Ragnvald Indrebø

Ragnvald Indrebø was born on 22 November 1891 in Os, a small municipality, just south of the city of Bergen in Hordaland county, Norway. His parents were Ludvig Johannes Indrebø and Severine Malene Frøysland. His brother was Gustav Indrebø, who went on to be a famous linguist in Norway. The family moved around when he was young, living in Jølster, Gaular, and finally Vestre Aker. In 1911, he began to study theology at the MF Norwegian School of Theology in Oslo. He received his Cand.theol. degree in 1918.[1][2]

Indrebø first took a job as a teacher from 1919–1922. In 1922, he was hired as the priest of the parish of Jølster (where he lived as a child). He kept that job until 1927 when he took a new job as the leader of the Sunnfjord School. In 1929–1930, he was the general secretary of the Norwegian Christian Youth Organization (affiliated with the worldwide YMCA organization), but illness forced him to quit after 1 year's service. From 1930 until 1948, he was a priest working in Oslo. From 1930-1934 he was based at the Matteus parish, then from 1934-1946 he was based at the St. Jakob parish, and then from 1946-1948 he was based at the Vestre Aker parish. In 1948, he was named the Bishop of the Diocese of Bjørgvin, based in Bergen. He held this post until his retirement in 1961. Indrebø died on 26 June 1984 in Bergen, Norway.[1][2]

Indrebø was a conservative and traditionalist priest. During the debates on hell and female priests of the 1950s, Indrebø sided with other priests such as Ole Hallesby and opposing fellow bishops such as Kristian Schjelderup. Indrebø believed in a literal hell, as well as opposing the ordination of female priests because he believed the Bible did not support that position.[1]