Wanted: First Minister of Scotland. Christians need not apply

“Before announcing that she was withdrawing from the race to be Scotland’s First Minister, Kate Forbes was given a taste of the opposition she would have faced.

Writing in the Times on Tuesday, Edinburgh-based Kenny Farquharson expressed the respectable middle-class progressive liberal view that whoever becomes the next First Minister, it couldn’t be a Bible-believing Christian. …”

– At The Conservative Woman, Dr Campbell Campbell-Jack, a member of the Free Church of Scotland, comments on the war against Christian believers in Scottish public life.

See also –

David Robertson: Persecuting Kate Forbes – A Response to Kenny Farquharson.

“After the demise of Humza Yousaf as Scottish First Minister, with perverse predictability the witch-hunt amongst Scotland’s wokeratti is on again. It’s time for the ‘Anyone but Kate’ campaign. It appears as though having a Muslim First Minister is something to be celebrated. Having a Scottish Christian Presbyterian is something to be feared, sneered at and viciously mocked. …”

Photo via Scottish Parliament.

Scotland’s New Hate Crime Law is no Laughing Matter

“Most people and hopefully all Christians would agree that hate is bad. So, at a superficial level, it would seem that we should all be rejoicing at a Scottish government bill which bans hate. But as is so often the case in the world, things are not quite what they seem and words have different meanings.

None more so than in The Hate Crime and Public Order (Scotland) Act, passed three years ago. It was the brainchild of the then justice secretary for the Scottish government, Humza Yousaf. Yousaf is now the Scottish First Minister and his bill is about to become law on April 1st.

Sadly it is no joke – other than to make Scotland a laughing stock throughout the world. It is one of the most draconian, authoritarian measures passed by a democratic government in recent times – and it has profound implications for the Church. …”

– David Robertson at The Wee Flea re-posts an article he wrote for Christian Today.

‘Jesus Has Left the Building’: Scotland’s Secular Slide — and Signs of Hope

“The Church of Scotland had it all — good theological heritage, good attendance, and good buildings. It also had the strong support — yet not the interference — of the government. …

Not long after, Scottish Christianity collapsed. In 60 years, the Church of Scotland plummeted from 1.3 million to 300,000 members. Meanwhile, the proportion of Scots who claim no religion has risen to nearly 60 percent.

Aberdeen is now the most secular city in Scotland, which is the most secular country in the United Kingdom. Her massive granite church buildings are restaurants and apartments and bars with names like Soul. A few years ago, a photographer documenting the shift called it ‘Jesus Has Left the Building.’ …

On Queen Street in downtown Aberdeen, near the police station, the city council offices, and the local newspaper, sits one of the largest church buildings in the city. Four years ago, it was sold — not to a nightclub or a retail store, but to a gospel-centered congregation.”

– At The Gospel Coalition, read this sobering, yet encouraging, account of what is happening in Scotland.

Also hear this interview with Sinclair Ferguson who has returned to Aberdeen.

Statement from the College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church

The College of Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church has responded to the Lambeth Calls document prior to their journey to Lambeth –

“Human Dignity features as one of the topics, the call for which includes a reaffirmation of the 1998 Lambeth Conference resolution I.10 and defines marriage as permissible only between a man and woman. The wording of that call does not represent the position of the Scottish Episcopal Church as reflected in the Church’s Canons, which recognises that there are differing understandings of marriage in the SEC. …

The members of the College of Bishops will seek to amend the draft call on Human Dignity urging a more inclusive approach …”

– Read it here.

Whither The Australian Anglican Church?

“This week the General Synod of the Australian Anglican Church has been debating what its stance is to be on human sexuality. A vote to affirm the church’s traditional position on marriage was strongly supported by clergy and laity but was narrowly rejected by the bishops.

A split is looming, but in this, Australian Anglicans are not unique.

In recent decades, Christian denominations all across the West have been dividing along progressive versus conservative lines. Anglican Churches in Scotland and New Zealand have been impacted by this trend. In North America, denominations affected by splits include the Episcopal Church, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the American Baptist Churches USA.

The trigger in all these cases has been whether the church will endorse same-sex unions. However, the fault lines run deeper than attitudes to human sexuality. …”

– Melbourne Pastor and Academic The Rev. Dr Mark Durie looks at what is happening in the Anglican Church of Australia and where it may be headed.

He argues that ‘Anglican progressives’ have misread the theological landscape.

