PETERSSON, OLAF (PETRI OLAUS). - The principal founder of the Lutheran Reformation in Sweden, brother of the preceding, b. at Örebro in 1493, d. at Stockholm on 19 April 1552. He studied at the Universities of Leipzig and Wittenberg in 1516-18 and there accepted Luther's ideas. Having returned to his homeland, to 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 Gustav Vasa, he was transferred to Stockholm as secretary of the city and in 1531-33 became chancellor and councillor of Gustav. He sought to make an inwardly felt reality of the "reformation," which had been above all the result of a play of political-national forces.
To this end he published in 1526 a reworking of Luther's "prayer booklet," which was the first Protestant writing of Sweden, as well as a Swedish translation of the New Testament, and a collection of spiritual songs. He wrote other small works of edification, all inspired by Lutheranism. Having outlined at the Council of Örebro (1529) the transformation of the Church, he promoted its implementation from the organizational and doctrinal point of view with the Ecclesiastical Manual (1529), the Postils, the Catechism (1530), the Ritual of the Swedish Mass, with the evident intent of avoiding innovations that would give the people the sensation of a break from the ancient usages. In this P. was more conservative than Luther and contributed greatly to giving a moderate imprint to the Swedish "reformation," with the preservation of the episcopate and with the maintaining of a certain continuity with the medieval Church.
For this position of his he fell into disfavor with King Gustav when the latter, under the influence of the Pomeranian Nordmann, wished to introduce radically innovative forms. In 1539 P. had had himself ordained in sacris and had become parish priest of the principal church of Stockholm. The following year he was condemned to death for alleged high treason; he was however pardoned and in 1543 reinstated in his functions. In 1530 he had drafted a chronicle of Sweden on the basis of older sources.
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Mario Bendiscioli