Jānis Vanags
|
The Most Reverend Jānis Vanags |
|
|---|---|
| Archbishop of Riga | |
Vanags in 2015
|
|
| Church | Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia |
| Archdiocese | Riga |
| See | Riga |
| Elected | 26 January 1993 |
| In office | Enthroned 29 August 1993 |
| Predecessor | Kārlis Gailītis |
| Successor | Current holder |
| Orders | |
| Ordination | 1 December 1985 |
| Consecration | 29 August 1993 |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
25 May 1958 Liepāja,  Latvian SSR
|
| Nationality | Latvian |
| Spouse | Baiba Vanaga |
| Children | Krists, Gatis, & Elizabete |
| Occupation | Lutheran Archbishop |
Jānis Vanags (born May 25, 1958, Liepāja) is a Latvian Lutheran Archbishop. Since 1993 he has been the Archbishop of Riga in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia.
Vanags is seen as a conservative on theological or moral issues and opposes women's ordination. He also opposes abortion, euthanasia and encourages homosexual people to be chaste. He presided over the agreement of fellowship with the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod of the United States.
Vanags studied at Liepaja 5th High School (1965–1976), the Latvian State University Chemistry Department (1976–1982), and the Lutheran Theological Seminar (1984–1989). He worked as a chemistry teacher in Riga Vilis Lacis 31st High School (1982–1985).
Vanags was ordained as a pastor in 1985. He was appointed by the Synod to lead the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia in 1993, following the death of Kārlis Gailītis, the previous archbishop, in a car crash.
Lutheranism is the leading faith in Latvia, with a quarter of the country's 2.4 million population counted by the church as active members. Vanags has shunned the practice of the mainstream Lutheran church by refusing to ordain women since his appointment in 1993.
Archibishop Vanags has been criticised for his perceived homophobia, particularly when he deposed (defrocked) 36-year-old pastor Maris Sants from Holy Orders. Sants was known for ministering to AIDS patients, but Archbishop Vanags deposed the priest “due to his promotion of a tolerant attitude to homosexuality'. Through a statement by Mara Grigola, secretary to Vanags, he accused Sants of expressing in public "information that is against Lutheran doctrine". He also stated, "Persons who accept homosexual orientation as normal cannot work in the Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church". Sants told AFP that his dismissal came without warning, following an interview he gave with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in which he discussed his own homosexuality. "It's the practice in our church to dismiss people and not consult them. The church is not only conservative, but going backwards" said Sants, who added that he had been criticised by church officials for ministering to AIDS sufferers.
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