Finnish Lutheran bishops have recommended that all church congregations open their buildings to same-sex couples who want marriage ceremonies or blessings. This pastoral guideline, issued in June, aims to create consistent practice across the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland.
Currently, church policy defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. While some congregations already allow same-sex ceremonies, others do not. The bishops’ new recommendation clarifies that no separate local decision is necessary to permit the use of church premises for these events.
Anna-Kaisa Inkala, theological secretary to the bishops’ conference, explained, “The bishops’ conference has now clarified that no separate approval is required to use church premises for same-sex weddings or blessings.”
The guideline encourages equal access to church spaces for all couples, but it remains a recommendation rather than a mandate. Church law does not require every congregation to adopt the same approach. Local diocesan chapters still have discretion over how to implement the guideline.
Inkala added, “The recommendation is meant to guide all congregations, but they are not legally bound to comply.”
The bishops also propose that pastors should not be punished for officiating same-sex ceremonies. This follows a similar guideline from 2020 advising restraint in disciplining clergy who take part in such weddings.
This new statement was released one month after the Church’s General Synod rejected a proposal to formally change the marriage definition to include same-sex couples.
Two bishops, Jari Jolkkonen from the Diocese of Kuopio and Matti Salomäki from the Diocese of Lapua, expressed disagreement with the latest guideline. Jolkkonen declined a full interview but confirmed via email that he did not think local congregations needed to make separate decisions about church premises.
He noted that he had briefly discussed the issue with local clergy and that his advice aligns with the new pastoral guideline.
At the local level, some clergy are still considering the effects of the recommendation. Sanna Husso, vicar of Männistö Parish in Kuopio, said the practical impact of the bishops’ instruction is not yet clear.
According to Inkala, the guideline seeks to ensure uniformity across dioceses. She said, “It aims to guide congregations so that same-sex couples have access to church premises regardless of the diocese.”
While this recommendation echoes the 2020 guideline, the larger question of church doctrine remains unsettled. In 2020, Finland’s Supreme Administrative Court ruled that church authorities had the right to discipline clergy who conducted same-sex weddings. The current church doctrine still defines marriage as between a man and a woman.
