Hyvinkää District Court has sentenced a clergyman of the Lutheran Parish of Hyvinkää to a fine for discriminating against a woman pastor. Also fined were a visiting pastor and a member of the Church Council who had invited him to speak at the church. In March, the woman pastor was compelled to leave her workplace when the visiting pastor said that he would refuse to appear on the same altar as a woman. Pastor Ari Norro, who was ordered to pay 20 income-linked "day fines", is a member of a conservative Lutheran organisation that opposes the ordination of women. The assistant vicar of the congregation was also fined to 20 day fines for work discrimination. According to the indictment, it was the assistant vicar's responsibility to see to it that the woman pastor was allowed to do her job. The Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church has ordained women pastors since 1988. YLE
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