On 12 September, the Association of Lutheran Women Theologians of Latvia is holding events at the Torņakalns church dedicated to the fortieth anniversary of women’s ordination in Latvia and to the twenty years of existence and work of the Association of Lutheran Women Theologians of Latvia.
For more than two decades, a ban on women’s ordination has been in force in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia. On 23 August 1975, Archbishop Jānis Matulis, at St. John’s Church, ordained women to the first degree of pastor for the first time in the history of Latvia – Theological Seminary students Vaira Bitēna, Berta Strože, and Helēna Valpētere. However, on 26 January 1993, following the tragic death of Archbishop Kārlis Gailītis, an extraordinary Synod of the LELB took place, at which pastor Jānis Vanags was elected archbishop, who in his candidacy had expressed a conviction against women’s ordination. J. Vanags’ decision not to ordain women directly affected the women pastors already on the roster of clergy and the students of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia who were preparing to become clergy. Many of the students emigrated, fulfilling God’s calling to serve in the office of pastor outside Latvia.
In order to advocate for the restoration of women’s ordination, the Association of Lutheran Women Theologians of Latvia was founded on 17 July 1995.
The celebrations dedicated to both historic events will begin at 10:00 with a festive worship service at the Luther Church. At the Luther congregation house, from 13:00 to 14:00 there will be a press conference on the issues of women’s ordination. From 14:00 to 18:00 the international conference “Women’s Ordination in the Context of the 21st Century” will take place. Participating in the conference with presentations will be Jāna Jēruma-Grīnberga (LV) – bishop emeritus of the Lutheran Church in Great Britain, chaplain of the Anglican Church; Rudīte Losāne (LV) – chaplain, doctoral candidate at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia, chair of the LLSTA; Sally Barnes (UK) – member of the national organization “Women and the Church”; Rev. Martina Helmer-Pham Xuan (D) – regional representative in Europe of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; Dr. theol. associate professor Dace Balode (LV) – dean of the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia; Dr. phil. Valdis Tēraudkalns (LV) – professor at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Latvia; Dr. theol. Linards Rozentāls (LV) – pastor of the LELB. Taking part in the events will be the first ordained woman pastor Vaira Bitēna, Sarmīte Fišere, a woman pastor ordained later by Archbishop Kārlis Gailītis, assistant pastor Railvija Rozīte, and evangelists and chaplains from the LELB. Also participating will be assistant pastors from the Union of Adventist Congregations, pastors from the United Methodist Church of Latvia, and pastors from the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia Abroad.
LELBĀL Archbishop Lauma Zušēvica will serve at the worship service. Also invited to take part are LELB Archbishop Jānis Vanags, Bishops Pāvils Brūvers and Einārs Alpe, as well as individual LELB pastors. The events will be attended by invited figures from science and politics. Guests from abroad have also been invited to the events – from Norway, Finland, Germany, Lithuania, Estonia, Sweden, the United States of America, and the Lutheran World Federation.
Rudīte Losāne,
Chair of the LLSTA