Bishop Paneeraq Munk, Dean Juaanna Platou, Dean Kirsten Grønvold, Dean Maannguaq Dalager, and the head of the diocesan office in Nuuk Marianne Hansen-Heilmann at the Geneva Communion Office with LWF General Secretary Rev. Dr Anne Burghardt, the director of the Department for Theology, Mission and Justice Rev. Dr Sivin Kit and Chief of Staff Rev. Arni Danielsson. Photo: LWF/P. Hitchen
Five leaders of Greenland’s church share challenges they face following threats of U.S. takeover of the island
(LWI) - Life for church leaders in Greenland has changed significantly since the start of the year, when the United States government ramped up threats to annex the world’s largest island. “Everyone has been impacted somehow and people are afraid of what will happen,” said Bishop Paneeraq Munk, as she visited the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) in Geneva, with four other senior church leaders.
The five women, who oversee the diocese of Greenland, its three deaneries and the diocesan office in the capital, Nuuk, travelled to Switzerland in early February to meet with LWF leaders, as well as other religious and civil authorities in Geneva. Giving thanks for the support they have received, they talked about the 300-year-old history of their church and the challenges they face as a result of the current geo-political crisis in the region.
“We are not used to speaking about politics,” Bishop Munk said, “but we can also see how important it is at this time for spiritual leaders to talk about peace and human rights in our country.” She added: “We used to live a quiet life, but now there are so many journalists and others wanting to come and talk to us that we have to do things a bit differently.”
Bishop Paneeraq Munk in conversation with LWF General Secretary Anne Burghardt during the church leaders’ visit to the Geneva Communion Office. Photo: LWF/S. Kit
Our churches are open and people are coming to hear a message of hope.
Greenland’s Bishop Paneeraq Munk
Munk was elected bishop in 2020 but because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was officially installed and started her ministry in 2021, exactly three hundred years after Norwegian missionary Pastor Hans Egede brought the Lutheran faith to Greenland. Ordained in 2004, she had previously served as a pastor in different locations around the vast Arctic territory and was well known for her preaching on various radio programs.
With over 90 percent of Greenlanders belonging to the Lutheran church, its leaders continue to exercise influence and share a sense of responsibility to support people at this time of crisis. The U.S. government threats “go directly to our hearts and after what happened in Venezuela, our people are worried about what will happen to them,” Munk said. “But our churches are open, our pastors are there, and we have seen more people coming to hear a message of hope,” she continued.
Prayers for peace and respect for human rights
The church leaders gave thanks for the strong political support that Denmark and other European countries have shown for Greenland’s sovereignty, as well as the countless messages of solidarity that they have received since the start of the crisis. In mid-January, LWF leaders issued a statement calling on the U.S. to exercise “restraint, respect and dialogue in all political engagements concerning the people of Greenland” and affirming “unwavering support for the church and people” in that country. “It means a lot to us to know that we are not alone,” Munk said.
Over the past month, evening services have been organized in many of the island’s 17 parishes so that people can come together to pray and share their concerns. Church leaders have written prayers and suggested suitable hymns, while also highlighting the need to preach a message of hope and unity. “We pray that politicians can talk to one another, that they will respect human rights, especially the rights of indigenous people,” Munk said, “And we do believe that lighter days will return to our country again.”
The delegation of church leaders from Greenland who visited the LWF’s Communion Office on 5 February included Bishop Paneeraq Munk, Dean Juaanna Platou, Dean Kirsten Grønvold, Dean Maannguaq Dalager, and the head of the diocesan office in Nuuk Marianne Hansen-Heilmann.
