The Church of Norway has approved on Friday that its priests are to be ordained even if they are gay and living with a partner.

The general synod of the state Evangelical-Lutheran church has assembled on Friday and voted on the subject. The 86 members of the highest decision-making body Evangelical-Lutheran church voted 50-34 to approve the new principle according to which the priests are to be ordained even if they are living on same-sex relationships. The principle asserted that there were two opposite views, both based on church teachings.

"This is a big success. We have a new room in the church," delegate Arne Gronningsaeter told news agency NTB after the vote. Gronningsaeter is gay, has a partner and is a member of a church council.

The former praxis prevented the ordaining of the priests who lived in registered same-sex partnerships. At present, the homosexuals are allowed to serve in the clergy as long as they are not living with their gay partner.

With the new principle approved, the decision of hiring gay priests would be the bishop’s or he will be ordained, or not, by the appointing church board. The Scandinavian state has 11 bishops.  

Norway has a population of approximately 4.7 million and 80 per cent of them are members of the state Evangelical-Lutheran Church. About one fifth of the 1,200 clergy are women.

The reactions were, as expected, very different. Marit Tingelstad, head of the Bishop's Council for southeastern Norway's Hamar district said on the state radio network NRK” :

"This will create peace in the church, and security for homosexual clergy," the Associated Press reported.

On the other hand, Bishop Ole D. Hagesaeter, of the Bjoergvin district expressed his opinion and said that this was a sad day for the Norway state church.

“It will be a splitting factor and lead to many feeling homeless in the church," he added.