“One of the most controversial issues to face the Church of Scotland is due to be debated at its General Assembly. A gay minister was appointed to an Aberdeen church in 2009, a move which threatened to split the Kirk. Commissioners are being asked whether to continue an indefinite ban on the ordination of gay ministers until a report next year. Another option is to lift the ban but await a separate report which would be published in two years.
For two years, since it confirmed the Reverend Scott Rennie's appointment to Queen's Cross Church, the Kirk has been consulting widely with its officials and congregations on the issue of the ordination of gay ministers. One in five members of Kirk sessions have said they would leave if it is agreed that gay ministers can be ordained, while one in 10 have said they would leave if the Kirk rules they can not be ordained.” - Source BBC.
In this world, there are times of reckoning for all of us. These times are always tough, and not always caused by own own hand. However, the times when we have to do the hardest thinking is when we realise we have allowed something to happen, in the hope that it will 'sort itself out' in due course. It always seems to get out of control. The question then becomes, how do we cope with it without losing face?
The Church of Scotland is in such a place. Two years ago, in 2009, the leaders allowed an actively and openly gay man (sorry but I must fall short of calling him a Reverend, or a Minister) to lead a Church in Aberdeen. Effectively, the problem was kicked into the long grass, but the question will be raised again this week, at the 'General Assembly'. Take a careful look above, at the wording of the two choices facing the voters. “Commissioners are being asked whether to continue an indefinite ban on the ordination of gay ministers until a report next year. Another option is to lift the ban but await a separate report which would be published in two years.” Either way, the Church of Scotland is still hiding from making a decision! The long grass is getting longer. Maybe they are hoping the issue will be lost out of sight in the jungle they are creating, or maybe they should have addressed the problem back in 2009, instead of letting it fester. It would appear that whatever they decide, churches will lose people, and the wider, watching world will laugh. Strangely enough, the ordinary non church going, but moral people already know what the right answer is!
As a wee reminder of what the Scripture says about the issue, here are some verses to think about:
Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexual in the NIV), nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. 1 Cor 6:9-11 (KJV)
A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife(!), vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach. 1 Tim 3:2 (KJV)
I wonder if the CofS is adopting the "if we just ignore it, it will go away" approach rather than confronting the issue head-on. If I attended a church who voted a gay "Minister" into the pulpit, I'd leave. If you don't stand for something, you'll fall for anything, as they say. Christ loves the sinner and abhors the sin, however a pulpit is no place for a homosexual. It is a sacred calling, to serve Christ, and a person should examine himself/herself closely before stepping into that calling. Do I believe a gay man is called by God to lead his flock? No. I do not. But I also believe that His word will never return to him void. The vessel is flawed. But aren't we all? I don't want to judge, but in this case I am happy to be a fruit-inspector. Is this person exhibiting any fruits of the spirit? Uh. No. Sorry. Is his lifestyle true? pure? good? not self-seeking? What sort of role model is this to young people today? I for one do not want my children growing up thinking "anything goes" because it certainly does not. If the church does not act now, this could become the norm, rather than the exception. Scary, scary stuff.
ReplyDeleteWell said, 'Anonymous'. So well put, I couldn't have said it better... in fact, I didn't :)
ReplyDelete