<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>In this article, the phenomenon of inter-confessional marriages and families is studied in the context of Finnish Orthodoxy. The focus is on the wedding services, religious upbringings and participation in Church life from the perspective of inter-confessional marriages/families: How does the ecumenical reality influence them? Sociologically, the family has a central role in relation to beliefs, religious practices and activities. The religious upbringing of most Orthodox children takes place in a family of two Christian traditions. In the lived reality of the Finnish Orthodox population, the co-existence of two traditions (Orthodox and non-Orthodox) in inter-confessional marriages is not always non-problematic. In dialogue with the Lutheran Church, the Orthodox Church of Finland has aimed to promote harmony and mutual respect for the two traditions in inter-confessional families, as well as to fortify the Orthodox identity of its members.</p></abstract>

In this article, the phenomenon of inter-confessional marriages and families is studied in the context of Finnish Orthodoxy. The focus is on the wedding services, religious upbringings and participation in Church life from the perspective of inter-confessional marriages/families: How does the ecumenical reality influence them? Sociologically, the family has a central role in relation to beliefs, religious practices and activities. The religious upbringing of most Orthodox children takes place in a family of two Christian traditions. In the lived reality of the Finnish Orthodox population, the co-existence of two traditions (Orthodox and non-Orthodox) in inter-confessional marriages is not always non-problematic. In dialogue with the Lutheran Church, the Orthodox Church of Finland has aimed to promote harmony and mutual respect for the two traditions in inter-confessional families, as well as to fortify the Orthodox identity of its members.

Practical and Pastoral Perspectives on Inter-confessional Marriage in the Finnish Orthodox Context

Review of Ecumenical Studies Sibiu

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

In this article, the phenomenon of inter-confessional marriages and families is studied in the context of Finnish Orthodoxy. The focus is on the wedding...

Practical and Pastoral Perspectives on Inter-confessional Marriage in the Finnish Orthodox Context

Published Online: Dec 28, 2018

Page range: 309 - 334

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2018-0026

Keywords
Finland, inter-confessional marriage, Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, religious upbringing, ecumenical relations, baptism, Eucharist

© 2018 Pekka Metso, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Practical and Pastoral Perspectives on Inter-confessional Marriage in the Finnish Orthodox Context

Published Online: Dec 28, 2018

Page range: 309 - 334

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/ress-2018-0026

KeywordsFinland, inter-confessional marriage, Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, religious upbringing, ecumenical relations, baptism, Eucharist

© 2018 Pekka Metso, published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
Finland, inter-confessional marriage, Orthodoxy, Lutheranism, religious upbringing, ecumenical relations, baptism, Eucharist