What is in Kelvin's Head?

Church of Scotland rejects biblicist position on sex and marriage

21/05/2014

It is going to be important not to underestimate the significance of the votes in the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland today. A last ditch attempt was made to get that church to commit to the idea that sex belongs only between a married heterosexual couple. That idea was comprehensively rejected.

People with widely differing opinions never thought we would see this day. Though the legislation that the Church of Scotland is now consulting on accepting is a dreadful mess, and a long way from equality for LGBT people, today was a huge and historic boost for those who reject the ideas of those who claim the Christian tradition to be by definition narrow and anti-gay in character.

It seemed to me, as I watched the debate, as though those seeking to promote an anti-gay view had made a huge strategic mistake by going for an all or nothing approach and trying to get the Assembly to affirm only their view.

Generosity won the day in Edinburgh today. Generosity that has divine fingerprints all over it.

Church of Scotland, gay, LGBT

9 responses to “More on the election”

fr dougal

20/01/2010

What arrant rot these people peddle. Can we excommunicate their adherents on grounds of un-Christian stupidity? Would “You are too stupid to be an Episcopalian” be acceptable in Canon Law?

Reply
ryan

20/01/2010

A timely and usefully corrective post, kelvin. I’ve had run ins with CI fans who merely think that *asserting* that the ‘Christian’ Institute is honest and displays integrity is some sort of compelling argument. If you search their site for “Scottish Episcopal Church” you’ll find an equally (and characteristically) dishonest story on +David and the SEC’s purported ‘split’ on gay clergy

At the risk of running afoul of Godwin’s law, the ‘Christian’ Institute pretending like their ugly ideological team didn’t *lose* the Section 28 debate reminds me, not in a good way, of Neo-Nazis petitioning the UN to refight the Battle of Stalingrad.

Reply
Tim

20/01/2010

That’ll be the SEC *two* steps ahead of the CoE and assorted story-fabricating journalists, then: “not only CAN we have women bishops, we don’t actually HAVE to!”, which is at least a balanced attitude.

Reply
David | Dah•veed

20/01/2010

Perhaps Father D, that would be insulting to stupid folks!

Reply
MurielD

20/01/2010

The national press and television channels should be ashamed of themselves. They preferred to “headline” the fact that a woman priest failed to become the UK’s first woman bishop rather than straightaway honour the man who was duly elected.
It was only on reading further down the news item that we learned that the Very Rev. Dr. Gregor Duncan had been duly elected.
That was not fair to either of them.

Reply
Jackie

20/01/2010

The Radio 4 news headline on the day was similar, and the first 3 linked articles on your link (from the Telegraph, Reuters and the Scotsman) are also similar. I must confess to having words with the radio at the time.

Reply
Martin Ritchie

21/01/2010

Something I find irritating about press coverage is the way that it has portrayed Alison Peden as “bidding” or campaigning to become bishop of Glasgow. That seems to misrepresent the process and what leadership in the church is all about. I guess it’s probably impossible to convey the subtleties of episcopal leadership in a wider culture dominated by careerist politics? Any thoughts?

Reply
Roddy

21/01/2010

The Christian (sic) Institute are a bunch of tw*ts. Treat them with the indifference and disdain they deserve.

Reply
David | Dah•veed

22/01/2010

It is very disconcerting to come here and see an ad for Sarah Palin running down the lefthand side of the page!

Reply