Opposition to Christian music in one school in Finland resulted in the cancellation of Handel’s “Messiah” in another, Finnish media reported.
In Hämeenlinna, a child had objected to songs about the life of Christ in a performance at an unidentified primary school, resulting in a tribunal ruling that non-Christian children had been discriminated against on the basis of religion or belief. The National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal determined that the non-Christian pupils should be compensated 1,500 euros ($1,562 USD) by the school.
On Tuesday (Nov. 19), however, the city’s Education and Welfare Committee voted 6 to 5 that no compensation was due to the primary school students.
The performance in question was the first of three faith-referenced concerts at the school, according to media reports.
The first concert took place in 2022 with references to Christ’s crucifixion, death and atonement. At least one of the pupils watching the concert was non-religious, and Helsingin Sanomat news site reported the “religiosity of the concert was not announced in advance, but [the school] apologized after the concert.”
Concerts were also held last year and this year, with all three events deemed religious, but only the first concert was accused of being “discriminatory,” according to the Finnish news site.
The school removed a hymn from the second concert following a complaint by the compensation applicant. Concerns were also expressed about a parish choir at the third event.
“The Board also found that the educational institution had neglected its obligation to promote equality,” Helsingin Sanomat reported in regard to the choir performing. “It held this view, inter alia, because the educational institution did not inform that the choir’s performance had been organized jointly with the congregation.”
Antti Karrimaa, director of Education at Hämeenlinna, reportedly said the concert touched on “extremely sensitive issues one way or the other.”
“Such religious issues and schooling arise at regular intervals,” Karrimaa said. “We have to see what the right and smart course of action would be.”
Voting about the issue at the Hämeenlinna Education and Welfare Committee meeting showed a split down Finnish party lines. Those in favor of paying compensation came from the Social Democratic Party, the Greens and the Centre Party. Those against the payout hailed from the Finns Party, National Coalition Party and the Christian Democrats.
Committee member Pasi Honkanen told Suomen Uutiset news site of his relief at the outcome of the vote.
“However, this is quite an important issue in today’s world,” Honkanen said. “This set a precedent, and the decisions of the National Non-Discrimination and Equality Tribunal are not binding, but merely recommendations. When the Board has the opportunity to take the right to admission, I think it is good that it is used and decisions like this are made.”
Honkanen pointed out difficulties for teachers and schools to operate normally if such compensation payouts were allowed.
“In no way do I think that equality or non-discrimination should be deliberately violated, but I hope that schools, principals and teachers want to promote them,” he added. “Society should consider these kinds of things a bit more than whether someone is traumatized by hearing the wrong kind of music. When I was at school, I went to an Orthodox church and I wasn’t traumatized by it at all.”
The fallout at the primary school led to a comprehensive school in Uusimaa canceling a performance of Handel’s “Messiah” two days before the concert planned earlier this month because of concerns about references to Christianity in the music.
Organizers had planned for a joint performance of the oratorio at a school by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra and the Helsinki Chamber Choir before school officials canceled it, citing issues with religious references in the music, reported Helsingin Sanomat.
“The atmosphere in the chamber choir and baroque orchestra has been shocked by the decision,” Laura Kajander, executive director of the Baroque Orchestra, reportedly said, adding that this was the first time such a cancellation occurred. “If concerts are canceled, it is the children who suffer.”
About 80 percent of Finland’s population identifies as Christian, and 10 percent as evangelical Christian, according to Joshua Project; 17.1 percent identify as non-religious, and 1.9 percent as Muslim.
Finnish MP and former government minister Päivi Räsänen said the compensation claims and cancellation defied common sense.
“Compensation payment of 1,500 euros for discrimination when a non-religious child accidentally heard a song about Jesus,” Räsänen wrote on X on Oct. 31. “Has the use of common sense disappeared? At the same time, schools celebrate Halloween with witches and zombie characters. How can a song about Jesus be perceived as so dangerous?”
The MP is facing a third trial after being accused of “hate speech” as a Christian for expressing her biblical views on marriage.
The Supreme Court of Finland on April 19 ruled that a third trial would go ahead, as previously reported by Christian Daily International. She had previously been acquitted twice of hate speech but the state prosecutor appealed.
Two previous trials at Helsinki District Court and the Court of Appeal found Räsänen, a grandmother of 11, not guilty of the hate speech charges. A former Minister of the Interior, Räsänen was criminally charged for sharing her Christian views on marriage and sexual ethics in a tweet on X in 2019.
She was also charged in relation to a 2004 pamphlet for her church she wrote about the book of Genesis, stating, “male and female he created them.”
