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Church of England 'could accept clergy in same-sex marriages' following historic vote in Scotland
The Very Rev John Chalmers insisted that the Church was not interfering with the theological definition of marriage
By Lydia Willgress
www.telegraph.co.uk
21 MAY 2016
The Church of England could accept clergy and church officials who are in same-sex marriages, it was suggested today after a historic vote in Scotland opened the door for change.
Officials south of the border are facing "increasing pressure" after the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland voted to extend the law that permits ministers to be in same-sex civil partnerships.
The Kirk will continue to adopt a position that maintains a traditional view of marriage but, following years of discussions, congregations will now be able to "opt out" if they want to appoint a married minister or deacon who is gay.
People who are hesitant will be able to see how it works out and they will see that the sky isn't going to fall in
Rev Christina Beardsley, who is a member of The Sibyls, a Christian spirituality group for transgender people, claimed that churches in England would benefit by using the same model.
She told The Sunday Telegraph: "It is helpful that within the UK there is this model now available. People who are hesitant will be able to see how it works out and they will see that the sky isn't going to fall in. The pressure will be on."
Jeremy Timm, a former Reader who lost his permission to officiate when he married his same-sex partner in 2015, said the decision would "bring an energy" to the Church of England, which he hoped would soon resolve the "hugely divisive issue".
He said: "We are now looking at another Christian church and seeing them arrive at this place and conclusion, which draws a line under the angst and the debate that has divided the church for almost a decade. We are still in the position of the angst and the divide."
But Rev David Robertson, Moderator of the Free Church of Scotland, said he was "saddened" by the decision.
He said: "It is a sad day for all the Christian churches in Scotland when what used to be the National Kirk, has now departed so clearly from the Bible.
"In adopting this policy the Church of Scotland has not only dissociated itself from the vast majority of Christian churches throughout the world (Catholic, Orthodox and Evangelical) but has lost all claim to be the National Church for Scotland.
"It no longer speaks for Scotland and it no longer represents Scotland's Christians - we simply state 'not in our name'."
The Very Rev John Chalmers, the Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, insisted that the Church was not interfering with the theological definition of marriage. "We had a debate which made it very clear... we were not going to the place where ministers or deacons could themselves be conducting same-sex marriages," he said.
The decision by the Church of Scotland was made in Edinburgh, with more than 850 commissioners attending the assembly from across the world.
Any wider consideration of the theological understanding of same-sex marriage will not take place until the Theological Forum presents its report to the Kirk next year.
Meanwhile, the General Synod will meet in York in July to have a conversation about human sexuality.
END
