The statement was made on the church website in response to a February meeting of 35 top world Anglican leaders.

The Scottish bishops also said clergy on occasion responded to requests to give a blessing to same-sex couples.

It is believed to be the first time the Scottish church - which has 45,000 members - has publicly declared its position on gay clergy and blessings of homosexual couples.

Gay rights group Stonewall welcomed the Scottish church's stance.

Spokesman Alan Wardle said: "We are not theologians but we welcome the sensible approach taken by the Scottish Episcopal Church.

"It strikes us as a real pity that the Anglican church has been tearing itself to pieces over what seems a relatively trivial issue when they could be tackling more pressing matters like world poverty or the Aids epidemic."

END

ANOTHER REPORT

Scottish church backs gay priests

By Paul Majendie

LONDON (Reuters) - Scottish Anglicans have threatened to deepen worldwide divisions in the church over homosexuality by declaring that practising gays should not be prevented from becoming priests.

Delivering a further blow to the unity of a communion in crisis, Scottish Episcopal bishops also said they have agreed to requests to bless same-sex relationships.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans, is battling to prevent a schism between liberals and traditionalists over the deeply divisive issue.

Scotland's stance could make his task even tougher.

Last month, Anglican church leaders from around the globe asked pro-gay North American liberals to bow out for at least three years from one of its leading bodies.

This followed the ordination of openly gay bishop Gene Robinson in the United States and the blessing of same sex unions in Canada. Those decisions enraged traditionalists, particularly in Africa.

The Scottish Church's College of Bishops put itself firmly in the liberal camp with a statement on its Web site that publicly spelled out its reaction to last month's meeting of Anglican leaders.

"The Scottish Episcopal Church has never regarded the fact that someone was in a close relationship with a member of the same sex as in itself constituting a bar to the exercise of an ordained ministry," it said.

This was in direct contrast to the position of the Church of England which will only ordain homosexuals who are not in a physical relationship.

The Scottish Bishops said they had always welcomed gays in their congregations.

"This has on occasion led clergy to respond to requests to give a blessing to persons who were struggling with elements in their relationship and who asked for such a prayer," they added.

Bishop of Aberdeen Bruce Cameron said: "There are homosexual priests in Scotland as there are in many other Churches, not only Anglican."

He said Scottish bishops recognised differences of opinion in the deeply divided Anglican communion and they pledged to work to preserve its unity.

"We are not simply making a provocative statement," Cameron told BBC Radio. "We are committed to a debate across the differences."

The Scottish stance was warmly welcomed by gay activists with pressure group Stonewall calling it "a sensible approach."

"It strikes us as a real pity that the Anglican Church has been tearing itself to pieces over what seems a relatively trivial issue when they could be tackling more pressing matters like world poverty or the AIDS epidemic," said spokesman Alan Wardle.

END