In a case that began in 2022 and continued to a court hearing yesterday, October 30, the Finnish prosecution described a tweet by Päivi Räsanen as a crime against humanity. Räsanen quoted a verse from the New Testament—specifically, the Epistles of Paul—which condemns same-sex marriage as a sin.
The case took a different turn as the prosecution argued that the biblical verses could be considered “hate speech.”
Paul Coleman, executive director of ADF International and a member of Räsanen’s legal team, said: “This case strikes at the heart of democracy: Do people have the freedom to express their beliefs without fear of prosecution by the state? Criminalizing expression simply because it reflects a traditional belief is incompatible with a free and open society.”
A similar case occurred in May 2024 in the US Congress, where a vote was passed against the Bible, specifically the Gospel of Matthew, which was described as anti-Semitic. However, the case was shelved and did not reach a decision. According to ADF International, throughout the investigation, Dr. Rasanen was subjected to more than 13 hours of police questioning, during which she was repeatedly asked to explain her theological understanding of the Bible.
Everyone is awaiting the Finnish Supreme Court’s decision in the case. Will the New Testament become a crime in Finland?
Photo from ADF International: Päivi Räsanen in the courtroom.
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