TIMES ONLINE: The Church of Scotland faces a fresh crisis over its attitude towards homosexuality after an openly gay man was selected by one of the country’s largest and most influential presbyteries to train as a minister.
The decision comes less than six months after the appointment of a gay minister in Aberdeen almost split the Kirk. The selection of Scott Rennie, a divorced father, who now lives with his male partner, horrified traditionalists, some of whom threatened to leave the Church. In an attempt to defuse the increasingly bitter row, the Kirk approved a two-year ban on the induction and ordination of homosexual ministers.
During that time, a special commission will examine the issue before reporting to the Kirk’s General Assembly in 2011 in order to determine the Church’s position, based on the findings of the report.
However, despite the ban, Hamilton Presbytery, the third biggest in Scotland, voted last Tuesday to nominate a man in a civil partnership for training. >>> Charlene Sweeney | Tuesday, September 08, 2009
