On Sunday, Alex Ramstad Døsvik was ordained a priest in Trondheim, becoming the first openly non-binary and transgender priest to be ordained in the Church of Norway.
Alex Ramstad Døsvik, 29, says he has long felt a calling to become a priest, and when the Church of Norway decided to allow same-sex marriage in 2016, Alex also decided to start studying.
– It’s nice to be able to contribute to making the church a bigger place that can accommodate more diversity than before, he told Norwegian state broadcaster NRK.
On Sunday, Alex was ordained a priest in the Diocese of Nidaros and Sverresborg Parish in Trondheim. This makes him the first openly ‘trans’ and ‘non-binary’ priest in the Norwegian Church. He says he hopes his role in the church will help young people find their way to the church and to themselves.
– I hope that my election can open doors and help young people and adults to find their own way to the church. The important thing is not who the priest is, but that we have people who follow their vocation and that they are not held back and prevented from following their vocation, Alex told the Norwegian Church.
“It’s sad”
Although Alex says the response from other people has been mostly positive, many have also been very critical of the decision. Alex says it’s “sad” that more people can’t be more “open” and believes it sends the wrong message to young people.
– I think it’s sad that people can’t be more open, but the saddest signal they send is to young people and adults who realize they have a different orientation or gender identity.
Alex also assures that his sermons will “very rarely” be about gender – instead, the focus will be on God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit.
