The images above were taken from the archives of the Church of Sweden.  The first is the Ordination of Priests at the Uppsala Cathedral in the 1940’s.  The second is a copy of the first Swedish Catechism in America and the third is the Consecration of Bishops in the Uppsala Cathedral in the 1950’s.

Humble and Arduous Beginnings

The establishment of the Christian Church in Sweden was a long and arduous process.  The Church was planted by the efforts of Anglo Saxon and Frankish Missionary Monks in the ninth century.  They first arrived in Viking territories and had mixed results.  Unfortunately, it would take several centuries until the seeds of the Faith they planted to take Root and Grow.  The opposition and superstition of the Pagans time after time nearly obliterated the Cause of Christ in Sweden.  However the promise of Christ “the gates of Hell would not prevail against the Church” urged holy and dedicated Missionaries forward.  The centuries wore on and the Promise of the Lord Jesus Christ and the eventual Victory shined brighter than the sun over the Swedish Church.
St. Ansgar a Frankish Monk arrived in the trading center of Birka in 829 a.d.  He built a small Church on Bjorko Island despite intense opposition from the Pagan tribes who inhabited the area.  St. Ansgar traveled to Denmark and finally settled in Germany where he went to his eternal reward in 865.  Unlike many of his contemporaries he escaped martyrdom at the hands of the enemies of Christ’s True Religion.  After many trials and tribulations the hard work of dedicated Missionaries resulted in establishing the See of Uppsala in 1164. as the Archbishopric of Sweden.

 

Sweden and the Monarchy

Like England the Church of Sweden did not involve a radical break with Historic Christian Orthodox Faith and Practice.
Gustav Vasa the King of Sweden from 1523 to 1560 endeavored to maintain unity in the Kingdom  as a matter of good civil order and practicality.  He understood the need for Church reform due to the machinations of the Bishop of Rome which infiltrated the Kingdom at its most meager level.  He desired to regain much of the wealth to the Crown and its citizens that was extorted by the Papal Bishops and Priests.  The King employed Archdeacon Lauerntius Andreae who was a scholar in the Church to advise him on all Church matters.  The Archdeacon was well acquainted with the ramifications of acting with haste in reforming Church abuses.  He in turn sought out the help of Deacon Olavus Petri who had studied in Wittenberg under Father Martin Luther.  Ties with the Papal Church began to weaken as reforms began to be introduced by these men.  In 1527 with the approval of the Diet  the King was declared the Head of both Church and State.  The Church of Sweden reclaimed her right as the National Church.

Archbishop Lauretntius Petri
Archbishop of Uppsala 1531 to 1573

Archbishop Petri was only 32 years old when he was elected, Consecrated and Appointed as Archbishop.  He was a Professor and well known Scholar, but had never held a pastorate.  He studied with his brother Deacon Olavus Petri under Luther at Wittenberg.  The Archbishop proved to be quite prolific when it came to Church reform.  Although he had a high regard for Father Luther’s teaching, the Archbishop was his own man.  He related to King Gustav Vasa on many occasions of his desire to maintain and “hold fast to that which is good” and lay aside that which was not.  On several occasions the King threatened his life with imprisonment and death, but this did not deter him.  In order to break the authority of Bishops in the reformed Church the King desired to discontinue the Historic Episcopate.  The Archbishop’s resistance to this and other matters fueled the King’s anger toward the Archbishop.  Undaunted the Archbishop understood the importance of looking back over the sixteen centuries in a return to the Apostolic Church.  He was keenly aware that theological and historical polarization needed to be avoided.  He understood the Fathers and Doctors of the Church who followed in the footsteps of the Apostles needed consideration and a full hearing.  The Seven Ecumenical Councils in matters of Doctrine he viewed as of optimum importance.  In short, the Archbishop taught that his beloved Swedish Church was the Orthodox Christian Church of Sweden since the ninth century when she was Evangelized.  In the Declaration of 1571 he issued his final work on the Restored Church of Sweden.  The Historic Episcopate of Bishops, Priests and Deacons were to be retained.  The Apostolic Succession was secured in Sweden.  The Sacraments and Rites of the Church were to be freed of superstition and erroneous practices.  The Swedish Mass was based on the ancient Liturgies of the Western Church prior to the Schism of 1054.  Reservation of the  Sacrament of the Altar was allowed that the sick might be properly ministered to.  Vestments, Candles,  Altar Cloth’s and Church Hangings were retained.  The Tabernacle and Sacred Communion Vessels were kept in use.  Statues and Paintings of Christ and the Saints were also retained.  What the Archbishop made clear in his Declaration was; if something retained would overshadow the purity of Word and Sacrament it cannot stand.

The Lutheran Orthodox Archdiocese

The Archdiocese grew out of a need to maintain the Augsburg Tradition “Decently and in Order.”  It is our purpose to maintain this Historic Church continuity.  We know this was severely compromised by Rome in the sixteenth century.  Following the example of Swedish Lutheran Reformer Archbishop Lauerntius Petri we have retained that which is good and proper.  We subscribe to all of the Historic Lutheran Confessionals and Catechism’s.  Our Service Books and Missals bear witness to our fidelity to the Augsburg Tradition.  We are not  looking to unite with the Roman Catholic Church.  Nor are we imitation papists.
We are not Lutherans who subscribe to the Wisconsin Synod understanding of the faith.
We are Lutherans who have an awareness of the richness and long history of the Church.  We appreciated those who have sought to bring reform to the Church over the centuries.  Such men as John Huss and Girolamo Savonarola we hold in high esteem.  We are forever in the gratitude of the example of Faith and Piety of Father Martin Luther.  We are thankful that Archbishop Laurentius Petri was able to win the day for Christ while staying faithful to Augsburg.
“Here We Stand.”