 He completed his seminary education in 1966 and was ordained as a priest in the Church of Norway in 1967.He served as an assistant priest in Balsfjord, Troms from 1968 until 1971, when he was made priest of the parish there.In 1979, when the Norwegian parliament finalized legislation allowing abortion on demand in the first trimester, Knudsen protested by refusing to perform any duties on behalf of the Norwegian state.