{"id":30347,"date":"2014-03-10T04:38:19","date_gmt":"2014-03-10T08:38:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/?p=30347"},"modified":"2015-07-09T08:48:41","modified_gmt":"2015-07-09T12:48:41","slug":"megachurch-pastor-stuns-congregations-by-announcing-hes-converting-to-catholicism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/deaconsbench\/2014\/03\/megachurch-pastor-stuns-congregations-by-announcing-hes-converting-to-catholicism\/","title":{"rendered":"Megachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he’s converting to Catholicism"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Details:\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

During his Sunday morning service,\u00a0Ulf Ekman<\/strong>\u00a0announced the he and his wife, Birgitta, are converting to Roman Catholicism.<\/p>\n

Ekman is the founder of Word of Life, a\u00a0megachurch<\/strong>\u00a0in Uppsala, Sweden. News\u00a0reports and blogs<\/a>\u00a0coming out of the nation reveal congregation was \u201cpartially stunned\u201d after hearing what was packaged as a \u201cspecial announcement.\u201d The theme was \u201cfollow the Lamb wherever He goes.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cFor Birgitta and me, this has been a slow process were we have gone from discovering new things, to appreciating what we have discovered, to approach and even learn from our fellow Christians,\u201d Ekman says on his\u00a0ministry website<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have seen a great love for Jesus and a sound theology, founded on the\u00a0Bible<\/strong>\u00a0and classic dogma. We have experienced the richness of sacramental life. We have seen the logic in having a solid structure for priesthood, that keeps the faith of the\u00a0church<\/strong>\u00a0and passes it on from one generation to the next. We have met an ethical and moral strength and consistency that dare to face up to the general opinion, and a kindness towards the poor and the weak. And, last but not least, we have come in contact with representatives for millions of\u00a0charismatic Catholics<\/strong>\u00a0and we have seen their living faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to the\u00a0Alethia blog and think tank<\/a>, Ekman\u2019s conversion is a news story that affects a relatively large part of Swedish Christianity. Word of Life has about 3,000 members and a staff of 12 pastors. The church\u2019s school has about 1,000 students. Ekman also launched Scandinavia\u2019s largest Bible school, constructed Scandinavia\u2019s largest free church building, and rolled out a media program with TV on all continents, recorded teaching that has been spread around the world, books in 60 languages, and a strong engagement for Israel.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have as many know, followed Ekman\u2019s steps towards Roman Catholicism since 2007, at times under a lot of ridicule from both members and leadership of the congregation, but also from others within the Christian Community in Sweden,\u201d writes Andreas Glandberger, who operates the think tank. \u201cBased on Ulf Ekman\u2019s various articles, sermons, statements, and even type of organizations he decided to support financially, a painstaking puzzle has been laid in which the last piece of the puzzle now is in place.\u201d<\/p>\n

Glandberger went on to say that \u201cshock, anger, sadness, despair and confusion\u201d among the reactions to the news. Others, he writes, were relieved that Ekman\u2019s long love affair with the Catholic Church finally was consummated openly, which is also a help in theological discussions.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Continue reading.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Details:\u00a0 During his Sunday morning service,\u00a0Ulf Ekman\u00a0announced the he and his wife, Birgitta, are converting to Roman Catholicism. Ekman is the founder of Word of Life, a\u00a0megachurch\u00a0in Uppsala, Sweden. News\u00a0reports and blogs\u00a0coming out of the nation reveal congregation was \u201cpartially stunned\u201d after hearing what was packaged as a \u201cspecial announcement.\u201d The theme was \u201cfollow the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":132,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,24,45],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-converts","category-interfaith-news","category-ripped-from-the-headlines"],"yoast_head":"\nMegachurch pastor stuns congregation by announcing he's converting to Catholicism<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Details:\u00a0 During his Sunday morning service,\u00a0Ulf Ekman\u00a0announced the he and his wife, Birgitta, are converting to Roman Catholicism. 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