Laestadian Lutherans and their large families

Laestadian Lutherans and their large families April 27, 2015

Rev. Christopher Jackson informed me that the new Prime Minister of Finland is a Laestadian Lutheran, a pietist strain best known today for rejecting birth control and having very large families.

From Rev. Christopher Jackson:

 The newly elected PM of Finland, Juha Sipilä, is a Laestadian Lutheran. There are different Laestadian groups out there, but Laestadianism is a strongly pietist movement that tends to oppose the consumption of alcohol and the use of birth control. (Sipilä has five children.) Laestadianism got a mention in the book Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? as an example of one of the religious groups that promote large families.

For more on this movement, go here.

There are a number of small Laestaedian church bodies in America.

Now most Lutherans that I know wouldn’t go along with the pietist part or the opposition to alcohol.  But large families seem to be coming back into vogue.  It’s interesting that there is a distinct Lutheran tradition that makes a point of this.

Any Laestadian Lutherans out there?  I’d like to hear from you on your theology and practice.  Any semi-Laestadians?

"Do "correct pronouns" even exist any more. I mean there may be a person's preferred ..."

Are We Turning Away from the ..."
""These leftist extremists among the Dems caused violent riots in the Dem convention in Chicago ..."

Are We Turning Away from the ..."
"Believe me, I'm thrilled that an absent Hailey got 22% of the vote in Pennsylvania. ..."

The Revolt of the Center?
"I prefer biologically correct pronouns to politically correct ones. But of course, you're free to ..."

Are We Turning Away from the ..."

Browse Our Archives