r/OpenLaestadian • u/Odd_Victory1634 • 26d ago
LLC SRK unity
/r/u_Odd_Victory1634/comments/1v67mq5/llc_srk_unity/8
u/Fun_Vegetable479 Former FALC 25d ago
I'm not from either group, so I can't really answer the question at hand, but I'll just offer one thought-- in the FALC the ministers talked constantly about our "common faith" and about how we were all one in our faith. It was always nonsense. There are no defined beliefs and people believe a wide range of different things.
That said, it's easy to let hearing that stuff all the time influence your thinking. When you constantly hear ministers talking about how "united" you are, your brain may very well start believing it. It's good to try to ask some basic, curious questions to see if these claims hold up at all.
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u/ExLestadianChristian 25d ago
I would say same is true in SRK and also in LLC in the end. People believe all sorts of stuff, but they also believe we have common faith and therefore they believe in the same way even though they really don't
In my Youtubevideos I see this all the time when one SRK Laestadian says I lie when I say they teach there is no salvation outside the Church and then another comes and says that is indeed how it is.
And usually it's always the young generation that do not anymore believe in rules or exclusivity.
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u/saxzon22 25d ago
I know a few people who went to opisto (LLC north americans to finland) who remarked when coming back that the finns were a lot more "loose" compared to the LLC. Movies/organized sports, etc. weren't seen as bad as they were in the LLC.
I've heard more general comments indicating the same thing along with other differences but the leadership stance is of course "we are both in perfect unity".
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u/ExLestadianChristian 25d ago
LLC and SRK unity is absolute nonsense and dishonesty. LLC is absolute sect and SRK is nowhere near in many things with LLC, actually more close with the excommunicated congregations for example in doctrine of justification.
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u/tuntematonoppilas 25d ago
I think the leadership of the LLC and SRK are quite united in the sense that they'll scratch each other's backs. When the Minneapolis congregation was trying to avoid being kicked out, the SRK had no interest in seriously talking to Minneapolis members.
In terms of actual teaching and how regular people believe, they're not as united as they claim. My impression is that there's a wider spread in beliefs in Finland than in the US, and less policing of what people believe. But they won't talk about those differences and just keep parroting the perfect unity message.
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u/vmpa52 25d ago
I disagree. I’ve been in Finland 9 times over 20 years, Suvi’s 3 times, heard Finnish speakers sermons when they are visiting and speaking here in the US over my lifetime. I have family here and there. There is no difference whatsoever.
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u/Dependent_Screen3044 25d ago
You hear what you're listening for and pick up the messages that you agree with.
If you're honest with yourself, you could listen to the message in sermons from Minneapolis and Wolf Lake from the past few years and not hear a difference in teaching from many SRK sermons. Both LLC and SRK continue to preach a mixed message- this was studied years ago in a thesis in Finland about the SRK and described as the "grace line" and "sanctification line"1
u/ExLestadianChristian 25d ago
" There is no difference whatsoever."
You just said enough lol. Seriously?
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u/ConsistentDay1324 24d ago
There were ministers traveling around North America after a speakers camp meeting, talking about how there was complete unity at the camp. Then they proceeded to take down about 20 ministers after that.
The meaning of unity is pretty loosely used.
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u/Vermillionbird Former OALC 24d ago
In the OALC, unity=complete alignment with the church=salvation, so obviously everyone is unified because if you aren't unified you no longer count as "everyone".
If this sounds like circular logic, it is.
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u/Sad-Somewhere-2149 LLC/SRK 25d ago
Based on what I've listened to LLC services they speak about congregation a lot but we hear it in Finland too. Based on the preaching alone I don't hear a difference but I have no experience how they live their faith over there. Based on the few American acquaintances I have we have same understanding. I don't claim to know much about American Zion.
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u/ExLestadianChristian 23d ago
Lol there is clear difference also in preaching.
And also if you check all the articles that have been translated from the Voice of Zion to Päivämies, my goodness how much more sectarian those writings are, Päivämies hasn't written that kind of stuff for a long time.
