Controversial priest in Varde Municipality refuses to marry LGBT+ individuals and divorcees

In Lunde and Outrup Sogn, LGBT+ individuals or divorcees seeking to marry face rejection from the local priest, Thomas Uth. He has expressed unwillingness to officiate weddings for same-sex couples or those with prior marriages. Despite efforts to change his mind, the priest remains firm in his stance, and no additional applicants have come forward for this role.

This controversial position has sparked unrest among the congregations in the Varde Municipality. In response, the church councils and the priest have organized a meeting for local residents to discuss Uth’s views on marriage. Irma Rue Pedersen, chair of the Outrup church council, hopes the forum will foster an open debate where people’s opinions and frustrations can be expressed.

One resident, Else Andersen from Outrup, plans to attend the meeting. Alongside her husband, she previously penned an opinion piece to raise awareness about the priest’s beliefs, which she finds difficult to comprehend. “By refusing to marry divorcees and LGBT+ people, the priest effectively excludes them,” she stated. She questioned the implications of such a stance for the community, asking, “How long can our two parishes tolerate being marginalized by the priest’s decisions?”

Since 2021, Uth has served as the priest for Lunde and Outrup, and his reluctance to officiate specific weddings was clear upon his hiring. While some council members opposed his appointment, the majority favored it. According to Pedersen, Uth is welcoming to all in the church, but his theological beliefs restrict the scope of his officiation.

Andersen, however, sees a contradiction in this approach, arguing that Uth cannot claim to embrace all individuals while discriminating against certain groups. She believes the church councils should have re-advertised the position to find a more inclusive priest. Attempts to contact Thomas Uth for further comments have been unsuccessful.