Erling Johan Pettersen (born 1950) is a Norwegian theologian, priest, and since 2016, a Bishop Emeritus of the Church of Norway.

After returning to Norway in 1989, he was the department head of the Institutt for Kristen Oppseding (IKO), a position he held until 1996.

[1] There was some public questioning as to why the labour party government chose the second-place finisher for the office of Bishop of Stavanger.

[2] After becoming Bishop, 19 priests within the diocese wanted a change because Pettersen was too liberal and not in-line with Biblical teaching.

After a lot of discussion, the two sides agreed that the church and bishop's conference were split on the topic and that they would continue to try to find a local solution.