Børre Knudsen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Børre Knudsen |
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 Knudsen as bishop of the Deanery of Strandebarm, the "Church of Norway in Exile" |
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| Born | 24 September 1937 in Vennesla, Norway |
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| Died | 17 August 2014 (aged 76) in Balsfjord, Norway |
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| Spouse |
Ragnhild Knudsen
(m. 1964) |
Børre Arnold Knudsen (1937–2014) was a Norwegian Lutheran priest. He was known for his strong beliefs and for standing up for what he thought was right. He often disagreed with the government's role in the church.
Knudsen led protests and took part in public actions starting in the late 1980s. He even spent time in jail for refusing to pay fines related to his protests. He was ordained as a bishop in 1997. He retired in 2008 due to health issues. The Church of Norway removed him from his role as a priest in 2001. Knudsen was also a talented writer of hymns. Two of his hymns are now in the official Norwegian hymn book.
Early Life and Education
Børre Knudsen was born on September 24, 1937, in Vennesla, Norway. His father, Rolf Godwin Knudsen, was also a priest. Børre grew up in Langesund.
During World War II, his father was arrested and removed from his priest duties. This experience deeply affected young Børre. His mother also helped the resistance movement. The family had to move to neutral Sweden for a while during the war.
In 1952, his family moved to Bergen. Knudsen began studying theology in 1956. He finished his studies in 1966. In 1967, he became a priest in the Church of Norway. He worked as an assistant priest in Balsfjord from 1968 to 1971. After that, he became the main priest for the parish there.
Standing Up for Beliefs
Knudsen believed that the government should not control the spiritual parts of the church. He felt that the church should be independent. He compared his actions to how Norwegian bishops opposed the Nazi-friendly government during World War II.
He continued his duties as a pastor for his church members. However, he stopped doing certain tasks for the state. For example, he did not report statistics to the government. He also did not issue birth certificates or accept his salary from the state.
The Minister of Church and Education, Einar Førde, removed Knudsen from his job. This was because Knudsen was not performing his state-related duties. But Knudsen refused to leave his church duties. His church members wanted him to stay as their pastor.
The state sued Knudsen. He won the first court case. But he later lost when the case went to the Supreme Court of Norway in 1983. The Supreme Court decided that the state part of a priest's job could not be separated from the spiritual part in a State Church.
Knudsen was replaced as the parish priest in Balsfjord. However, most of his church members followed him. They started an independent local church that followed the Norwegian Lutheran tradition.
Two other priests, Ludvig Nessa and Per Kørner, joined Knudsen in his protest. They were also removed from their jobs as priests. The three of them started the Deanery of Strandebarm in 1991. They called it the "Church of Norway in Exile."
Knudsen became the bishop of this new church on April 6, 1997. This happened at a sermon in Kautokeino. Two new priests had joined their cause that same year. The Church of Norway officially removed Knudsen from his role as a priest in 2001. He stepped down as "anti-bishop" in 2008 because his health was failing.
Hymn Writer
Børre Knudsen was a well-known writer of hymns. He wrote hymns in the style of famous poets like Petter Dass and Thomas Kingo. Some of his hymns were included in the official hymn books of other churches.
At first, he did not want his hymns to be in the Norwegian hymn book. But later, two of his hymns were included. Knudsen wrote many hymns. Collections of his sermons have also been printed in books. His hymns often focused on important Christian beliefs and the meaning of church ceremonies.
Personal Life
Børre Knudsen married Ragnhild Iden in 1964. They had five children together.
A documentary film about Knudsen's life came out in Norwegian cinemas in March 2014. It was called "En prest og en plage" (A Priest and a Nuisance). The film showed an older Knudsen in a personal and more understanding way.
He was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 2004. He spent his last winters in Altea, Spain. Børre Knudsen passed away on August 17, 2014. He died at his home in Mestervik in Balsfjord, Norway.
