and head of the Labour Party. He declared earlier on Friday that Kvarme was "unwelcome" and advised the government to "choose one of the other three candidates."
That's largely because of Kvarme's views against gays and his stated refusal to ordain gays as pastors within the state church. Oslo has Norway's most diverse population and largest concentration of gays, and many local church elders had advocated a more tolerant and open policy from the person who would lead the Oslo church.
Kvarme's predecessor, Gunnar Stålsett, had maintained such an open and "inclusive" policy for the state church, and many had hoped his views would continue. Now Kvarme faces opposition within the church organization and threats of defection from church members.
Joy and humility
Kvarme himself claims he takes over the bishop's role with equal doses of joy and humility. "My predecessor Gunnar Stålsett has contributed towards giving people a sense of belonging to the church," he acknowledged. "We have a plan to build a church that is alive, Jesus-oriented, relevant and accessible."
He also claimed he will seek unity within the church, "especially after the debate that's come up." He said he wants "to take everyone seriously, to listen and develop relations. I want to be a bridge-builder and cooperate with other churches and religions."
Valgerd Svarstad Haugland, the government minister in charge of culture and the church in Norway and a member of the small Christian Democrats party, scored a clear victory in pushing through Kvarme's appointment along with Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik.
"I'm glad that all the speculation and questions are over, and I'm happy to present Kvarme as Oslo's new bishop," she said on Friday. She criticized the media for its coverage of the opposition to Kvarme, and conceded that he faces a "tough job" in taking over.