For some very helpful context, here’s a chart of Diocesan Representation at General Synods 1962-2022. Click the image for a two-page PDF file.

Table initially complied by Robert Tong, updated by Daniel Glynn 6 May 2022.

(Fun fact: The Diocese of St. Arnaud, mentioned in the table, was in the Mallee and Wimmera regions of north-west Victoria. It merged with the Diocese of Bendigo in 1976.)

Freedom and faith: Scotland’s lockdown

“This has been a difficult year for Christians in Scotland, but one in which our convictions have been sharpened, our unity stretched, and the historic constitutional settlement in which we worship called into question.

Our family moved from Sydney to Scotland in August 2018 so that I could complete a PhD in Systematic Theology at the University of Edinburgh. We have stayed in Edinburgh the entire time since the SARS-CoV-2 virus spread across the globe. I’m due to finish my PhD in 2022, and we have never given any serious consideration to returning to Australia early. The fact that Australia has closed its borders so tightly—even to its own citizens—has been a stark reminder that ultimately our citizenship is not of this world. …”

– Matthew Baines writes from Scotland for The Australian Church Record.

Aberdeen congregation votes to leave Scottish Episcopal Church

“A congregation in the north-east Scottish coastal city of Aberdeen is preparing to leave the Scottish Episcopal Church. Members of Westhill Community Church voted last night (Thursday) by 83 per cent to 13 per cent to leave the Anglican Communion’s province in Scotland following what they say is the ‘continued liberal trajectory’ of the Church.

Speaking to the Anglican Communion News Service, the Rector of Westhill, Canon Ian Ferguson, said: ‘We have been on a journey for many years – when I say “we” I mean a group of evangelical Episcopal rectors – in talking to bishops about the trajectory the Scottish Episcopal Church has set itself on going. This culminated in a number of decisions that the SEC took which some of us found that we could not accept. …”

– Report from the Anglican Communion News Service.

And from the Westhill newsletter for 20 Jnauary 2019:

“The result of the vote on Thursday 17th January asking whether you agree with the leaders and vestry that Westhill Community Church should leave the Scottish Episcopal Church was 87% Yes and 13% No, with 2 spoiled papers.

There will be no immediate changes. We as a Church need to take time to catch our breath and pray about the way forward.

Thanks to everyone who assisted with the process including everyone who came out on such a cold night to vote and everyone who stayed to pray together.

With every blessing, on behalf of the Leaders and Vestry.”

Evangelical Bishops open letter to Church of England: ‘Do not abandon biblical truth on sexuality’

“Eleven bishops of the Church of England have positioned themselves against opening a debate about the Anglican teaching about identity, sexuality and marriage. …

After tense debates that questioned the traditional biblical perspectives in places like Scotland and the United States, these key evangelical leaders have called to continue to proclaim the Christian “ethic”.

The open letter (download here – the original article had an incorrect link) has been signed by the Bishops of Carlisle, Durham, Ludlow, Birkenhead, Willesden, Peterborough, Plymouth, Blackburn, Maidstone and Lancaster, and by the former Bishop of Shrewsbury.”

– Read the full story from Evangelical Focus.

Scotland’s Little Pink Guards

“If the Israel Folau incident gives us an insight into how our ‘liberal’ elites seek to bully Christians into accepting their doctrines, then what has been happening back home in Scotland to the Church of Scotland minister Mike Goss gives another. …

When SSM was passed (in the name of tolerance) we warned that one of the consequences would be the marginalisation and demonisation of those who upheld the traditional Christian position – and of course, we were mocked and abused as extremists for suggesting such a ridiculous idea.…”

– David Robertson writes at The Wee Flea.

Two Churches Struggling with (Gender) Identity

“… the Free Church of Scotland and the Church of Scotland have both responded to the Scottish government’s proposals to allow people to self-identify as whatever gender they wish – without medical or psychological help and without having to have lived as the gender they wish to be for a couple of years. …

The Church of Scotland have… produced a 30 page ‘pastoral advice’  booklet which they have sent to every congregation. …

The trouble with this booklet is that it is government propaganda, promoting Queer Theory, with the blessing and backing of the State church.”

– Read all of David Robertson’s post at The Wee Flea.

Anglican Church in Southeast Asia now in ‘impaired communion’ with Scottish Episcopal Church

Here is a statement, released today, from the Synod of the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia – from the 2nd Meeting of its 6th Session in Tawau, Sabah, Malaysia, from 29th to 31st January, 2018.

