Rinalds Grants

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The Most Reverend

Rinalds Grants
Archbishop of Riga
Rinalds Grants, Archbishop of Riga.jpeg
Grants in 2025
Church Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia
ArchdioceseRiga
Elected7 June 2025
In officeSince 30 August 2025
Predecessor Jānis Vanags
Other post(s)Auxiliary bishop of Riga (2022–2025)
Orders
Consecration16 July 2022
by Jānis Vanags
Personal details
Born1974 (age 50–51)
Saldus, Latvian SSR, USSR
NationalityLatvian
DenominationLutheran
SpouseIeva Vilmani
Children4
EducationLatvian Police Academy, University of Latvia

Rinalds Grants (born 1974) is a Latvian Lutheran bishop. Since 2025, he has been archbishop of Riga and primate of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Latvia (LELB). He began his career as a criminal investigator before attending theological school and pursuing ordination as a priest. Following service as pastor of Old St. Gertrude's Church in Riga, he became auxiliary bishop of the diocese in 2022, then was elected and installed as archbishop in 2025.

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Early life, education and career

Grants was born in Saldus in 1974. He began his career in policing, working as a criminal investigator in Saldus from 1993 to 1994 and from 1998 to 2001 as a senior inspector for Interpol in Latvia. Grants also received a bachelor's degree from the Latvian Police Academy, a qualification as a lawyer and a master's degree from the University of Latvia's Faculty of Theology. [1] He converted to Christianity during his youth and experienced a call to ordained ministry during his years at the police academy. After completing his police studies, he enrolled in Luther Academy, the seminary of the LELB, while continuing his work in law enforcement. [2] [3]

Ordained ministry

After training for ministry, Grants became a pastor at Old St. Gertrude's Church in Riga in 2000. [1] While there, he ran a course for fathers and led the growth of the population of young adults and young families in the church. [4] In 2017, he was additionally named vice-rector of Luther Academy. He was elected and consecrated as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Riga in 2022. [1] [5] He was consecrated at Riga Cathedral alongside Uldis Gailītis in a service that also marked the 500th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation in Latvia. As archbishop of the Anglican Church in North America, a new ecumenical partner of the LELB, Foley Beach was a co-consecrator. [6]

In June 2025, Grants won a majority of votes in the LELB's synod and became archbishop-elect, succeeding Jānis Vanags, who was scheduled to retire. [1] [7] In press interviews, Grants said that he did not intend to change the LELB's policies on ordination of women, which was rejected under his predecessor, nor the ordination of LGBT clergy and same-sex marriage, which the LELB prohibits. [8] [2] Grants was installed as archbishop of Riga at Riga Cathedral on 30 August 2025. [9] ACNA bishops Ray Sutton and Ryan Reed participated in the installation service. [10]

Personal life

Grants is married to Ieva, and they have three sons and one daughter. [4] [11]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Andrejevs, Nikita (7 June 2025). "Par Evaņģēliski luteriskās baznīcas jauno arhibīskapu ievēlēts Rinalds Grants". LSM.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  2. 1 2 Veidemane, Elita (18 June 2025). "Kā arhibīskaps electus Rinalds Grants iejūtas Jāņa Vanaga kurpēs". nra.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  3. ↑ ""No kriminālizmeklētāja līdz LELB arhibīskapam!" Atklāta saruna ar Rinaldu Grantu". LA.lv (in Latvian). 19 June 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  4. 1 2 Leimane, Dace (24 December 2022). "Mīlestība, kas nav jānopelna. Saruna ar bīskapu un četru bērnu tēti Rinaldu Grantu". LSM.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  5. ↑ "Par jauno luterāņu baznīcas arhibīskapu kļūst Rinalds Grants". TV3. LETA. 7 June 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  6. ↑ "Nadbiskup Foley Beach sudjelovao u posvećenju dvojice biskupa Evangeličke luteranske crkve u Latviji". Horizonti Vjere (in Croatian). 18 July 2022. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  7. ↑ Block, Mathew (18 June 2025). "Latvian Lutherans elect a new archbishop". International Lutheran Council. Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  8. ↑ "Jaunā luterāņu arhibīskapa vadībā baznīcā nav gaidāmas izmaiņas jautājumos par sieviešu ordināciju un homoseksuālu pāru laulāšanu". Apollo.tv. LETA. 16 June 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  9. ↑ Straume, Aleksandra; Milovs, Ivans (30 August 2025). "Svinīgā dievkalpojumā amatā iecelts jaunais luterāņu arhibīskaps Rinalds Grants". LSM.lv (in Latvian). Retrieved 8 September 2025.
  10. ↑ "Ustoličen nadbiskup Evangeličke luteranske crkve u Latviji, Rinalds Grants". Horizonti Vjere (in Croatian). 5 September 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
  11. ↑ "«Mīļā, vai apzinies, kam tu piekrīti?» Jaunais arhibīskaps Rinalds Grants izstāsta, kā saticis īsto un vienīgo". Santa (in Latvian). 30 August 2025. Retrieved 9 September 2025.
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