Norway Bodnariu family reunited, but Christian journalist thinks Child Welfare Service has been unfairly criticized

Chiqui Guyjoco Thursday, July 14, 2016

A Norwegian Christian shared he's glad for the reunion of the complete Bodnariu family but said he's disappointed by the harsh criticisms against Norway and the Norwegian Barnevernet.

Tarjei Gilje, an editor at Christian daily newspaper Dagen, said that he believes many Norwegian Christians like himself are "happy that the children are back with their parents" and think that the way The Child Welfare Service of Norway, also known as Barnevernet, handled the Bodnariu case exposed an obvious "systemic problem in Barnevernet."

Some 200 people gather in central Oslo on April 16, 2016 to protest the state seizure of the five children of Christian couple Marius and Ruth Bodnariu by the Norwegian child welfare service Barnevernet. | Reuters

The Bodnariu case stirred worldwide condemnation and protests as well as provoked hundreds of American lawyers and European Parliamentarians to demand the return of Marius and Ruth Bodnariu's five children. In November last year, the government seized the children, ages three months to nine, and placed them in separate foster homes away from their parents. This happened after the daughter's school principal expressed concern over the "radical" Christian parents raising the children.

The Naustdal Municipality in Norway announced in June its decision to bring back the children to their parents amid international pressure that condemned the country for breaching domestic and international laws.

While acknowledging that Barnevernet failed in "insufficient competence and too much power with local employees" and that Norwegian Christians saw the need to look at it more closely, Gilje also believes that most of the criticisms are misplaced.

"But I also think many Christians feel that much of the criticism against Barnevernet has been based on insufficient knowledge and prejudice. This applies especially for much of the criticism coming from abroad," Gilje told Evangelical Focus.

He added, "It has been disappointing to see how Christians in many countries are willing to make harsh statements against Norway and the Norwegian Barnevernet while their very statements prove that they have very limited knowledge of the Norwegian society."