Ólafur Skúlason

Ólafur Skúlason (29 December 1929 - 9 June 2008 ) was an Icelandic prelate who was Bishop of Iceland from 1989 to 1997. Since 1996 he had been accused of sexually abusing many women, including his daughter.

The Right Reverend

Ólafur Skúlason
Bishop of Iceland
ChurchChurch of Iceland
DioceseIceland
Elected1989
In office1989-1997
PredecessorPétur Sigurgeirsson
SuccessorKarl Sigurbjörnsson
Orders
Ordination5 June 1955
Consecration24 July 1983
by Pétur Sigurgeirsson
Personal details
Born(1929-12-29)December 29, 1929
Birtingaholt, Hrunamannahreppur, Iceland
DiedJune 9, 2008(2008-06-09) (aged 78)
Fossvogur, Iceland
NationalityIcelandic
DenominationLutheran
ParentsSkúli Oddleifsson & Sigríður Ágústsdóttir
SpouseEbba Sigurðardóttir
Children3
Previous postBishop of Skálholt (1983-1989)
Alma materUniversity of Iceland

Biography

Skúlason was born in Birtingaholt in Hrunamannahreppur, Iceland, the son of Skúli Oddleifsson and Sigríður Ágústsdóttir. After graduating from the University of Iceland in 1955, he was ordained priest for service to the Icelandic congregation in Mountain, North Dakota. In 1960 , he was appointed as the first youth representative of the National Church and in 1964 became pastor of Bústaðarkirkja in Reykjavik. In 1975 he was appointed a Dean in Reykjavik. In 1983 he was appointed and consecrated Bishop of Skálholt and suffragan to the Bishop of Iceland. In 1989 he was elected Bishop of Iceland.

His time as bishop saw a great transformation towards more independence for the National Church. The highlight of these changes was the law (on the status, government and practice of the National Church), where the Church was granted the right to decide on the issues that concerned it. At the time, he was also a board member of the Lutheran World Federation and chaired the administration of the Ecumenical Organisation in Strasbourg .

Sexual abuse

During his tenure, a series of sexual abuse scandals related to priests, as well as accusations against Ólafur himself, started to come out, whereby he was accused of sexually abusing numerous women. At that time the scandals were kept in secrecy and dismissed by the church.[1] However, after his death, in 2010 his daughter Guðrún Ebba Ólafsdóttir attended the Church Council and disclosed that Ólafur had sexually abused her for many years.[2]

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References
  1. "In Focus: Icelandic National Church’s Council of Specialists & Sexual Violence", Iceland Review, Reykjavik, 23 September 2017. Retrieved on 09 July 2019.
  2. Kjartansdóttir, K. "Biskup: Æðri dómstólar fara yfir mál séra Ólafs", Vísir.is, Reykjavik, 20 August 2010. Retrieved on 09 July 2019.
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