Monthly Archives: November 2011

Developments In The Church Of Scotland Related To The Ordination Trajectory


Over the last couple of months there have been some issues hitting the news that are tied to the action of the Church of Scotland deciding at their General Assembly last May to start down a trajectory that in about three or four years could lead to the training and ordination of active homosexuals as church officers.

The first item is pretty recent hitting the media earlier this week. While it has been picked up by several media outlets, all reports seem to be based on a November 14 article in The Guardian with the headline “Gay clergy row threatens mass resignations from Church of Scotland: Breakaway church possible with up to 150 ministers ready to quit over ordination of gay clergy.”

Let me first compliment the article as a whole for being balanced reporting concerning this issue but criticize the headline and the lede for being a bit sensationalistic.  When you read the story you find that the figure of 150 mass resignations comes from one source, Kirk Session Clerk Mike Strudwick of Gilcomston South Church, a church that is looking to leave the Church of Scotland. He may well be right about the mass resignations.  The article tells it like this:

[Strudwick] predicted other churches opposed to gay ordination could follow, and
perhaps form a new breakaway church. He said he could “well believe”
there were 150 ministers considering resignation.

It also attributes to him the idea that “Maybe five or six years down the line there will be a grouping of like-minded evangelical Presbyterian churches.”

But no one else quoted in the article will go nearly so far in predicting the future of the Kirk.  The article says this about the statement from the official spokesman

However, a spokesman for the Church of Scotland denied that so many
ministers were threatening to leave and urged critics of gay ordination
to wait until a theological commission reported in 2013.

The Rev. Ian Watson, a leader in the evangelical group Forward Together, is described as holding the opinion that “only a few ministers would leave in the near future.” He is quoted as saying

“If there will be an exit, it will be two, three years down the line at least.”

As a side note, Forward Together has their annual meeting tomorrow so we will see if additional insights come out of that.

On the other side of the question the article says this:

The Rev Peter Johnston, of the liberal One Kirk [sic] group which supports
gay ordination, said he believed some rebels were threatening to leave
simply to put pressure on the church, but hoped most critics wanted to
keep talking about a harmonious solution.

The general assembly’s
decision “does leave them in an awkward position”, he said. “I can grasp
that but the majority of folk in the Church of Scotland want to see
what the theological commission comes back with. From our perspective,
we’re still trying to keep dialogue open with all people.”

And the article accurately captures one major barrier to departure, the same barrier faced in many Presbyterian denominations including the PC(USA).

One obstacle to mass departures is that ministers who resign loses their
home, income and future pension payments. Congregations would lose
their church and its buildings.

So thanks to the Guardian for letting each voice be heard.  As a transition to the next issue let me include two more lines from the article.  The first looks ahead to the next GA:

Critics of this strict ruling [referring to the loss of home, pension and buildings] are thought to be planning to contest it
in May, in a bid to give rebellious ministers greater protection.

The next is a quote from the Kirk’s official spokesman that points out that this issue is far from resolved:

The Church of Scotland spokesman added: “It is disappointing that any
ministers or members feel the need to leave the church before the
commission reports.

“We stress that no final decisions have been taken, and the church is currently holding more dialogue on this issue.”

The fact that no final decisions have been taken is the key polity point in the second item rattling around the Scottish media right now.

The Scottish Government is in the midst of a 14-week Consultation on Marriage that will conclude on 9 December. The consultation asks for input on introducing same-sex marriages and religious ceremonies for civil unions.  Because the Church of Scotland is in the midst of its own discussion and study of these topics, in very Presbyterian fashion it has declined to contribute to the government discussion.  Until a future General Assembly, and possibly the presbyteries under the Barrier Act, make an explicit decision on the topic, the Kirk is remaining silent. The silence is also required under the moratorium on commenting on the issue the GA has put in place while the issue is being studied. Well, sort of…

While most of the Kirk has remained quiet, the silence is not exclusive and the Lewis Presbytery has, as a body, let the government know of their opposition.

On the other side, the Rev. Scott Rennie, the partnered gay minister whose call to an Aberdeen church precipitated the current controversy, has been talking to the media and has expressed his support for the government changing the definition of marriage.

And the group Forward Together has submitted a response to the Scottish Government and made a copy of the official form available on their web site.

Finally, a statement by the Kirk, published by Defend Marriage in Scotland, leaves the door open for a “properly considered response” coming through the Legal Questions Committee which usually responds with more of an eye to the civil legalities than the theological and doctrinal angle.

Other churches, including other Presbyterian branches, have not been silent on the issue.  The Free Church of Scotland has issued an official statement through their Commission of Assembly. The statement begins

The Commission of Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland, (5th
October 2011), wishes to express its deep dismay over the Scottish
Government’s current proposals to introduce same sex marriage in
Scotland. Its opposition does not arise out of any kind of homophobia,
but a concern that 1) the timeless definition of marriage as the
voluntary union of one man and one woman would be changed irreversibly
and 2) the timeless institution of marriage would be permanently
undermined if the government effectively changes its meaning to include
same sex couples.

Many churches, both congregations and denominations, have given input to the consultation on both sides of the issue. In particular, there were articles today (e.g. Christian Concern) about 70 church leaders representing 20,000 members, sending a letter to the First Minister urging the government to keep the definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. These signatories include at least a few from the Church of Scotland, including the Rev. Dominic Smart of – wait for it – Gilcomston South Church, the church of the Kirk Session Clerk I began with at the beginning of this post.

As was pointed out earlier, this is an issue that has a long way to go. Maybe an organized group will develop that will pull out of the Church of Scotland en masse. Maybe it will be in one’s and two’s over the next few years as the discussion progresses. We will have to wait and see. The journey continues…

Update (1 Dec 2011): The Church of Scotland has weighed in on the consultation regarding same-sex marriage with a “no, not at this time.”  There is a brief press release with a summary of the main points as well as the full 19 page response form.  In addition to outlining where the Church of Scotland is at this time, including the process that was put in motion by the 2011 General Assembly, they weigh in with this concerning the issue at hand:

The Church of Scotland cannot agree that the law in Scotland should be
changed to allow same-sex marriage. The Government’s proposal
fundamentally changes marriage as it is understood in our country and
our culture – that it is a relationship between one man and one woman.
In common with the historic position of the Christian Church, the Church
of Scotland has always viewed marriage as being between one man and one
woman. Scriptural references to marriage, whether literal or
metaphorical, all operate under this understanding. To redefine marriage
to include same-sex marriage may have significant and, as yet,
inadequately considered repercussions for our country, for the
well-being of families, communities and individuals.

They go on to say

The Church of Scotland is concerned about the speed with which the
Scottish Government is proceeding on this issue, and believes that the
debate has so far been patchy, undeveloped and exclusive of both
ordinary people and the religious community. The Government states that
the purpose of this proposal to re-define marriage is to accommodate the
wishes of some same-sex couples. The Church believes that much more
measured consideration is required before the understanding of marriage
which is entrenched and valued within the culture of Scotland, both
secular and religious, is surrendered to accommodate this wish.

Passings — Tom Gillespie

Over the weekend the Rev. Thomas Gillespie Ph.D., immediate past-President, of Princeton Theological Seminary passed away. If you want the formal notices and full biography you can read ones from Princeton and the Presbyterian News Service.  I knew President Gillespie only through the good fortune of meeting and working with him on two different, and very Presbyterian, occassions. I found him to be a most gracious and humble individual, full of life and good humor, and truly a pleasure to work with.  As you will see, both of these were formal occassions so he may have been on his best behavior. None the less, I came away from each with a very high regard for the gentleman.

In reading the Princeton news piece I did have to chuckle. Our Presbytery has a good-hearted standing joke about which is the best seminary – one of the two in our Presbytery, Fuller or Claremont, or Princeton. Well, Tom got his M.Div. from Princeton, his Ph.D. from Claremont, and then returned to Princeton as president.  He covered the bases.

The first time I met and worked with Rev. Gillespie was when I was a commissioner to the 209th General Assembly (1997) and on the Theological Institutions Committee. One afternoon our committee broke up into a number of groups to meet with the presidents and students from the PC(USA) seminaries.  It was a good discussion, lively and open, and a great chance to hear this informal reporting from our schools.  I have to admit that I don’t remember who the other seminary president in our group was but I do clearly remember Rev. Gillespie and his participation.

The presidents met with us for much of the committee time, particularly since we were dealing with the tricky question of denominational doctrine in tension with academic freedom. In no small part it was Tom Gillespie who helped us navigate that issue and use the presbytery overture as a starting point for compromise action by the Assembly.

The second time I worked with Rev. Gillespie was almost a decade later when I was the Moderator of Presbytery and he was the preacher for an installation. In my time as Moderator he was probably the best known pastor that I shared the pulpit with at an ordination or installation. As we were preparing for the worship service he and I had a brief but wonderful conversation about the presbytery, our mission programs and what else what happening.  He was not an “ivy tower” academic but showed a genuine concern for what was happening in the churches around the country. But the most enduring thing to me was his positive affirmation of my leadership position in the presbytery and his comments about the nature of shared leadership between teaching and ruling elders. It was clear from working with him that day that ruling elders are just as important in the Presbyterian system as the teaching elders and his affirmation of my work in the church is something I have carried with me since.

I give thanks for his life and the brief times that we have worked together in the life of the church.  My deepest sympathies to his family and prayers in this time of loss. If others have had the same experience as I have the PC(USA) is a better denomination because of how he has encouraged and contributed to it. Godspeed.

There Is A Higher Throne — Reflections On All Saints Day 2011

There is a higher throne
Than all this world has known
Where faithful ones from every tongue
Will one day come

Today is All Saints Day 2011. Regular readers know that while I do not observe it in a “saints day” fashion, for a while now it has been my tradition to use the day to reflect on those I have known who joined the Church Triumphant in the last year and the impact they had on my own life.

For the last year I remember-

Leo – A talented and faithful teaching elder with many skills that were always used in a pastoral manner

Barbara – Who in spite of a stroke and the physical challenges it brought was so very faithful in attending worship and so positive in her outlook on life.  Yet, she was not afraid of asking for prayer when she needed it.

John – A long time friend who accomplished much in his life and did not believe there was anything he could not do, in spite of what our society would identify as a disability.

Elizabeth – Another faithful servant whose smile was infectious and who always had a cheerful and encouraging word to say, usually about my parenting.

I also remember Steven, a good friend that I lost this year who everyone described as a “good man.” I am struggling to trust him to the sovereign wisdom of our faithful, just and merciful God and keep telling myself that “In life and death we belong to God.”

And as I remember those who have gone to be with the Lord, I also take the time to rejoice that God has permitted two good friends to remain with us a bit longer. At one point this year each seemed to be close to joining the great cloud of faithful witnesses but God’s healing touch has preserved them in the Church Militant. (A very apt description for both of them.)

Finally, as I put together my list I was struck that although my list was short this year I know of many friends for whom their list includes at least one parent and the year has been a hard one.  In your mercy Lord, hear our prayer for them.

For we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses and on this day I give thanks for those that have touched my life.  To God Alone Be The Glory.

And there we’ll find our home
Our life before the throne
We’ll honour Him in perfect song
Where we belong

[Lyrics – excerpts from There is a Higher Throne by Keith Getty and Kristyn Lennox Getty. For a video rendition check this one out.]