Conservative Laestadianism
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Conservative Laestadianismis the largest branch of theLutheranrevival movementLaestadianism.It has spread to 16 countries. As of 2012 there were about 115,000 Conservative Laestadians, most of them inFinland,theUnited States,Norway,andSweden.[1][2]The movement and this denomination attribute their teachings to theBibleand the LutheranBook of Concord.
History
[edit]Laestadianismreceived its name fromPastorLars Levi Laestadius.The origin of the denomination's name from the Finnish word for 'conservative' (vanhoillis-) is unknown. In North and South America as well as in Africa this denomination is known as the Laestadian Lutheran Movement.
The movement began in SwedishLapland.Laestadius met aSamiwoman namedMilla Clementsdotterof Föllinge, during an 1844 inspection tour ofÅsele.Clementsdotter recited various biblical teachings to Laestadius. This was an important meeting for Laestadius because afterwards he felt he understood the secret of living faith. He believed that he received the forgiveness for his sins and saw the way that led to the eternal life. His sermons underwent a marked transformation, and the movement began to spread fromSwedentoFinlandandNorway.
Divisions
[edit]At the beginning of the 20th century, Laestadianism broke into three branches:The Firstborn Laestadianism,Reawakeningand Conservative Laestadianism. After this major schism, several other groups have also departed from Conservative Laestadianism. It nevertheless remains the largest branch of Laestadianism.
Dissociation and exclusivity
[edit]Conservative Laestadianism's leadership rigidly adheres to the teaching that all other Christian groups, including other Laestadian sub-groups, even those doctrinally identical to Conservative Laestadians, are heretical and have no place in the Kingdom of Heaven.[3]
Doctrine
[edit] | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2023) |
The central teaching of Conservative Laestadianism, like the movement as a whole, is thedeclaration of forgiveness of sinswhereby members proclaim to one another, "You can believe all sins forgiven in Jesus' name and precious blood," or similar words. Upon receiving this rite, a believer is said to receive theHoly Spiritallowing him or her to be saved from eternal damnation on the basis that God forgets all sins when they have been forgiven. This rite is also called the power of the "keys of the kingdom."
Conservative Laestadians believe that God has given the gift offaithto every child born in the world, although in their world view only Conservative Laestadians actually accept the gift.
Conservative Laestadians often have large families due to their belief that contraception is a sin. They believe that God is the lord of birth and death. They do not have a television at home because of the showing of what is viewed as offensive and sinful programing. They do not drink alcohol or listen to pop music. Recently, however, the Internet is blurring the line between television and no television as many watch television programming on the Internet.[citation needed]
Conservative Laestadians have about 780 preachers and 120 priests.[4]LLC has about 68 preachers.[5]All preachers among Conservative Laestadianism are men.
Distribution
[edit]
Conservative Laestadianism is located mainly in northern Europe andNorth America.Small congregations can be found inAfrica,southern Europe andSouth America.There are about 115,000 Conservative Laestadians, most of them inFinland,theUnited StatesandSweden.[1][2]Most (80,000-150,000) are in Finland.[8]Conservative Laestadians organize big summer services every year. It is the biggest religious event in Nordic countries. About 70,000 guests come from all over the world.[9]Conservative Laestadianism does mission work in 16 countries:Ecuador,Estonia,Finland,Germany,Great Britain,Hungary,Canada,Kenya,Latvia,Norway,Russia,Spain,Sweden,Switzerland,Togoand theUnited States.[7][10]
Congregations in North America are located in the following provinces and states:
Canada:Alberta,British Columbia,OntarioandSaskatchewan.[11]
United States:Alaska,Arizona,California,Colorado,Connecticut,Florida,Illinois,Michigan,Minnesota,Montana,North Dakota,Oregon,Washington,andWyoming.[11]
Child sex abuse scandal
[edit]In 2011, the Finnish news media reported widespread child sexual abuse and coverup within Finnish Conservative Laestadianism occurring over at least 30 years that eventually led to many criminal cases including against several Laestadian lay preachers, resulting in lengthy prison terms. Child welfare worker Johanna Hurtig, Ph.D., herself a Conservative Laestadian, allegedly uncovered the abuse in the course of her research on sex abuse in the Finnish Lutheran church as a whole. After she was ridiculed and dismissed by the Finnish Conservative Laestadian leadership, Hurtig's findings were reported to the media, leading to wide scrutiny of the sect by the Finnish public.[12][13][14][15][16][17]
Criticism of claims
[edit]An article by Jani Kaaro from July 2015 entitled "Laestadians – A Modern Witchhunt" in the Finnish publicationRapport,questions the methods used to build the cases against the church leaders by the Finnish criminal justice system, in particular alleging the possible planting of the false ideas in children's minds.[18]
Associations
[edit]- North America:Laestadian Lutheran Church(LLC)
- Finland:Central Association of the Finnish Associations of Peace(Suomen Rauhanyhdistysten Keskusyhdistys ry- SRK)
- Sweden and Norway:Central Association of the Swedish Associations of Peace(Sveriges fridsföreningars centralorganisation- SFC)
- Estonia:Estonian Lutheran Association of Peace(Eesti Luterlik Rahuühendus)
Publications
[edit]Conservative Laestadians have five newspapers, three in Finland and two in North America. Those newspapers are translated into eight languages. The LLC publishesThe Voice of ZionandThe Shepherd's Voicein English, Finnish, French and Spanish. The SRK in Finland publishesPäivämies,Siionin LähetyslehtiandLasten polku(previouslySiionin Kevät) in Estonian, Finnish, English, German, Russian and Swedish. The hymnal,Songs and Hymns of Zion,has been translated into seven languages. There is also a book which describes Conservative Laestadian doctrine,The Treasure Hidden in a Field.However, the Bible is their most important book.
