PETERSSON, OLAF (PETRI OLAUS). - The principal initiator of the Lutheran Reformation in Sweden, brother of the preceding, b. at Örebro in 1493, d. at Stockholm on 19 Apr. 1552. He studied at the Universities of Leipzig and Wittenberg in 1516-18 and there embraced Luther’s ideas. Having returned to his country, at Strengnäs, as deacon and rector of that cathedral school, he became an effective propagandist of the new ideas. Having entered into relations with the new king Gustavo Wasa, he was transferred to Stockholm as city secretary and in 1531-33 became Gustavo’s chancellor and counsellor. He sought to make the “reform,” which had above all been the result of an interplay of political and national forces, an inwardly felt reality.
To this end, in 1526 he published a reworking of Luther’s “prayer book,” which was Sweden’s first Protestant writing, as well as a Swedish translation of the New Testament and a collection of spiritual songs. He wrote other small edifying works, all inspired by Lutheranism. Once the transformation of the Church had been outlined at the Council of Örebro (1529), he promoted its implementation from the organizational and doctrinal standpoint through the Ecclesiastical Manual (1529), the Postils, the Catechism (1530), and the Ritual of the Swedish Mass, with the evident intention of avoiding innovations that might give the people the impression of a break with ancient customs. In this P. was more conservative than Luther and contributed greatly to giving the Swedish “reform” a moderate character, by preserving the episcopate and maintaining a certain continuity with the medieval Church.
Because of this position, he fell into the disfavour of King Gustavo when the latter, under the influence of the Pomeranian Nordmann, wished to introduce radically innovative forms. In 1539 P. had himself ordained in sacris and became parish priest of Stockholm’s principal church. The following year he was condemned to death for alleged high treason; he was, however, pardoned and in 1543 reinstated in his offices. In 1530 he had compiled a chronicle of Sweden on the basis of older sources.