Scandinavian Lutheran Bishops Join Consecration of English Bishop
Episcopal News Service. March 7, 1996 [96-1409I]
(LWI) When Canon Christopher Hill was consecrated bishop of Stafford for the Church of England's Litchfield diocese, for the first time a Norwegian bishop participated, the direct result of the Porvoo Declaration approved recently by Baltic Lutherans and the Church of England. Bishop Andreas Aarflot of Oslo and Swedish Lutheran Bishop Tord Harlin of Uppsala joined the archbishop of Canterbury in the consecration at St. Paul's Cathedral in London. Swedish bishops have shared in Anglican consecrations since 1927. Swedish archbishop Nathan Soderblom, a powerful ecumenical leader who helped shape the World Council of Churches, urged bishops of other churches in communion with each other to take part in consecrations as an ecumenical gesture. Hill served in the ecumenical office of Lambeth Palace for 15 years.