___

31st January 2018

Noting the decision of the Scottish Episcopal Church on 8 June 2017 to change its doctrine of marriage and to recognise same-sex marriages and further to amend its Canons to allow for the rite of blessing of same-sex marriages, which is a contravention of Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998; and

Recalling that as a consequence of the then Episcopal Church of the United States of America (ECUSA) proceeding with the consecration of Gene Robinson as a Bishop of the Diocese of New Hampshire in 2003, in contravention of Resolution 1.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998, the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia declared in 2003 that it was in a state of impaired communion with ECUSA (now known as The Episcopal Church)

Now it is hereby resolved,

That the Province of the Anglican Church in South East Asia declares itself to be in a state of impaired communion with the Scottish Episcopal Church with immediate effect.

_____

The Most Reverend Datuk Ng Moon Hing
Archbishop of the Province of South East Asia
Bishop of West Malaysia

The Right Reverend Datuk Melter Jiki Tais
Bishop of Sabah

The Right Reverend Rennis Ponniah
Bishop of Singapore

The Right Reverend Danald Jute
Bishop of Kuching.

– from Global South Anglican. (Image courtesy Scottish Episcopal Church.)

The GAFCON Missionary Bishop for Scotland and Europe

“Canon Andy Lines’ consecration will not be irregular or invalid.

His Holy Orders in the Province of South America have been duly and lawfully transferred to, and likewise received by, the ACNA. He will be consecrated by acting primates, archbishops and bishops of the Anglican Communion. His consecration will fall within the historical tradition of faithful Bishops who have created order in the Church during times of crisis.

These are times when faith and doctrine have been threatened by others’ failure to guard against false teaching – or worse, have actively promoted such false teaching. One can trace this all the way back to Athanasius and the crisis of Arianism in the early Church. …”

– Canon Phil Ashey, President of the American Anglican Council, provides historical background for the decision to consecrate Andy Lines as a Missionary Bishop.

Scottish Episcopal Church to vote on gay marriage in church

“The Scottish Episcopal Church will hold a historic vote later on whether to allow gay couples to marry in church.

If the vote is passed, it will become the first Anglican Church in the UK to allow same-sex marriage.

However, it will also leave the Church at odds with most of the rest of the worldwide Anglican Communion. …”

– BBC News report.

With the GAFCON press conference to be held early tomorrow, Australian time.

GAFCON Missionary Bishop for Scotland

Via Anglican Mainstream:

“On 8 June 2017, the Synod of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) is scheduled to vote to finalise a change to their canons that would attempt to redefine marriage.  If this action is taken by the SEC it will further marginalise faithful Anglicans in Scotland who seek to uphold Jesus’ teaching on marriage.

This change comes in the context of a global reformation that is happening in the Anglican Communion.  While Anglican provinces such as The Episcopal Church (USA), Anglican Church of Canada, and Scottish Episcopal Church are rejecting the authority of the Bible, faithful Anglicans are uniting through Gafcon to proclaim and defend the unchanging truth in a changing world.

Recognising the pastoral need that arose following the initial SEC vote (in June 2016), in April of this year the Gafcon Primates authorised the consecration of a Missionary Bishop to care for those who seek to remain faithful to the scriptures and Jesus’ teaching on marriage.

On 8 June 2017 Gafcon will hold a press conference in Edinburgh, Scotland at 5pm. 

At this press conference the Missionary Bishop will be announced and introduced. He will be joined by a Gafcon Primate and representatives of those whose fellowship with the SEC will be broken by the Synod decision.”

Related: Remnant in Scotland find hope through Gafcon.

Remnant in Scotland finding hope through GAFCON

GAFCON has posted this video message from The Rev. David McCarthy, Rector of St. Thomas’ Church, Edinburgh.

GAFCON General Secretary Dr. Peter Jensen writes, “In this video, Revd David McCarthy, rector of St Thomas’s Edinburgh, laments the crisis which hit the Scottish Episcopal Church in June 2016 when the General Synod rejected the bible’s teaching by voting to change the church’s Canon on marriage.

However, reminded how in the recent past the Gafcon Primates came to the aid of Anglicans in North America, David and fellow orthodox Anglicans in Scotland are encouraged by support from within the wider communion and ask for our prayers.”

← Previous Page — Next Page →