Ichabod — the glory departing from Scotland
“The Church of Scotland has declared that the Bible is not the Word of God, that active homosexuality is no bar to the ministry, that a magisterium is to be set up to determine what the Word of God is, and crowns it all by an unchecked stomach-churning display of mockery and faux repentance. A Rubicon has been crossed and there is no turning back. …”
– The Minister of St. Peter’s Free Church in Dundee, David Robertson, writes about the new territory in which the Chirch of Scotland is now travelling. (h/t Reformation21)
Kirk orders ban on gay minister debate
“The Church of Scotland last night effectively gagged its members from public discussion of gay ministers and postponed a potentially divisive vote on the issue for two years in a desperate bid to avoid a schism. …”
– Report from The Scotsman.
William Philip on the Scottish vote: we shall not be moved
On Sunday, Dr William Philip at St. George’s – Tron in Glasgow, spoke pastorally to his congregation about the ruling in the Church of Scotland General Assembly on Saturday.
Hear his clear message at the St. George’s – Tron website. 18 minutes / 2.1MB. (h/t Stand Firm.) See also this written statement.
Related link: Fellowship of Confessing Churches.
Church of Scotland General Assembly upholds homosexual minister
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland has voted in support of the appointment of a gay priest. Reverend Scott Rennie was appointed to a congregation in Aberdeen despite thousands of church-goers signing a petition opposing the move.
– Story from ABC News. More from Ekklesia.
(Photo: Church of Scotland.) Earlier story here.
Standing with those who stand in Scotland
The Fellowship of Confessing Churches in Scotland seeks your prayers and invites your support –
“The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meeting in May 2009 will hear an appeal against the decision of the Presbytery of Aberdeen to induct into a charge a minister who has openly declared himself to be living in a homosexual relationship.
If the Assembly votes to support the Presbytery of Aberdeen, it will publicly declare such behaviour as acceptable and honourable for a leader in Christ’s church. This would mark a historic departure for our church from the teaching of the catholic Christian faith, and a radical deviation from the clear Scriptural pattern that recognises the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman as the only proper place for sexual intimacy—a pattern which our church has hitherto always publicly affirmed.
To now declare explicitly an active homosexual lifestyle as holy, something the Bible unambiguously calls sin … would be immensely damaging for the cause of Christ in Scotland and disastrous for the national church. …”
Dr William Philip (St George’s-Tron in Glasgow) and other members of The Fellowship of Confessing Churches invite Christians worldwide to stand with them in prayer – and to indicate support of their call to the Church of Scotland General Assembly 2009 to uphold biblical orthodoxy on the issue of human sexuality. See the website to signify your support.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…