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Resistance to the Reformation in 16Th-Century Finland

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Resistance to the Reformation in 16Th-Century Finland CHAPTER 10 Resistance to the Reformation in 16th-Century Finland Kaarlo Arffman 10.1 Introduction The Protestant Reformation is an interesting era for analyzing the nature of religion, in which the reformers wanted to reshape the Christian religion and lifestyle. Research into the resistance to the Reformation enables us to reach a better understanding of Christianity in Finland in the Late Middle Ages. In the Reformation era Finland was the eastern part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Originally, there was only one bishop for the whole of Finland, in Turku (in Swedish Åbo). However, in the years 1555–1564 and 1568–1578 another bishop headed the eastern parishes from Vyborg (Viipuri). Lutheran ideas had reached Denmark and Sweden already by the beginning of the 1520s and received endorsement, especially in the big cities. The kings of Denmark and Sweden supported Lutheran preachers but the theological opponents of Lutheranism were also able to express their opinions.1 After internal conflict and the victory of the convinced Lutheran, Duke Christian in Denmark, in 1536, the situation changed. The debate was over. The new king, Christian III, took the Church under his direction and began to shape it into a Lutheran one. Resistance became risky. In Sweden King Gustav Vasa followed the example of the Danish king.2 In Norway and Finland the influence of Lutheranism was weaker and slower in developing than in Denmark and Sweden. The king of Denmark ruled Norway and Christian III transformed the Norwegian church into a part of the Danish Lutheran church, albeit not without drama.3 The king advised his men to proceed more cautiously in the countryside parishes.4 In Finland 1 Martin Schwarz Lausten, Reformationen i Danmark (Copenhagen: Akademisk Forlag, 1987), 52–69; Åke Andrén, Sveriges kyrkohistoria 3. Reformationstid (Stockholm: Verbum, 1999), 23–77. 2 Lausten, Reformationen i Danmark, 98–111; Andrén, Sveriges kyrkohistoria 3, 92–107. 3 Carl Fr. Wisløff, Norsk kirkehistorie (Oslo: Lutherstiftelsen, 1966), 405–421. 4 Wisløff, Norsk kirkehistorie, 417–418. © koninklijke brill nv, leiden, ���7 | doi ��.��63/97890043�8877_0�� 256 Arffman Lutheranism reached Turku in the mid-1520s. A decade later divine services and Church ceremonies began to adopt the new Lutheran features in the Finnish parishes.5 According to the traditional popular conception, the Lutheran Reformation in Finland was implemented cautiously and slowly. This represented a contrast to the other Nordic countries. However, because of this approach the reforms were not opposed in Finland as they were in Sweden, the western part of the realm. There several uprisings broke out against King Gustav Vasa’s regime from 1523 to 1560, one of the causes being the desire to keep to the traditional Catholic faith. In Finland there is no evidence of similar rebellious movements. For this reason scholars have often stated that the Reformation did not arouse much opposition and that it was largely seen as a change for the better. Is this conception correct? In the first place, we must remember that the Reformation in Sweden was primarily inspired by King Gustav Vasa, who used it to make the Church completely dependent on him and to gain financial advantage. The young learned people who supported the Reformation were only allowed to act within the limits set by the king, and they had to accept his decrees. The Swedish Reformation had many different facets. It entailed a change of both the divine service and other Church ceremonies. At the same time, it brought changes to accustomed ways of life and allowed crown officials to confiscate Church property and transfer the wealth to the king. Even trade relations were affected by the Reformation. Correspondingly, opposition to the Reformation could take different forms. In Britain, the so-called Revisionist school has demanded a reassessment of the Reformation. In the Revisionists’ opinion, the Reformation has been viewed one-sidedly from the victors’ perspective in Protestant countries. The pre-Reformation period has been painted in excessively sombre colors and the positive aspects of the Reformation have been emphasized. According to the Revisionists, the Catholic Church was not in such poor shape before the Reformation as we have been given to understand. On the other hand, in many respects the Reformation meant the impoverishment of religion and culture. Bearing this in mind, the Revisionists also feel that the opposition to the Reformation should be re-assessed.6 In Sweden, the Catholic priest Magnus Nyman has written about those who lost out in the Reformation and 5 Kauko Pirinen, Suomen kirkon historia 1. Keskiaika ja uskonpuhdistuksen aika (Helsinki: WSOY, 1991), 278–279, 284. 6 Cf. Eamon Duffy, Saints, Sacrilege and Sedition. Religion and Conflict in the Tudor Reformation (London: Bloomsbury, 2012), 33–51, especially 45..
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