Arto Kai Antturi[1] (born Helsinki, 10 June 1961)[2] is a Finnish Lutheran priest. He has previously been the vicar for the parish of Pitäjänmäki.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d4/Arto_Antturi_bassolla.jpg/220px-Arto_Antturi_bassolla.jpg)
Arto Antturi’s father was the Pentecostal minister Kai Antturi.[3] Arto Antturi graduated with a master’s degree in theology from the University of Helsinki in 1989. For most of the 1990s, he worked as a research and teaching assistant in the Department of Exegesis at the same university. He received a scholarship from the Alfred Kordelin Foundation in 1992. In 1997, he received a grant from the Finnish Cultural Foundation. He has studied at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, USA.
Later, Antturi lived with his family in Dublin for two years, serving as a priest for the Finnish Seamen’s Mission.[2] At the beginning of 2000, he was appointed as the Executive Director of the Helsinki-based Thomas Community. In 2003, he became a priest in the Cathedral parish and in 2010 became a chaplain in that parish. He served as chaplain at the Helsinki Old Church from 2010 to 2014. He took his office as vicar of Pitäjänmäki on 1 January 2015.
Antturi has been involved in various media work and public duties. In 1987, Antturi co-founded the gospel band Exit and played bass in the band from 1987 to 1991.[4] He was a deputy councillor in Helsinki City Council for the Centre Party in 1997.[5] He has served as the editor of the Thomas Community from 2000 to 2003, as well as a columnist for other magazines, including that for Radio Dei. He has broadcast devotions on Yle Radio 1.[2] In 2009, Antturi ran a fundraising campaign at the Narinkka Square in Helsinki called “The Priest and The Idiot”, in which he read Dostoevsky's work The Idiot for 10 euros a page. This was to raise funds for World Vision’s work with poor families in Kenya.[6]
References
- ^ "Hiippakuntavaltuuston pappisjäsenten vaalin tulos - Helsingin hiippakunnan tuomiokapituli". www.helsinginhiippakunta.evl.fi. Archived from the original on 2014-05-04. Retrieved 2014-05-04.
- ^ a b c Katharos – Kirjailijat Archived May 4, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Sinulle - Kansan Raamattuseura". www.sana.fi. Archived from the original on 2013-10-10.
- ^ "Biografia – Exit". www.exityhtye.com.
- ^ https://web.archive.org/web/20110116183258/http://fi.linkedin.com/in/artoantturi the Helsinki city council in 1997
- ^ "Pappi ja Idiootti tekivät sivukaupalla hyvää Helsingin Kampissa | Artikkelit | Media | World Vision". Archived from the original on 2014-05-04. Retrieved 2014-05-04.