Tor Berger Jørgensen (born 27 December 1945 in Oslo, Norway) is a Norwegian bishop who until 2015 was Bishop of the Diocese of Sør-Hålogaland in the Church of Norway.[1] Appointed in 2019, he now serves as the Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain and resides in London.

The Right Reverend

Tor Berger Jørgensen
ChurchChurch of Norway
In office2007–2015
PredecessorØystein Ingar Larsen
SuccessorAnn-Helen Fjeldstad Jusnes
Other post(s)Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain (2019– )
Personal details
Born (1945-12-27) 27 December 1945 (age 78)
NationalityNorwegian
DenominationChurch of Norway
SpouseAnne Berger Jørgensen
Occupationpriest, provost, bishop
Educationcand.theol.
Alma materMF Norwegian School of Theology

Jørgensen was appointed the bishop of Sør-Hålogaland on 17 November 2006 and took over those duties from Øystein Ingar Larsen on 28 January 2007.[2][3] Jørgensen had previously been the dean of Bodø Cathedral since 2000 and had for various periods been deputy for the bishop.

Jørgensen received the cand.theol. degree (equivalent to a combined Bachelor of Divinity and Master of Divinity) from the Misjonshøgskolen/MF Norwegian School of Theology in 1972. Jørgensen worked for 15 years as a missionary priest in Japan for the Norwegian Missionary Society. He then served as its general secretary from 1991 to 1999. Jørgensen was a candidate for bishop of the Diocese of Oslo in 2005, but Ole Christian Kvarme was elected.[4]

Beliefs edit

In 2000, Jørgensen supported the full inclusion of LGBT persons in the Church of Norway. He is considered to be one of the liberal bishops in the church's General Synod. A week before he became bishop, he gave an interview to a newspaper stating that he supported a ritual in church for same-sex couples to take part in a Civil union.[5][6][7]

In 2009, Jørgensen ordained a female priest that was unmarried and living with the father of her child. The issue of cohabitation of unmarried priests is a controversial topic in the Church of Norway. Some called for his resignation.[1][8]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Lindekleiv, Heidi Marie. "Biskop sa ja til prest som lever som samboer - Nå raser preste-Norge" (in Norwegian). VG Nett.
  2. ^ "Tor B. Jørgensen vigsles til biskop 28. januar" (in Norwegian). Kirken.no. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  3. ^ "Biskoper i Sør-Hålogaland bispedømme 1952-2009" (in Norwegian). Kirken.no. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  4. ^ Store norske leksikon. "Tor Berger Jørgensen" (in Norwegian). Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  5. ^ "Den homofile agenda" (in Norwegian). Norge Idag. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  6. ^ "Nekter fortsatt å vigsle homofile prester" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet.no. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  7. ^ "Ja til to homofilisyn i Kirken" (in Norwegian). Dagbladet.no. Retrieved 28 October 2011.
  8. ^ "Prestekritikk mot biskop som ordinerte samboer". Dagbladet. 9 January 2009. Retrieved 28 October 2011.

External links edit

Evangelical Lutheran Church titles
Preceded by Bishop of Sør-Hålogaland
2007-2015
Succeeded by
Preceded by Bishop of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain
2019 -
Succeeded by
Incumbent