Olav Skjevesland (31 May 1942 – 8 September 2019) was a Norwegian theologian and priest. He was the Bishop of the Diocese of Agder og Telemark from 1998 until his retirement in 2012, and since that time he was a Bishop Emeritus. He was also the Preses (Primus inter pares, "first among equals") and thus presided over the Bishops' Conference of the Church of Norway from 2006 until 2010.[2][3] During his time as a bishop, he was considered to be theologically conservative and he was opposed to letting gay priests serve in the church.[4]
Right Reverend Olav Skjevesland | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Agder og Telemark Primate of the Church of Norway | |
 | |
| Church | Church of Norway |
| Diocese | Diocese of Agder og Telemark |
| Appointed | 1998 |
| In office | 1998–2012 |
| Orders | |
| Consecration | 1999 by Odd Bondevik |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 May 1942 |
| Died | 8 September 2019 (aged 77)[1] |
| Nationality | Norwegian |
| Denomination | Christian |
| Occupation | Priest |
| Education | Cand.theol. (1967) |
| Alma mater | Menighetsfakultet |
Personal life
editOlav Skjevesland was born on 31 May 1942 in Drøbak in the Frogn municipality of Akershus county, Norway.[2] His wife, Anne Katrine Skjevesland, died in 2009.[5]
Education and career
editSkjevesland attended the Menighetsfakultet school, graduating in 1967 with a Cand.theol. degree, followed by taking the Practical Theology exam in 1969. His first job was as an assistant priest in the Nordstrand parish in Oslo from 1968 to 1972. Next, he was a lecturer with the Norwegian Diakonhjem organization from 1972 to 1974. He also worked as a secretary for the Norwegian priest's trade union from 1973 to 1975. From 1975 to 1976, Olav Skjevesland was a parish priest at the Kampen Church in Oslo. From 1976 until 1979, he became the resident chaplain at the Nøtterøy Church in Vestfold county.
In 1981, he was hired as the rector of the Menighetsfakultet's practical theological seminary, a position he held until 1994. He then took a job as professor at the same school from 1994 to 1998. In 1998, he was appointed to be the Bishop of the Diocese of Agder. In 2005, the diocese was renamed "Agder og Telemark" to fully represent the area that it covered. In 2006, he was elected for a four-year term as the Preses of the Bishops' Conference in the Church of Norway.[2] In 2012, he retired from his job as bishop.
Works
edit- Editor of Luthersk Kirketidende from 1976 to 1998
- He wrote Tro og tradisjon i ny tid (2003)
References
edit- ^ Sævik, Tore Hjalmar (9 September 2019). "Biskop Olav Skjevesland er død" (in Norwegian). Dagen. Retrieved 9 September 2019.
- ^ a b c Rasmussen, Tarald. "Olav Skjevesland". Store norske leksikon (in Norwegian). Oslo: Kunnskapsforlaget. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
- ^ Sellevold, Terje (22 September 2012). "Skjevesland slutter som preses". NRK (in Norwegian). Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ Magnus, Ingunn (9 May 2006). "Skjevesland ny preses". Idag.no (in Norwegian). Archived from the original on 10 November 2012. Retrieved 11 December 2012.
- ^ Bjørnevik, Håvard (23 March 2009). "Anne Katrine Skjevesland er død". Fædrelandsvennen (in Norwegian). Retrieved 9 May 2017.