Classification Old Catholic Associations Union of Scranton Origin 2000
Oslo, Norway | Polity Episcopal Region Europe | |
Leader Roald Nikolai Flemestad | ||
The Nordic Catholic Church (Norwegian: Den nordisk-katolske kirke) was established in Norway in 2000 under the auspices of the Polish National Catholic Church (PNCC), by a group of Catholic-minded people belonging to the "orthodox opposition" in the Lutheran state Church of Norway when they left that church due to various issues, including the ordination of women to the priesthood and episcopate. During the process both the Anglican Forward in Faith organisation and the Free Synod of the Church of Sweden were kept fully informed. In Sweden, it was paralleled by the foundation of the Mission Province of the Church of Sweden.
The bishop of the Nordic Catholic Church is Roald Nikolai Flemestad. Since his consecration to the episcopate in Scranton in July 2011, the Nordic Catholic Church is an autocephalous member church of the Union of Scranton.
Within the context of the Union of Scranton, the Nordic Catholic Church has received its holy orders and apostolic succession from the PNCC. Additionally, the church's theology reflects the doctrinal dialogue between the Chalcedonian Orthodox patriarchates and the Old Catholic churches as agreed in the consensus document "Road to Unity" of 1987. Thus, like the PNCC, the Nordic Catholic Church adheres to the teachings and praxis of the Undivided Church of the first millennium.
The Nordic Catholic Church presently has parishes and communities in Norway, Sweden, Germany, Hungary, France, Italy and England.