CoS allows gay marriage ministers

The Church of Scotland has voted to allow ministers to be in a gay marriage.

The denomination decided by 339 votes to 215 in favour of the move on the first day of its annual General Assembly.

However, church ministers will be barred from registering same-sex civil partnerships or solemnising gay marriages themselves.

The move will upset many Church of Scotland (CoS) worshippers in the Western Isles.

Church of Scotland votes to allow ministers to be in gay marriage

21 May 2016

The denomination's Lewis Presbytery previously declared its opposition to open pulpits to gay ministers. The island presbytery - which is the collective voice of the CoS on Lewis - is also opposed to same-sex marriage saying it is against bible teachings.

Congregations in Harris and Lewis have spilt over the row.

The Church of Scotland maintains today's decision does "not compromise" its traditional view of marriage as an union between one man and one woman.

Last year, the church allowed congregations to appoint gay ministers living in a same-sex civil partnerships.

Since 2008, 25 ministers - some 3% of the total - have left the denomination because of the row.

The Very Rev John Chalmers, principal clerk to the General Assembly, said: “We had a debate which made very clear that we were not interfering with our theological definition of marriage and were not going to the place where ministers or deacons could themselves conducting same sex marriages. It is an entirely different discussion.

“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.

“In some ways we crossed the Rubicon last year when it was agreed that kirk sessions could call someone in a civil partnership and for many people what today was about was simply tidying up and making the law of the church consistent with Scots law.”

Mr Chalmers said a report on Christian understanding of marriage would be presented to the General Assembly next year.

But he said it was not inevitable that commissioners would endorse same-sex marriage ceremonies being held in churches because each annual gathering "is unique and has a mind of its own."

Mr Chalmers said: “Today I think people came to this decision with their minds on law and practice and not on theology and future practice.”

The principal clerk said:“I hope we have now put this issue to one side and we can now get on with what I believe are important issues – developing our vision for the church, increasing membership and developing our work around mission.”