Antje Jackelén facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Most Reverend Antje Jackelén |
|
|---|---|
| Archbishop Emerita of Uppsala Primate Emerita of Sweden |
|
Jackelén in 2013
|
|
| Church | Church of Sweden |
| Archdiocese | Uppsala |
| Elected | 15 October 2013 |
| Enthroned | 15 June 2014 |
| Predecessor | Anders Wejryd |
| Successor | Martin Modéus |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1980 |
| Consecration | 15 April 2007 by Anders Wejryd |
| Personal details | |
| Birth name | Antje Zöllner |
| Born | 4 June 1955 Herdecke, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany |
| Nationality | |
| Denomination | Lutheran |
| Spouse |
Heinz Jackelén
(m. 1979) |
| Children | 2 |
| Previous post | Bishop of Lund (2007–2014) |
| Alma mater | |
| Motto | Gud är större ("God is greater") |
| Coat of arms | [[File: |50px|Antje Jackelén's coat of arms|alt={{{coat_of_arms_alt}}}]] |
Antje Jackelén (born 4 June 1955) is a very important leader in the Church of Sweden. She was the Archbishop of Uppsala, which is the highest position in the Church of Sweden. She was also the first woman to ever hold this role.
She was chosen as the 70th Archbishop of Uppsala on 15 October 2013. She officially started her role on 15 June 2014. This also made her the first archbishop born outside Sweden since the 1100s.
Before becoming archbishop, Antje Jackelén was a priest in the Church of Sweden, starting in 1980. She also became a Doctor of Theology (someone who studies religion deeply) from Lund University in 1999. From 2007 to 2014, she was the Bishop of Lund.
Contents
About Her Life
Early Life and Studies
Antje Jackelén was born on 4 June 1955 in Herdecke, which was then in West Germany. She studied Lutheran theology (the study of religious faith) at the University of Tübingen and Uppsala University.
Becoming a Priest and Bishop
After becoming a priest, Antje Jackelén worked in different church areas called parishes. She served in the Diocese of Stockholm and the Diocese of Lund. A diocese is a larger area managed by a bishop.
She also worked at Lund University. Later, she taught about religion and science at the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago in the United States.
In 2006, she was chosen to be the Bishop of Lund. She was the third woman to become a bishop in the Church of Sweden. She was also the first woman bishop chosen by a vote from the people in the diocese. The previous women bishops were chosen by the government. She officially became Bishop of Lund on 15 April 2007.
Her Motto and Coat of Arms
As a bishop, Antje Jackelén chose a special motto: Gud är större, which means "God is greater." This motto shows her belief that God is bigger than anything we can imagine.
She also has a special coat of arms. It includes symbols from her hometown of Herdecke and from Scania, the region where Lund is located.
Archbishop of Uppsala
In 2010, she helped with the royal wedding of Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and Daniel Westling.
On 15 October 2013, Antje Jackelén was elected as the Archbishop of Uppsala. This is the highest leader of the Church of Sweden. She officially started this role on 15 June 2014. The King and Queen of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden and Queen Silvia of Sweden, were there for the ceremony.
Meeting the Pope
On 4 May 2015, she had a special meeting with Pope Francis in Rome. This was a big moment because she was the first woman and archbishop to be welcomed at the Vatican. Even though their churches have some differences, they talked about important things. They agreed on the need to care for the poor and to discuss how science and religion can work together.
She met Pope Francis again in 2016 when he visited Sweden. This visit was part of the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
Antje Jackelén retired from her role as Archbishop on 30 October 2022.
Her Family Life
Antje Jackelén is married to Heinz Jackelén, who is also a retired priest from Germany. They have two daughters and several grandchildren. They met when they were both studying theology at Uppsala University.
Her Ideas and Beliefs
Science and Faith
Antje Jackelén has written books about how science and religious faith can go together. She believes in the theory of evolution. She thinks that believing in God and believing in evolution are not in conflict.
Understanding the Bible
During her election as archbishop, she talked about how she understands some parts of the Bible. For example, she said that the virgin birth of Jesus is a "mythological term to explain the unique." She meant that it's a special way to describe something amazing, not necessarily a scientific fact. She believes it's important to understand the deeper meaning of these stories.
Different Religions
She was also asked if Jesus gives a better picture of God than Muhammad. She answered that she believes Christians, Muslims, and Jews all worship the same God. This view was both supported and debated within the church.
Marriage
Antje Jackelén supports same-sex marriage in church. She also believes the government should support marriage in general.
Her Views on Society
Schools and Religion
Antje Jackelén thinks that school graduation ceremonies should be allowed to happen in churches. She believes that completely removing religious influences from public schools might not be good for children's spiritual growth. She also highlights the important role of the Church of Sweden in Swedish society.
Climate Change
She has spoken out strongly about climate change. With other bishops, she wrote letters in 2014 and 2019. These letters asked members of the Church of Sweden and the Swedish government to work towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions. They also called for Sweden to join international agreements to fight climate change, like the Paris Agreement.
She believes the Church has a role in helping people deal with the feelings of worry about climate change, sometimes called eco-anxiety. She is a big supporter of Greta Thunberg and has called her a "prophet."
Awards
In June 2017, Antje Jackelén received an award called The Lambeth Cross for Ecumenism. She got this award from the Archbishop of Canterbury for her work in bringing different churches together. She was recognized for her leadership in discussing human, religious, and social issues with other church leaders.
Images for kids
-
Antje Jackelén (center) as Archbishop of Uppsala on 6 September 2015, with Johan Dalman, Bishop of Strängnäs (left), and Mikael Mogren, Bishop of Västerås (right).
-
Antje and Heinz Jackelén during the royal wedding gala in 2010.
See also
In Spanish: Antje Jackelén para niños
