Carl Petter Opsahl

Carl Petter Opsahl is an Associate Professor of Practical Theology and Section Manager at MF University College's Department of Practical Theology. His work integrates liturgical studies with postcolonial, intersectional, and feminist theories, emphasizing improvisation and wonder. He holds a doctorate from the University of Oslo's Faculty of Theology (UiO), focusing on hip-hop culture and spirituality. With over two decades of street ministry experience in the Church's City Mission, he has conducted liturgy in unconventional spaces like prisons and cafes. His research bridges musicology and theology, exploring jazz, traditional Norwegian folk music, and hip-hop as spiritual practices. He has released multiple music albums and collaborated with ensembles like Caledonia Jazzband and Chateau Neuf Spelemannslag.

His academic interests span ecotheology, urban liturgy, and the intersection of music and worship. Recent work addresses activist ecological liturgy, breaking (B-boying) as resistance, and John Coltrane’s jazz as liturgical practice. His music projects include a new fusion of folk music with funk/electronica under producer Johannes Opsahl. He teaches jazz history at UiO and incorporates traditional music studies from Ole Bullakademiet in Voss into his work.

Key areas of exploration include:

• Postcolonial perspectives in liturgical design
• Ecological grief and ritual responses
• Hip-hop culture’s spiritual dimensions
• Improvisation as theological practice
• Music’s role in marginalized communities

Publications highlight innovative intersections like LEGO BIONICLE’s mythological narratives and spontaneous rituals post-2011 Oslo attacks. His 2024 lectures include 'The ABC of Liturgy' and explorations of worship's balance between tradition/renewal. Despite no listed advisees, his work influences practical theology through creative interdisciplinary methodologies.