There has just been so much going on in the Church of Scotland in the last few weeks. Many of you will have read in the media about a friend of mine, Rev. Scott Rennie, minister of Brechin Cathedral who has been called to be minister of the congregation at Queens Cross Church in Aberdeen. It should be a real cause for celebration ... however there is, according to some within the denomination, a problem. Scott, when he applied for the charge was completely honest and transparent with the folks in Queens Cross. When asked he told them that he was gay and was in a committed relationship with his partner, David, who is also a Christian and heavily committed to the work of the church.

When the congregation asked the Presbytery of Aberdeen to 'sustain the call', basically give permission to them to ask Scott to be their minister they agreed but a small group of people complained and have now passed it to the General Assembly to decide on it later this month. There has been a lot written about the case, in newspapers and in blogs across the world. Forward Together, a group of evangelicals in the Church are leading the public outcry in calling for Scott not to be allowed to be the minister in Queens Cross.

A lot has been said that is wrong, and in fact Forward Together had to issue an apology to Scott after facts were wrongly stated about his personal life and the retraction can be read here. The editorially independent magazine of the Church of Scotland, Life and Work, ran an editorial calling on the church to recognise the liberty of opinion that exists on such matters. A new group called the Fellowship of Confessing Churches (whose very title I take issue with as my church is also a 'confessing church', confessing our belief in Jesus Christ, but not necessarily their definition of what a confessing church is nor their theology) have even started an online petition urging comissioners at the General Assembly to block Scott's move to Queen's Cross. 

And now, an organisation I am a part of called OneKirk have issued a new edition of our Journal (which can be downloaded here) which has an interview with Scott in which he tells his story. It is well worth a read as it allows people to remember their is a person involved in this, a real human being, with feelings, with gifts, someone who is loved by God. Surely that is what is important here.

Rev. Gordon Kennedy, a former chairman of Forward Together recently wrote on his blog (not in relation to this specific case, but in the wider debate on human sexuality) that it is "our Christian duty is to love our neighbour, all our neighbours, perhaps especially those with whom we disagree. Too often debates about human sexuality become offensive name-calling exercises which display nothing of the love of Christ or the grace that should characterise Christian living. This is espeically important for those claiming the title of Evangelical as we should be people who not only preach grace but live graciously."

Surely, Gordon makes sense for us all, and I pray that others may hear his words and put them into practice. We all need to remember that behind the news stories, behind the headlines, behind the anger and bitter comments of some sections of the Church there is a man, a child of God, who is loved and cared for just like everyone else. This is someone who has been given gifts by God for building up his kingdom and who is trying in the most faithful way possible to be a servant of God and follow his calling in ministry.

Let us remember and start speaking about the sense of call and the worth of Scott's ministry in the eyes of God, and not vilify him for being who he is ... a child of God.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (Registered users only)

I have read and agree to the Terms of Usage.

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment