Lesbian pastor confronts Oslo bishop

Norway’s first lesbian pastor says she’s fed up with “homophobic” church officials and no longer wants Bishop Ole-Christian Kvarme as her spiritual leader. Pastor Hilde Raastad told newspaper Aftenposten on Wednesday that she wants to give up her ordination and resign as pastor after years of fighting for acceptance in the Norwegian state church. Raastad’s [...]

Government halts hijab initiative

Norway’s government minister in charge of culture, Hadia Tajik, has been handed a report by a commission recommending that police and judges in Norway be allowed to use religious head coverings, such as a hijab or turban. Tajik immediately made it clear the government would not change its position that currently bans such religious expression. [...]

Police apologize for deportation

Norway’s new director of the state police has issued an official apology for his department’s involvement in the deportation of Jewish residents in 1942. The apology, called both historic and long overdue, was made 70 years to the day when Jews were rounded up and literally shipped off to concentration camps in Nazi Germany. Odd [...]

Medal fiasco ‘hurts king’s authority’

UPDATED: King Harald’s approval of a royal service medal to a man who has expressed anti-democratic and, some say, anti-Semitic attitudes for years threatens the very authority of the monarchy, claim some royal experts. Blatant criticism of the king is rare in Norway, but he’s not immune from responsibility for the medal, and commentators seem [...]

Palace caught in ‘scandal’ over medal

UPDATED: King Harald, his staff at the Royal Palace and county officials were hit by a wave of criticism this week over their decision to award a royal service medal to a Norwegian accused of anti-Semitism. Oslo Mayor Fabian Stang refused to hand over the medal to Trond Ali Linstad as planned, and the medal [...]

Synagogue security under review

Several new security measures are being evaluated in the area around the Jewish community’s synagogue in Oslo’s St Hanshaugen district. A government minister visited the synagogue this week and a top city politician is also planning an emergency meeting next week with Oslo police and members of the Jewish organization DMT (Det Mosaiske Trossamfund). The [...]

Military to allow religious symbols

Members of the Norwegian military are now allowed to use religious symbols such as head coverings as part of their uniforms. Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide, meanwhile, claimed this week that the military “will get better” in recruiting and attracting “the best heads” in general. Now some of them may be wearing turbans, head scarves [...]

New survey reveals anti-Semitic minority in Norway

Around 12.5 percent of Norwegians show signs of prejudice against Jews, according to a new survey conducted by the Holocaust Center in Oslo. Even though that’s a relatively low level of anti-Semitism compared to levels in other European countries, government officials received the report with concern and are studying measures to combat the issue, not [...]

Jewish group wants police to record anti-Semitic incidents

The Norwegian Jewish group Det Mosaiske Trossamfund (DMT) has asked police in Oslo to start registering anti-Semitic incidents. Members claim they’ve been subjected to 11 incidents of harassment, vandalism and threats just in the past month. “If we don’t get an overview of these incidents, we’re in poor shape to combat the virus that anti-semitism [...]