"I don't want to meddle with what people pray for in private but I think this is a bit flippant in regards to prayer in church," Svarstad Haugland told the paper.
Bishop Ole Christian Kvarme in Borg is not so sure. "I don't think praying for victory is strange to God," said Borg, who has attended football matches with Vålerenga supporter and minister Einar Gelius.
Gelius thanked God in Vålerenga Church after the high-flying Oslo team crushed league leaders Rosenborg 4-1 away and colleague Lars Sperre in Trondheim has promised to include Rosenborg in his prayers to aid the troubled champions in the finishing stretch of the season.
"Things going so well for Vålerenga now gives many people a positive lift and we want to thank God for that," Gelius told Aftenposten's Internet edition, and plans a thanksgiving service at the end of the football season.
Theology professor Jacob Jervell disagrees with the sports-minded clergy.
"Praying that your team will win is nearly blasphemy. I am a keen football fan myself and often say that in heaven Viking (Stavanger) will win all their matches. But God is not a Viking-supporter and it would never occur to me to pray for my favorite team. This is not the church's task and such practice is completely meaningless," Jervell said.
The National Council of the Church of Norway thought that the trend was positive as long as it reflected an interest in what parishioners were concerned about.
Norway's national soccer coach Åge Hareide welcomed spiritual support and remembered from his days in England that the bishop of Norfolk followed the local team.
According to Dagsavisen Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, who is also a well-known football enthusiast and clergyman, refused to comment on the controversy.
Einar Gelius will be answering questions in an Aftenposten net chat on Friday. If you wish to follow the conversation or ask a question, click here. A question can be entered into the text (tekst) box, your name goes into the "Ditt navn" field, and your location into "Sted".
