Erling Pettersen was born on 21 February 1950 in the city of Bergen in Hordaland county, Norway.
Pettersen was a teacher at the MF Norwegian School of Theology from 1975 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1984, he was a theological consultant at the Diakonhjemmets school for social workers from 1977 to 1979 and a consultant for the Church of Norway from 1979 to 1985.