Literature
[edit]- Treasure Hidden in a Field,ISBN1-887034-04-8
- From Victory to Victory,SRK
- In the Footsteps of the Sheep,ISBN1-887034-03-X
- By Faith,LLC
- God Is Love,ISBN1-887034-01-3
- The Storms Will Cease,ISBN0-8087-0038-3
- Aviva and the First Christmas,LLC
See also
[edit]Sources
[edit]- Talonen, Jouko (2001).Iustitia 14, STI-aikakauskirja, Lestadiolaisuuden monet kasvot. Lestadiolaisuuden hajaannukset(PDF).Suomen teologinen instituutti (STI).ISBN952-9857-11-X.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 2021-07-28.Retrieved2015-03-04.
- Talonen, Jouko (2012)."Lestadiolaisuuden synty, leviäminen ja hajaannukset. Lestadiolaisuuden tutkija, kirkkohistorian professori Jouko Talosen luento. Virtuaalikirkko has videos from seminar, and they are archived in Internet. Laestadiuksen perintö ja perilliset - seminaari Oulussa 4.-5.10.2012 7. lokakuuta 2012".Oulun hiippakunta, Pohjoinen kulttuuri-instituutti and Oulun ev.-lut. seurakunnat. Archived fromthe originalon 2014-04-13.
References
[edit]- ^abTalonen 2001. s. 25
- ^abTalonen 2012. Lecture (in finnish) in Laestadius-seminar in Oulu 5. october 2012. Virtuaalikirkko has videos from seminar, and they are archived in Internet:"VIRTUAALIKIRKKO - Virtuaalikirkon arkisto".Archived fromthe originalon 2014-08-05.Retrieved2012-10-17.
- ^"An Examination of the Pearl".2012. p. 84 et seq.RetrievedNovember 22,2014.
- ^Päivämies, 20.12.2006, Puhujien kokous, Page 10
- ^LLC: Who We AreArchived2007-02-06 at theWayback MachineRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^LLC Member ChurchesArchived2007-02-06 at theWayback MachineandLestadiolaisuus EcuadorissaRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^abcSRK: Seurat ulkomaillaArchived2006-03-13 at theWayback MachineRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^Helsingin sanomien Kuukausiliite Elokuu 2006, Article; Ja täyttäkää maa, Page 52
- ^SRK:n suviseuratArchived2007-01-05 at theWayback MachineRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^Lestadiolaisuus EcuadorissaRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^abLLC Member ChurchesArchived2007-02-06 at theWayback MachineRetrieved on 2007-2-20
- ^Sampsa Saikkonen; Paula Häkämies (January 5, 2014)."Mapping Digital Media:Finland"(Report).Open Society Foundations.RetrievedApril 23,2015.
- ^"Shedding light on child abuse among the Laestadians". April 17, 2011.
{{cite journal}}:Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^"Conservative Laestadians admit serious mistakes in dealing with child abuse issue – trust is gone in SRK".April 11, 2011.RetrievedOctober 24,2014.
- ^"Finnish Christian sect reveals pedophilia cases".TheGuardian.com.April 7, 2011.RetrievedOctober 24,2014.
- ^Jussi Rosendahl (April 13, 2011)."Finnish church group reports child abuse over 30 yrs".Archived fromthe originalon March 6, 2016.RetrievedOctober 24,2014.
- ^"Finnish church admits child abuse cases".April 7, 2011.RetrievedOctober 24,2014.
- ^"Lestadiolaiset modernilla noitaroviolla".July 8, 2015. Archived fromthe originalon November 19, 2015.RetrievedNovember 18,2015.