"This Courageous and Inspiring Testimony of Päivi Räsänen"

A few weeks ago, I wrote a piece about the consecration of Bishop Juhana Pohjola of the faithful Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland (with whom the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod shares fellowship). The Bishop has been charged by the government of Finland for “incitement” for his confession of the Scriptures and God’s order of creation in promoting and publishing a 24-page booklet published in 2004 entitled “Male and Female He Created Them.” I mentioned that a pro-life member of the Finnish Parliament, a medical doctor and Lutheran confessor of the Bible (and pastor’s wife) named Päivi Räsänen, is also being threatened with prison by the Finnish government.

In fact, she is actually the author of the booklet.

The Rev. Matthew Harrison, president of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, recently met Dr. Räsänen and wrote the following in a Facebook post on August 23:

PLEASE take few moments and watch this courageous and inspiring testimony of Päivi Räsänen, Lutheran, and Finnish Member of Parliament, who wrote a tract on the Christian view of marriage. You will be enriched and encouraged by this woman, who is facing trial along with our brother Bishop Juhana Pojohla.

Päivi Räsänen spoke at the Oslo Symposium yesterday, where she received the Kåre Kristiansen Prize... This is the link to her speech:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fs4Clf6Wshc

This prize has earlier been awarded to e.g. Yad Vashem, Gilad Shalit, Pastor Ulf Ekman, Gov. Mike Huckabee, and the Simon Wiesenthal Center.

God grant us such courage and biblical clarity now.

In Jesus, Matt Harrison

Her speech (which is in English) is inspiring and heroic. Her humility and gentleness is matched by her steadfastness and bold confession of the Word of God. She is donating the prize money to a new organization formed to defend religious liberty in Finland.

Please pray for Dr. Räsänen and Bishop Pohjola.

The Bishop’s email is: juhana.pohjola@lhpk.fi, and Dr. Räsänen’s email is: paivi.rasanen@eduskunta.fi.

You can also send Dr. Räsänen a card or letter by mail:

Päivi Räsänen
Address: Parliament of Finland
FIN-00102 EDUSKUNTA
Finland

Her webpage (in English) is: https://www.paivirasanen.fi/en/

Here is the address of the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland where you can write to Bishop Pohjola:

Evangelical Lutheran Mission Diocese of Finland
Kalevankatu 53
Helsinki
00180
Finland

Here is the link to the letter from the International Lutheran Council protesting and condemning the prosecution of Bishop Pohjola and Dr. Räsänen, and calling for free religious speech in Finland. One of the signatories is Gottesdienst Editor the Rev. Jonathan Shaw, acting in his capacity as Director of Church Relations for the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod.

President Harrison recently appeared on Issues, Etc. to speak about this situation. His insightful interview is here.

Here is the video of Dr. Räsänen’s acceptance speech. I cannot recommend it highly enough. May our merciful Lord protect our dear sister in Christ as she bears this cross and makes the good confession!