Bo Giertz

Bo Harald Giertz ( born August 31, 1905 in Räpplinge in Öland, † July 12, 1998 in Gothenburg ), buried in Torpa in Östergötland, was a Swedish Lutheran Bishop of Gothenburg and Christian writer.

Life and work

His parents were Knut Harald Giertz and Anna Ericson, daughter of Lars Magnus Ericsson, founder of the Ericsson Group. In his youth Giertz was an atheist.

Giertz combined pietistic and High Church Lutheran theology. This connection is clearly seen also in his novels. His books about the Christian faith have been popular in Scandinavia.

In one of his most famous novels " And some fell upon a rock " (Swedish: Stengrunden ) he describes a section of Swedish theology and revival history of the 19th and 20th century. In three parts, he describes the outer and inner lives of young curate who want to live in central Sweden with idealism and honest efforts the community to a revival in succession in the same parish Ödesee. Giertz was in close personal contact and by correspondence with the German writer Edzard Schaper, which he offered in a variety of forms help and encouragement at Schaper's flight and emigration to Sweden during the years 1944-1946. The friendship that developed from this, the work of two to theological questions intensely interested writers had a lasting effect.

According to the Swedish parliament and the Swedish Church to admit women to ordination deciding Giertz was a leader of the opposition and established a community on the other hand (Religious collection to the Bible and Confession).

Giertz was also a pioneer in the introduction of the Sunday liturgy celebrated Mass, which was no longer used previously in the Swedish church.

Writings