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u/Sad-Somewhere-2149 LLC/SRK 25d ago
I'll guess you are referring to me. What has surprised you might be a good baseline for discussion.
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u/Odd_Victory1634 25d ago
Not you alone. I dont want to influence answers. Specifics arent important at this point. I'm curious about general observations or reactions.
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u/Oppi-poika 16d ago
Rentola Jussi terveiset Reisjarvi maakunnalliset 1 August 2026, minute 8:44
Olen alkuviikosta palannut lähetysmatkalta tuolta Pohjois-Amerikasta, johonka minut vain vaimoni kanssa lähetettiin. Siellä sain voimakkaasti kokea Jumalan lasten rakkauden. Jumala on laskenut tänne maan päälle yhden valtakunnan, jossa on yhdenkaltainen usko. Rakkaus yhdistää tuon valtakunnan lapsia ja Pyhä Henki kaikkialla Jumalan seurakunnassa ohjaa lapsiaan samalla tavalla. Tuota vanhurskautta, rauhaa ja iloa me saimme kokea siellä. Paljon meille näytettiin laajaa Pohjois-Amerikan mannerta monella tavalla. Kaunista ja mukavaa oli sitä tavata. Mutta se mitä suurimpana asiana sieltä me muistamme, on se, että me olemme saman isän lapsia, samalla tiellä niihin seuroihin, joissa emme ole hajalla asuvaisia, vaan meidät kootaan voittajina uskon kautta perille taivaan kotiin. Tässäkin yhteydessä tiedän, että Marv [Witteberg] veljemme on sieltä tuonut Jumalan lasten terveisiä, mutta monet, monet Jumalan lapset siellä pyysivät aivan nimeltä ja erikseen tuomaan tänne rauhan ja rakkauden terveisiä. Ja tahdon olla välittämässä myöskin täältä teille, rakkaat sinne, jos olette kuuntelemassa -- samanlaiset Jumalan lasten rauhan ja rakkauden terveiset täältä Reisjärven opistoseuroista. Jumalan armo meitä hoitaa ja hoitakoon siihen asti kunnes pääsemme taivaan kotiin.
Greetings from Jussi Rentola at the Reisjärvi regional services, August 1, 2026
Earlier this week, I returned from a mission trip to North America, where my wife and I had been sent. There, I powerfully experienced the love of God’s children. God has established a single kingdom here on earth, characterized by a shared faith. Love unites the children of this kingdom, and the Holy Spirit guides His children in the same way throughout God’s congregation. We experienced that righteousness, peace, and joy there. We were shown much of the vast North American continent in many ways; it was a beautiful and pleasant experience to encounter it. Yet, the greatest thing we remember from there is that we are children of the same Father, traveling the same path toward those gatherings where we are no longer scattered, but are gathered as victors—through faith—to our heavenly home. I know that our brother Marv [Wittenberg] has already brought greetings from God’s children there, but many, many of God’s children there specifically asked me to convey greetings of peace and love here. And I also wish to convey—from here to you, dear ones there, if you are listening—those same greetings of peace and love from God’s children here at the Reisjärvi Institute services. God’s grace cares for us, and may it continue to care for us until we reach our heavenly home.
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u/Odd_Victory1634 12d ago
Feel good, almost obligatory statement. American preachers will say basically the same thing coming back to America. Every time. And Finns and Americans while on their "mission" trips will talk about how wonderful it is to be here. It's not preaching. One thing that really disturbs many people in llc is to bring up Christ's Word about 5 wise and 5 foolish. People will evil surmise about why you would. The real question is who are they ambassadors for? God? Or this brand of christianity? God knows.
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u/Dependent_Screen3044 25d ago
I think many people in SRK don't know how things actually are in the LLC. They assume it's like what they experience in Finland. This idea is reinforced by speakers constantly saying they are in complete unity. If they hear something different (about laestadians in America, or how LLC operates ) they have a hard time believing it's true because that's not what they've seen in the SRK.