‘Kirk members join movement in opposition to gay ordination’ – Glasgow Herald

The Glasgow Herald today carries a piece by Brian Donnelly indicating that the Fellowship of Confessing Churches is now receiving a significant number of requests for membership packs from congregations interested in allying themselves with its aims and covenant. That is a good thing, if applications turn into memberships in the long run.  It will be a mark of the considerable percentage of Kirk members and congregations that hold to traditional, worldwide, biblical values when it comes to the authority and place of the Bible in the life of the church of Jesus Christ.  I also notice that Brian describes this blog as a ‘controversial website.’  It is a strange day, to my mind, when a blog that humbly presents nothing more than a biblical and conservative perspective on matters ecclesiastical is regarded as controversial.  But that is how it is in this topsy-turvy era in which we find ourselves.  Black is today called white, night is called day, and what should be conservative and unremarkable is thought of as controversial and risky.  

I notice, too, that the Herald believes that a dissent and complaint against the recent decision of Hamilton Presbytery is still going ahead, and that Dmitri Ross, who withdrew his ministerial candidacy, is reconsidering his decision.  I thought at the time that his decision to withdraw from the process towards eventual ordination was an honourable one, and a decision worthy of admiration, basing itself on a concern for the unity and peace of the Kirk.  I do hope that the report holds no water.  Time will tell.  

Read on:    

More than 100 Church of Scotland congregations are joining a movement standing against gay ordination.

The Fellowship of Confessing Churches said there has been a flood of requests for its application packs as around 50 churches already affiliated have placed covenants in their buildings against same sex relationships.

The fellowship will not accept gay ordination under any circumstances and is on collision course with supporters of Reverend Scott Rennie, the openly gay minister whose appointment prompted a special commission to be set up by the Church of Scotland at its General Assembly to examine the issue.

Mr Rennie’s position at Aberdeen’s Queen’s Cross church was approved but the General Assembly agreed not to appoint any more gay ministers until after the special commission reports to back to the Kirk in 2011.

Congregations unhappy with the Church’s position will move to join the fellowship, which would have more than 150 members if the applications are processed.

Read the rest of the Herald article here

Soli Deo Gloria