Updated 11.33 | Published 11.14
The judicial chapter in Strängnäs will investigate Birgitta Ed.
But the highest priests in the body are themselves connected to her foundation and the independent school group.
After questions from Aftonbladet, the diocese announces that the priests will not participate in the investigation.
The judicial chapter in Strängnäs diocese will investigate Birgitta Ed’s suitability as a priest. It happens after around 3,000 reports received against her, connection with Aftonbladet’s review about the Fållökna Foundation.
The news has been widely spread even outside of Sweden, and has been rewritten in, among other places Le Monde, Süddeutsche Zeitung, Brussels Times and i Bahrain News.
The Domkapitlet is the body within each diocese that has the task of investigating whether a priest follows his ordination vows. In case of serious violations, the judicial chapter can decide on declawing – that a priest may no longer be a priest. In other cases, there may be a three-year probationary period, or a written reminder.
But one thing that complicates the investigation in this case is that leading priests in the Cathedral Chapter in Strängnäs themselves have connections to Birgitta Ed and her foundation.
The chairman of the Domchapitlet is Bishop Johan Dalman. Among other things, he has held devotions at the manor, which Aftonbladet exposed. Dalman also regularly writes texts for the foundation’s social media.
As number two listed in the Domchapitlet is the domprovost Christofer Lundgren. In addition to being a colleague of Birgitta Ed as a priest, he is also a board member of Europaskolan Förvaltning AB together with Göran Thorstenson – who owns the manor and runs the foundation together with Ed.
Birgitta Ed is also a board member within the independent school group – i The European School Foundation – where Christofer Lundgren’s wife also sits as a member.
Equally forbidden within the Church of Sweden
Jäv means that a person may not take part in making decisions or influence a case because the person may have a personal interest in the matter.
The Church of Sweden has its own rules on jäv which are reminiscent of the rules of the Municipal Act but apply within the church’s own decision-making.
The central provision is found in Church orderwhere it says:
“A member may not participate in the handling of a matter that concerns the member or the member’s spouse, partner, parent, child, sibling, any other relative or any interest related to the member.”
The rule applies, among other things, to members of church councils, church councils and other decision-making bodies. The Church of Sweden’s employer organization, Skao, summarizes it as follows:
“A member of a church council or parish council may not participate in the handling of a matter that personally concerns him, someone close to him or any interest close to the member.”
Sources: Church of Sweden, Church of Sweden employer organization, Skao.
A number of experts that Aftonbladet spoke to believe that the top officials in the Domkapitlet cannot participate in the investigation.
Elisabeth Gerle, priest and docent in ethics at Lund University:
– It is obvious that both the bishop and the archdeacon are tough. There should be an independent investigation here.
Aftonbladet has been looking for people involved in Strängnäs diocese for two days. Nobody wants to give an interview. During Thursday, the diocese sends out a press release, in which it is announced that neither the judge member Robert Schött, who has an assignment for the government, nor the judge provost Christofer Lundgren will participate in the investigation.
Bishop Johan Dalman, who was involved in deciding to start an investigation, informed the diocese on Tuesday, according to the press release, that he too will not participate in the further processing of the case.
– It has been claimed that there are connections between me and the Fållöknastiftelsen that would jeopardize my impartiality. I don’t share that picture. I have only been there on one occasion and shared a bible study for their social media. But since there should be no doubt about the impartiality of the investigation and the decision, I have filed a complaint in the case, says Dalman in the press release.
Aftonbladet has applied for Birgitta Ed, Johan Dalman and Christofer Lundgren.
So say the experts
Joakim Nergelius, professor of law at Örebro University:
– It seems to be an obvious situation. The Judicial Chapter should find some outside, trusted people to review this. One should not investigate oneself. Support for this is at least indirectly found in the Administration Act.
Olle Lundin, professor of administrative law at Uppsala University:
– That it is a joke is obvious. They have to work themselves out, as much as possible. After all, they have common financial interests.
Anna-Sara Lind, professor of public law at Uppsala University:
– It follows from the Church Order that there are rules of conduct for the Domchapitlet to follow. The church order refers to the Code of Judicial Procedure’s rules on the appointment of judges. I consider it to be a stalemate.
Victoria von Uexküll, lawyer and general secretary at the Institute against Bribery:
– Acting spitefully can be damaging to trust, even if you yourself perceive that you can handle the matter impartially. If there is fraud in any form, in order to maintain trust and objectivity, you must be transparent with the fraud early in the process and not participate in the investigation or decision-making.
