Ole Christian Kvarme, currently the bishop of Borg, is the most conservative of the four vying to take over for retiring Oslo Bishop Gunnar Stålsett. Now it appears Kvarme has won the support of Foreign Minister Jan Petersen, one of the leaders of Norway's current coalition government.
The government is expected to name a new Oslo bishop by mid-March. For the past several weeks, various church boards and advisory groups have been coming with their recommendations.
Newspaper Aftenposten reported Monday that key politicians within the Conservative Party, Petersen among them, favour Kvarme. The Conservatives' government partner, the Christian Democrats party, clearly supports Kvarme and would suffer a humiliating defeat if he loses.
Kvarme also reportedly has secured the nod of a powerful Christian network in Norway called Velferden. Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported Monday that Velferden, comprised mostly of bishops and theology professors, already has singled out Kvarme, according to Professor Dag Thorkildsen at the University of Oslo.
Other top candidates include more liberal Lutheran pastors Erling Pettersen, who was recommended by Oslo's own church council; Helen Bjørnøy and Trond Bakkevig.
Kvarme is the only one who believes that gays living in openly homosexual relationships should not be allowed to be ordained in the state church. The other three are calling for a church policy that they describe as more inclusive.
