DIVORCED CLERGY

Evening Star, Issue 20586, 11 September 1930, Page 11

DIVORCED CLERGY

CHURCH AND STATE CONFLICT IN NORWAY OSLO, August 28. Can a clergyman who is divorced and who has remarried still hold ms office and claim the Divine authority. This problem lias been raised in Norway, and is rapidly developing into a bitter struggle. The immediate cause of the trouble is that'the Government appointed a divorced and remarried clercvman as a curat© to on© i ot the State Churches at Oslo. After the apl>ointinent had been published the Bishop of Oslo made it known that he was not responsible for the appoint-, inent, and that he refused to give the now curate 'his blessing. This was ■followed by a declaration, from the Dean of Oslo to the effect that the latter would come in conflict with his conscience if he installed the curate. The result is that _ the curate will have to read himself in. But, say the orthodox, how can a curate of this category conduct a wedding, and say that man aud wife should live together until death separates them, without making a farce of the ceremony? According to the civil law in Norway, divorce and remarriage is allowed without any limitation To get a divorce it is sufficient for the couple, to express the wish to be divorced. Clergymen of the State Church being in every sense ordinary' officials, a curious conflict is confronting them. If they obey the civil Jaws they break the traditions of the. church, and if they follow the latter, any citizen may drag the clergyman before a lair court and have him accused for contempt of law. No such case has yet occurred, but if the present situation is allowed to romaip this eventuality may arise.