• Church of Scotland rejects biblicist position on sex and marriage

    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.

2 responses to “Not merely patronising”

  1. Grandmère Mimi Avatar

    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.

  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.

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