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Church of Scotland moderator ‘terrified’ ahead of vote on gay clergy

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The moderator of the Church of Scotland has revealed that she is “terrified” of an upcoming debate on the ordination of gay ministers, which has the potential to cause the largest schism within the church since the 19th century.

The Church of Scotland is due to decide whether it will continue to allow the ordination of lesbian and gay ministers on the condition that they remain celibate. A lot rests on the decision, which will take place following a debate on Monday 20 May.

50 congregations have intimated that they may leave the church over the issue. Although they may only be a small part of over 1,400 congregations that make up the church, it would still mark the largest split since the Disruption of 1843.

Reverend Lorna Hood, Moderator of the Church of Scotland’s General Assembly, will be chairing the debate.

She told the Sunday Times: “I’m terrified. Fear and excitement vie for first place in my mind all the time. But the amount of support — cards, letters and congregations offering to pray for me — has been absolutely overwhelming. I have to rest on that and be carried by that. So I just think: come on, get on with it.”

She compared the issue to the decision to ordain women as ministers, which she claimed was even more divisive.

“The ordination of women was for a number of presbyteries a huge, huge issue but here we are now,” she said. Reverend Hood added that she hoped the use of professional mediators during the debate would help prevent a split.

Reverend Bruce Dempsey, the head of two congregations in Coupar Angus, said he was dismissive of her hopes of compromise: “I am not sure what room for mediation there would be. If we are talking about a complete departure from what the Bible teaches, then it follows that the Bible is no longer considered the Church of Scotland’s supreme rule for faith and life.

“The question then is, what is? Where does that leave the integrity of all of the church’s teachings?”

He added: “We cannot cherry pick the Bible to suit ourselves. To my mind the Bible is unambiguous and very clear. In this case it is an either/or situation. There is no middle ground.”

continue reading  – PinkNews.co.uk.

(Note to Rev Dempsey: “Cherry Picking” the bible is precisely what the traditional opponents of homosexuality do – basing their stance of uncompromising hostility on a handful of verses, most of which are of dubious relevance and inaccurate translation, while ignoring the overwhelming biblical evidence on the fundamental importance of love and inclusion).

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Church of Scotland to decide whether to ordain gay clergy

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The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will decide whether to ordain gay clergy when it meets next month.

The Church of Scotland General Assembly will decide whether to ordain gay ministers.

The Church of Scotland General Assembly will decide whether to ordain gay ministers.

Two years ago the General Assembly set up a theological commission to help find a definitive answer to whether gay clergy in civil partnerships could become ministers.

Now the commission has published its report, and although it does not represent the opinion of the Kirk itself, it does set out the two ways the General Assembly can proceed when it meets next month.

The first would see the Kirk legislating to allow the ordination of ministers who are in same-sex civil partnerships while the second would reaffirm traditional teachings that the only appropriate sexual 
activity is between a man and a woman in a marriage.

However, in a bid to prevent the church splitting, if the General Assembly does vote to allow the ordination of gay ministers, congregations disagreeing with that ruling would be able to veto the appointment of a homosexual minister.

The proposal would also allow ministers to perform services recognising civil partnerships although, again, ministers would not be obliged to perform these.

However, the second option would forbid the ordination of gay ministers, whether in a civil partnership or not, and would see the Kirk reaffirm its position that homophobia is sinful.

The Rev John Chalmers, principal clerk to the General Assembly said: “The report and the options which it provides are offered at this stage without comment from the convener or members of the commission — it will be for the General 
Assembly alone, based on the substance of the theological arguments to come to a mind on this matter.

“In the meantime, the report which is wide ranging and detailed is commended to the whole Church for prayerful study and consideration.”

The row over gay clergy in the Church of Scotland exploded in May 2009 when Scott Rennie was appointed to Queen’s Cross Parish Church in Aberdeen.

via The Courier.

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