It is one of Finland's two national churches, holding a public law status alongside the Orthodox Church of Finland.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland became a separate archdiocese when Finland passed from Swedish to Russian rule in 1809, ending the Turku diocese's place in the Church of Sweden. Its position is regulated by the Church Act, which is enacted by Parliament on the church's own proposal. It is led by the Archbishop of Turku and Finland and organized in nine dioceses.
Sources
Primary
- Church Act and Church Order of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland
Secondary
- Günter Gassmann and Mark W. Oldenburg, Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism