Nordic bishops discuss social cohesion, the worldwide Synod and Christian identity
The Nordic Bishops’ Conference (NBC) held its autumn plenary assembly in Paderborn, Westphalia, from 21 to 25 September 2026. At the invitation of Archbishop Udo Markus Bentz of Paderborn, and Bonifatiuswerk the Nordic bishops gathered at Haus Immaculata and Bonifatiushaus to discuss current issues facing the Church and society. Alongside the synodal process of the universal Church, the meeting focused on social cohesion, encounters with otherness in a world marked by crises, and the future of the family.
Between homeland and openness to the world: Bishop Varden calls for balance in the migration debate
The President of the Bishops’ Conference, Bishop-Prelate Erik Varden OCSO (Trondheim and Tromsø), drew a line in his opening address, “Welcoming the Stranger”, from the biblical account of the Tower of Babel to the challenges of the present day. Against the backdrop of global crises and growing populism, Varden warned of an increasingly hardened public discourse:
“As Christians, we must protest loudly. It is our duty to extend a helping hand to those in need, to open our doors to the homeless and to share our material prosperity with the poor.”
At the same time, the bishop stressed that the culture of one’s own country must be preserved and responsibility assumed: “The Christian challenge before us […] is to find a balance between two tasks: fostering national unity and identity while at the same time remaining open to those in need and to strangers.”
The bishops announced that they will publish a pastoral letter on migration on 25 October 2026.
In dialogue with the local Church
In addition to their working sessions, the bishops visited the Faculty of Theology in Paderborn and signed the City of Paderborn’s Golden Book at the town hall. The members of the NBC met their host in Herne, where Archbishop Bentz has temporarily relocated his official residence. There, NBC President Bishop Erik Varden took part in a panel discussion on the theme “The Church in a Secular Society”. Archbishop Bentz and Bishop Varden, together with representatives of Catholic Church employees and volunteers, discussed new spiritual initiatives, missionary experiences and the question of what sustains Christians in a time of profound social change.
Setting the course for the implementation of the worldwide Synod of Bishops in 2027–2028
The bishops devoted considerable attention to implementing the roadmap for the worldwide Synod of Bishops. In order to support the local Churches in Scandinavia as effectively as possible, the Bishops’ Conference decided to invite the diocesan synodal teams to regional meetings in spring 2027. These meetings are intended to produce a structured report examining and evaluating the synodal processes to date as well as the structures of ecclesial communion.
Looking ahead: proclaiming anew the beauty of Christian marriage
Another focus was preparation for the forthcoming meeting of the presidents of bishops’ conferences in Rome in October 2026 on the theme “Ten Years after Amoris laetitia”. The bishops regretted that Church documents on marriage and the family are all too often reduced in public debate to individual controversial issues, while the pastoral challenge is that fewer and fewer people are entering into marriage at all. The NBC therefore called for the discussion to move away from narrowly defined points of controversy:
“The Church must highlight the beauty and significance of Christian marriage as a lifelong, faithful and fruitful communion and give it greater emphasis in her proclamation.”
At the conclusion of several days of deliberations and profound spiritual exchange in Paderborn, the Nordic bishops expressed their deep gratitude for the generous financial support received from Germany and for the many forms of assistance provided by Bonifatiuswerk. This solidarity, sustained over many decades, forms an indispensable foundation for pastoral work in the Nordic diaspora and enables the bishops to look with confidence towards the pastoral tasks ahead in their home countries.
NBC