Faith
Finnish MP Faces Supreme Court for Bible Tweet
Faith Facts
- Finnish parliamentarian Päivi Räsänen faced the Supreme Court of Finland over a tweet quoting the Bible.
- She was previously acquitted twice by lower courts, along with Bishop Juhana Pohjola, but both were retried for alleged “agitation against a minority group.”
- The case could set a precedent for religious freedom and free speech across Europe.
Päivi Räsänen, a committed Christian and former interior minister, was tried again for quoting Scripture while defending biblical values on marriage and sexuality. Authorities reopened her case years after a tweet questioning her church’s support for pride events, leading to extensive investigations and charges.
Bishop Pohjola, charged for publishing a pamphlet co-authored by Räsänen in 2004, stood with her in defense of Christian teachings. The prosecution cited her tweet, the pamphlet, and an interview as grounds for the charges.
“I stand here not only to defend my own right to speak freely, but to defend the freedom of every person to express deeply held beliefs without fear of punishment,” she declared outside the court.
Räsänen has refused to retract her statements, standing firm in her conviction that her position reflects the truth of God’s Word. She warned that a guilty verdict could signal increased persecution of Christians beyond Finland.
“I said that ‘I will not apologize.’ It’s not only my view; it is what the word of God says,” she affirmed.
Räsänen expressed gratitude for the opportunity to witness to the Gospel through this trial, sharing her Christian faith publicly. Some individuals, including those from the LGBT community, came to Christ during this process.
Paul Coleman of ADF International cautioned that “Criminalizing peaceful speech through so-called ‘hate speech’ laws not only silences important conversations — it endangers democracy itself.”
The Finnish Supreme Court will announce its ruling in the coming months. A guilty verdict could lead to harsh fines and censorship, threatening not only free speech but also the ability to share biblical truth openly. Christians everywhere should pray for continued courage and stand united for faith, family, and freedom.