You are here
SCOTLAND: Anglican Mainstream Blasts Scottish Bishops Decision over Gays
Anglican Mainstream Responds to Scottish announcement
March 24, 2005
Anglican Mainstream has issued this response to the recent announcement by the Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church
(1) If the statement really does represent the considered view of the Scottish Episcopal Church, then it has forfeited the right to claim that it stands in the tradition of orthodox Anglicanism and the Universal church
(2) The extent of the 'tear in the fabric of the Communion' is made even clearer, since, presumably, the Scottish bishops are by their statement aligning themselves with ECUSA and Canada as intending if necessary to 'walk apart' from the rest of the Communion
(3) The Scottish bishops' statement exacerbates the potential fracture within other Anglican churches in the British Isles, particularly the CoE - and that makes the Archbishop of Canterbury's task in holding the Communion and the CofE together more difficult
(4) As with the statement from the Salisbury six, the Scottish bishop's pronouncement raises the question whether they speak for their clergy and lay people as well as for themselves. Was it significant that the Scottish Synod did not discuss the statement at its recent meeting?
Dr Philip Giddings is Convenor Anglican Mainstream. UK Canon is Dr Chris Sugden
