Andrew Marsh speaks on the Church of Scotland's compromise on marriage
The Church of Scotland has voted to allow clergy in same-sex 'marriages' to continue ministering.
Representatives voted on 21 May by a margin of 339 to 215, at the annual General Assembly in Edinburgh, to allow ministers to enter into same sex 'marriages'. Last year the Church of Scotland Assembly agreed that ministers in same-sex relationships would be allowed to enter into civil partnerships.
The issue of same-sex 'marriage' has been a subject of dispute for years in the Church of Scotland, with many individuals leaving congregations as a matter of conscience, and as a bigger step, some congregations leaving the Church of Scotland altogether.
'Opt out' of Church teaching
The vote allows individual churches to 'opt out' of the Church's official stance on marriage as between one man and one woman, if they wish to appoint a minister or a deacon in a same-sex 'marriage' or partnership.
The ministers themselves will not be able to conduct same-sex 'marriages'.
The Very Rev John Chalmers, Principal Clerk to the General Assembly, said: "Today's decision means it will be possible for Kirk sessions and congregations to depart from the traditional understanding of marriage to call not only potentially a minister in a civil partnership but one who is in a same-sex marriage."
He insisted that this would 'tidy' up the Church law to make it consistent with Scottish law.
Contrary to Scripture
The vote has been met with disappointment by many who believe this is direct disobedience to the Word of God.
Rev Prof Andrew McGown, of Inverness, said that allowing ministers who are in same-sex 'marriages' to continue to serve in the church "stands contrary to the plain teaching of scripture".
He continued by highlighting the gravity of the situation. "This matter has decimated the Church," he said. "Thousands of members and adherents have left the Church, sometimes whole congregations. This has been particularly damaging in the highlands and islands."
Arthur Custance, a church elder from Kinlochleven, said that a “vote in favour of homosexuality is in effect voting against Jesus Christ.”
'Moved from the authority of the Bible'
Prominent Dundee clergyman and blogger Rev David Robertson discusses the significant implications of this move on his blog, 'The Wee Flea'.
In particular, he emphasises that in voting to allow ministers in same-sex 'marriages', the Church of Scotland has removed itself from the Bible:
"The Youth Convener said that 'you can't discard Scripture, but you have to reinterpret it to suit the age' not seeming to realize that when you 'reinterpret' Scripture to suit the age, you have discarded Scripture. The 'world' seems to get that better than some in the Church. One journalist told the Principal Clerk 'It is ok for members in the church to do things that are described in the bible as an abomination.' Perhaps the most chilling example of this apostasy from the Word of God was given from the convener when asked the question 'are we going to redefine marriage?'. His answer – 'that will be up to the Assembly'. The C of S has moved from the authority of the Bible to the authority of the magisterium of the Assembly."
David also said that the CofS, in rejecting the Bible as truth, has nothing good to say to society.
"When the Principal Clerk was asked on the BBC 'is the Bible wrong?' - he refused to answer," he writes. "He said he had to be neutral. Neutral about the Bible?! The Kirk will have plenty to say about climate change, smacking children and being in the EU – but it has no good news for sinners and nothing of Christ to tell the people. There is a famine of hearing the word of the Lord in our beloved land and all the C of S will give the starving people is sound bites, political clichés and feel good truisms."
Counterculture
Christian Concern's Campaigns Director, Andrew Marsh, spoke on BBC Breakfast on Saturday about why it is crucial that we as the church uphold God's Word, given to us in love.
Responding to a suggestion that allowing same-sex 'marriage' would make the church more 'relevant', Andrew responded by saying that church is called to be countercultural. "The role of the church is not first to look at the culture and society around her, but to look to God and to listen to Him," he said.
"The way that the church is relevant in culture is to offer leadership […] to offer an alternative to society that takes seriously God's good blueprint that He gives in his kindness because He loves us, and to seek in His strength to live it out, to speak into culture and into society."
Related Links:
Kirk vote to allow gay clergy marriages (Herald Scotland)
A Rubicon has been Crossed – The Church of Scotland Assembly Decision on Saturday (The Wea Flea)
Watch Andrew Marsh discusses the church of Scotland and God's good pattern for marriage