In a moment of reflection and reconciliation, the Church of Norway has publicly apologised to the LGBTI+ community for the discrimination and suffering it inflicted over generations. The apology — delivered by Presiding Bishop Olav Fykse Tveit on 16 October at Oslo’s London Pub, the site of a deadly anti-LGBTQ+ attack during Pride 2022 — has been described as one of the most significant gestures of institutional accountability in the church’s history.
Standing before an audience of survivors, activists, and clergy members, Tveit acknowledged that the church had “caused LGBTQ+ people shame, great harm and pain.” His words, carried by Norwegian and international media, drew emotional responses from those present. “This should never have happened, and that is why I apologise today,” he said.
The apology came during a memorial service honouring the victims of the London Pub shooting, where two people were killed and more than twenty injured. Holding the event at that location carried deep symbolism — a statement that the church now stands alongside a community it once shunned.
From condemnation to compassion
The Church of Norway, which separated from the state in 2017, has undergone a slow transformation in its relationship with LGBTI+ people. Once a staunch opponent of same-sex marriage, it formally approved church weddings for same-sex couples in 2017, after years of internal debate. Since then, many congregations have embraced inclusive ministry, although pockets of resistance remain within more conservative regions.
For decades, however, LGBTQ+ Norwegians were told their identities were sinful. Clergy refused baptisms for children of same-sex couples, denied funerals for queer individuals, and condemned relationships from the pulpit. Many who left the church described the experience as one of spiritual exile.
“This apology is long overdue, but deeply meaningful,” said Rolf Reikvam, head of the church’s LGBTI+ inclusion committee. “It cannot erase what happened, but it acknowledges a truth we’ve lived with for too long — that religion was used to justify shame and silence.”
Faith, healing, and the weight of history
The apology was crafted after two years of consultation between church leadership, LGBTQ+ organisations, and survivors of religious trauma. For some, it represents not just a statement of regret but a commitment to transformation. The church has pledged to expand pastoral care for queer congregants, promote inclusive theology in its seminaries, and create resources for those who left faith communities due to discrimination.
The emotional impact of the moment was evident among attendees. Survivors of the 2022 attack described hearing the apology as “liberating,” while older LGBTQ+ Norwegians — many of whom endured decades of ostracism — said it offered a sense of closure. One attendee, Inger Marie, told national broadcaster NRK, “I spent my whole life thinking God didn’t love me. Today, I finally believe He might.”
At the same time, some activists have expressed caution, stressing that words must be followed by measurable action. “An apology is not the end — it’s the beginning,” said Jon Reidar Øyan, a former adviser on LGBTQ+ policy in Norway’s Labour government. “The church must now demonstrate it will uphold this commitment in every congregation, not just in Oslo.”
A wider European context
The Church of Norway joins a small but growing number of religious institutions confronting their roles in historical discrimination. In recent years, the Church of England issued a partial apology for the “hostile environment” it created for LGBTQ+ people, while churches in Germany and Sweden have held similar reconciliation ceremonies.
However, Norway’s apology stands out for its directness and setting — delivered not in a cathedral but in a nightclub, once a crime scene, and now a symbol of resilience. Many commentators described the location as a powerful act of solidarity between faith and community, bridging two worlds long kept apart.
Religious scholars suggest the moment may influence other denominations across Europe. “When the Church of Norway says ‘We failed you,’ it resonates beyond its borders,” said Dr. Anna Hovden, a theologian at the University of Bergen. “It challenges other faith institutions to face their own histories with honesty and courage.”
A step toward reconciliation
The Church’s apology does not undo the years of suffering endured by queer Norwegians, but it does mark a formal acknowledgment that faith and equality need not be opposing forces. As Norway continues to lead on human rights, this gesture adds moral weight to a growing movement for inclusion within global Christianity.
For those gathered at the London Pub, it was a night of remembrance and renewal — an act of grace, grounded in accountability. “It’s not about erasing the past,” one attendee said. “It’s about making sure it never happens again.”
Kim Cockayne