What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Made in Scotland with Love

    Today is my ordination anniversary. Nineteen years ago today on St Columba’s day I was ordained priest. For most of that time I’ve been promoting the fundamental equality of gay and straight people in the church. With others, I founded Changing Attitude Scotland 13 years ago.

    And so it will surprise no one that I’m excited by the vote, overwhelming in two houses, on a knife edge in the house of clergy, yesterday, that means that those who wish, in the Scottish Episcopal Church will be able to conduct marriage services for same sex couples.

    It isn’t a way of doing it that would have been my first choice. If I could have had what I wanted I’d have had a straight vote committing the church to equality and marriages of same sex couples everywhere. But that won’t happen. The church chose a different route, simply respecting the conciences of all – those in favour and those against. It was, in the end, a better motion than I would have devised.

    I was moved beyond words yesterday to hear the speeches in Synod. Moved by people, unlikely people sometimes, who agree with me. Moved too by the presence of those who don’t agree but who see this as the only answer that will give us peace. And moved by those who disagree, those for whom this decision weighs heavily.

    But I was moved overall that we are a church that just chose overwhelmingly to stay together over gay marriage. We need and love one another.

    In the end I didn’t speak in the debate. My church spoke for me and I’m proud of it.

    This wasn’t a vote about gay people. It was a vote about what kind of church we want to be.

    This is a mainstream Anglican response to the question that has beset us. Not building windows into other men’s souls and also respecting the consciences of all. This is what Anglicans do. This is who we really are. And this is the only solution that will work in the Anglican Communion. Let it be seized on by all who seek peace and goodwill.

    This solution to the Anglican agonies of recent years bears the label – Made in Scotland for Export.

    Made in Scotland with love.

2 responses to “Not merely patronising”

  1. Grandmère Mimi Avatar
    Grandmère Mimi

    Bravo, bravo, Kelvin!. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve read the text of the Anglican Covenant, and, with each rereading, I like it less. Bishop Matthews does indeed insult all of us who have spent time pouring over the odious document and found it wanting. It is just not Anglican. God bless the Scottish Episcopal Church for its brave stand and firm “No”. I was crushed when the Episcopal Church in the US did not stand with the SEC and vote a resounding “No” at its General Convention.

    Our convention “declined to take a position” on the covenant, but the result has been mischaracterized by the reports out of the ACC meeting as having made a “partial decision”. I can say with full confidence that TEC will never, ever adopt the covenant. I’m just sorry that we did not have the backbone to state that truth firmly by vote at GC.

    Reply
  2. Markus Avatar
    Markus

    Bp Matthews needs to be shown this:
    http://www.archideaconalwhitterings.blogspot.in/2011/10/anglican-covenant-and-experience-of.html

    Obviously she does not have any clear understanding of the Anglican Communion.

    Reply

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