General Assembly Asked to Apologise for Historic Discrimination Against Gay People

^{Picture by Derek Fett}

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is to be asked to apologise to gay people for the church’s ‘history of discrimination’ against them; and to consider whether the Church should conduct same-sex marriages.

The proposals are contained in the report of the Theological Forum to May’s Assembly, which has today been published in full by the Church after the contents were leaked to the press over the weekend.

A Church statement said: “In light of the report appearing in the national press, the Principal Clerk has authorised its immediate publication to allow Commissioners, members of the church and members of the public to understand fully the content and context.”

The Forum’s report, ‘An Approach to the Theology of Same-Sex Marriage’,  looks at how different approaches to scripture have resulted in different views, before considering arguments based on human rights, on ‘building outwards from traditional understandings of marriage’, and on theological arguments in favour of allowing same-sex marriage.

It concludes that the Forum ‘does not believe there are sufficient theological grounds to deny nominated individual ministers and deacons the authority to preside at same-sex marriages… however, the Forum does not believe that such permission should be granted until there is assurance that the conscientious refusal of other ministers and deacons to preside at such marriages is protected’.

The deliverance invites the church to ‘apologise individually and corporately’ for ‘its history of discrimination’ against gay people ‘and seek to do better’, and to instruct the Legal Questions Committee ‘to undertake a study of the matters which would require to be addressed in any new legislation permitting Ministers and Deacons to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremonies’.

In releasing the report the Convener of the Theological Forum, the Very Rev Professor Iain Torrance, said: “The report addresses what has been a long running argument in all the churches.

“In years past there has been an idea that in time one side in this argument would emerge as the sole victor.

“We don’t think like that now.

“That is why we are arguing for what, last year, the Forum called ‘constrained difference’.

“This is saying that within limits we can make space for more than one approach.

“It is closely similar to what the Archbishop of Canterbury calls ‘mutual flourishing’.

“This is a centrist report, aimed at encouraging mutual flourishing.”

The Principal Clerk, the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, said: “It is unfortunate that this report has found its way into the public domain before this year’s volume of Assembly Reports has been published.

“However, it is important that people are now able to access the full report.

“It will now be for the Assembly to decide whether it wants to ask the Legal Questions Committee to pursue further research on the matters which would require to be addressed in any new legislation permitting Ministers and Deacons to officiate at same-sex marriage ceremonies.

“If the General Assembly does move in this direction a further report will be heard in 2018.”

You can read the full report here (pdf).

Post Tags: same-sex marriage, general assembly

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Comments

Rev Dr John Cameron - Friday, April 21st, 2017

“I totally agree with the theological forum’s call for the Church of Scotland to apologise for its discrimination against gay people – my only regret is that it didn’t make it years ago. The forum is also right to say there are insufficient theological grounds to deny individual ministers the authority to preside at same-sex marriages. I was a parish minister in Broughty Ferry for 35 years and if any of the gay couples in my congregation had asked me to marry them I would have agreed. I’d have loved to be hauled before the General Assembly on a heresy charge. ”

Rev Bruce Dempsey - Tuesday, May 2nd, 2017

“There are, however, Biblical reasons for not doing so. One person's discrimination is another's 'discernment'. Does a Golf Club discriminate against me if I want to play but will not pay the club or green fees? I don't think so. Being a Christian is a choice not a right that can be legislated. Whether the church has discriminated against anyone is a matter of opinion. ”

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