Per Lønning, Norwegian Lutheran bishop and politician, Died at 88

Per Lønning was born on February 24, 1928, and died on August 22, 2016.

He was a Norwegian Lutheran bishop and politician.

He gained his Doctor of Theology degree from the University of Oslo in 1955 and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 1958.

He started his career as a priest in Oslo in 1951.

Per also taught in a school in Oslo in 1954.

Lønning was elected from 1958 to 1965 as a member of the Norwegian Parliament for the Conservative Party of Norway.

During 1964, Lønning was named the priest for the parish of Bergen.

Per was named the bishop of the Diocese of Borg, in 1969 a diocese that had just been created by splitting off from the large Diocese of Oslo.

Lønning was the first Bishop to lead this diocese and he served for nine years until he resigned in 1978 in protest against the passing of a law that allowed abortion on demand in Norway.

Following his resignation, Per taught at the University of Oslo for four years and then from 1981 to 1987 he was the professor at the University of Strasbourg.

During 1987 he was named bishop of the Diocese of Bjørgvin in Bergen.

Lønning held this post until 1994, when he retired.

He was the brother of the late theologian, professor, university rector, and politician Inge Lønning.

Lønning was a member of the Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters.

Per Lønning passed away at 88 years old.