(2 of 2)
One Sure Loser. A team of linguistic experts testified to 32 different points of similarity between the anonymous letters and writings known to be by Helander. Most noteworthy: his peculiar abbreviation, "Nr:2" for "No. 2." A university charwoman testified that she found a scrap of one of the letters in Helander's scrap basket. Then the bishop's fingerprints were discovered on three of the letters.
Last week the judges pronounced their verdict: guilty. They sentenced Bishop Dick Helander to deposition from the Bishopric of Strangnas and waived the fine that might have been imposed, but ordered Helander to pay court costs of 14,500 kronor. The bishop heard the news by telephone in his episcopal residence. "I am innocent," he said. Later his lawyer announced that he would appeal.
Whatever happens to Bishop Helander, one sure loser is the Lutheran State Church of Sweden. Only two years ago the Swedish Parliament passed a law permitting Swedes to leave the church without a declaration of faith in an alternative religion. The backstage glimpses of ecclesiastical backbiting suddenly visible in the Helander case were likely to encourage more "deserters."