The representatives of the Mission Province have not succeeded in convincing the overwhelming majority of the confessional movement (of the Church of Sweden) that the unilateral bishop consecration now planned, in conflict with the Swedish church, should be the way to preserve the apostolic faith in our province of the Church. Along with most of the members of the cooperative council of the Church Coalition, I see this as a precipitous action and will not endorse it. Too much is at stake. All other alternatives have not been exhausted. We cannot support a voluntary action that will cause yet another split of the Church of Christ

We patiently maintain that we have the full right to be at home in our own church, we who uphold the old doctrinal foundation of the church and maintain that the Bible and the Confession are the only guiding rules of the Church. The leadership of the church bears a heavy responsibility for having created the present situation through its actions and by various decisions that have alienated its own people, often the most faithful of its members.

The doctrinal beliefs that are part of the catholic tradition, upheld and shared by groups within the Swedish church and by ecumenical partners (within Sweden and abroad), must be recognized as legitimate. They must be given living space also in the Swedish church.

"You will need endurance to do God's will." (Hebr. 10:36)

Yngve Kalin
Chairman
Church Coalition for Bible and Confession

2005 © Yngve Kalin