GENERAL ASSEMBLY 2009
LATEST - Wednesday 27th May 2009
FORWARD TOGETHER NOTES THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT, MADE BY THE
ACTING PRINCIPAL CLERK, ON DISSENT AND COMPLAINT AND RELATED BUSINESS
The General Assembly have set up a Special Commission chaired by a Scottish
judge to examine questions relating to homosexuality and the ordination and
induction of ministers. The Commission will report to the General Assembly of
2011. Meanwhile, the Assembly have instructed the Courts and committees of the
Church to avoid making public statements on that particular issue, while leaving
open the possibility of more general discussion. Individuals too are asked to
behave in the spirit of this decision.
The Assembly heard a case involving the Presbytery of Aberdeen, which had
previously been brought before the Church's Courts. The Assembly approved the
procedures followed by the Presbytery, and therefore decided to allow the Call
to the charge of Aberdeen: Queen's Cross to be sustained. However, further
decisions relating to ordinations and inductions in similar circumstances are
not to be made until the Special Commission has reported.
PRESS
RELEASE - Wednesday 20 May 2009
NEWS
FROM FORWARD TOGETHER
"In
a feature in a national Scottish newspaper today, Rev. Steven Reid Chairman of
the Church of Scotland evangelical group 'Forward Together' will argue that the
forthcoming General Assembly must uphold " overarching teaching of the
Scriptures" on homosexuality. He will explain why so many ministers and
many rank and file members of the Church of Scotland oppose the move by the
Presbytery of Aberdeen to approve practicing homosexuals in the ministry.
The
full text of Rev. Reid's article is shown below.
ENDS
www.forwardtogether.org.uk
Contact
Rev. Steven Reid (01555 860415)
For
broadcasters, an MP3
file is available comprising a 20s comment from Rev. Reid.
A PDF of this press
release is also available
FEATURE:
In
recent weeks newspaper headlines like “Kirk in Crisis.” and “Assembly
headed for Row.” have become commonplace. Many have suggested that the Church
of Scotland is headed for a stormy debate at this year’s General Assembly on
the question of practicing homosexuals in the ministry. A key question therefore
is what motivates those of us within the Church of Scotland who argue the case
against the practice of homosexuality?
First
and foremost, in the Church of Scotland the teaching of the bible is held to be
the supreme rule of faith and life. When we begin to examine the bible’s
teaching on the persistent practice of homosexual activity we find that it is
consistently prohibited and condemned. It is not the case, as has been
suggested, that this is based on one or two selective biblical texts, but rather
the overarching teaching of the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation.
According
to the Bible human beings are creatures called as male and female to be the
image of God in the world. Part of that calling involves
sexual expression but this is to be celebrated within its appropriate creation
context. That biblical context is only found in the
relationship of marriage between a man and a woman. It is only in understanding
this positive vision that we can then make sense of why the Bible speaks so
negatively about forms of sexual expression that fall outside God's creation
purposes.
There
are those who readily admit that the Biblical evidence is against them even
while arguing for homosexual clergy. Rev. Prof. William Loader, of Murdoch
University in Australia is an example in a recent article in favour of same sex
clergy he wrote;
“In
the current discussions about homosexuality, some issues should be clear from
the start. One is that the Bible roundly condemns
homosexuality and homosexual activity. Of this there is not a
shadow of a doubt. Its writers deplored homosexual acts as a deliberate
perversion of human nature, a flouting of God’s intention in creation.”
However,
Professor Loader’s argument is that the Biblical writers did not know of
homosexual people who are committed believers and faithful in their
relationships.
This
is the claim that is often made that the times have moved on and the biblical
writers knew nothing of such loving and committed sexual relationships between
people of the same sex. This surely misses the point. The bible’s problem with
homosexuality is not its lack of love and commitment, but that it is not a
marriage which is the proper place for the expression of sexual relationships,
and that such marriage can only be between a man and a woman. In Matthew chapter
19 Jesus said, “at the beginning the Creator “made them male and female”,
he goes on to speak about the institution of marriage. In this passage, Jesus is
affirming the created order and stating that the institution of marriage is
between a man and a woman. Since it is woven into the created order that sexual
relationships are between a man and woman, this is not a principle that varies
according to the culture of the day.
In
the current debate there are some who have adopted scaremongering tactics. For
example, it is suggested that the opposition to the Ministry of a practicing
homosexual is parallel to those opposed to the ordination of women in the 1960s.
But the difference between the two cases is the difference in the strength and
the vehemence with which the Bible speaks on these issues evidenced by the women
members, elders and ministers who oppose the ordination of practicing
homosexuals. Even the most ardent opponent to the ordination of women would have
to concede that the bible does not call it sin. That however is the unanimous
verdict of the scripture on the persistent practice of homosexuality.
There
are others who ask where the grace of God and the forgiveness of the gospel is
in all of this? Where indeed? As I understand the present case before the
Assembly, the man concerned is not seeking forgiveness. Instead, he is seeking
to continue his unbiblical conduct with no attempt to change, and is expecting
the Church to call it “good”. In the bible, when Jesus forgives he expects
us to change our ways. Indeed, there are a number of believers who have to deal
with the fact that they experience homosexual attraction, but because they
believe in the bible’s teaching, they lead a life of celibacy in doing so they
know the forgiveness and grace of God in their lives.
Over
the next few days the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland will hear the
case of the Rev. Scott Rennie and an Overture brought by the Presbytery of
Lochcarron and Skye which asserts a clear doctrinal position on all matters of
marriage and human sexuality. According to the published time-table the case
will be heard first. This would mean the particular was decided before a
principle was established. Assembly organisers state that there is a danger that
if the Overture is heard first the outcome might influence the decision of Mr.
Rennie’s case.
Many
commissioners however, question the logic of this position. I believe together
with many others in the evangelical group ‘Forward Together’ that personal
cases make bad law. They are often decided, not on objective principles, but
subjectively. It makes far more sense therefore for the Overture to be heard
first. It reaffirms the standard of sexual morality the Church expects from her
ministers. Once that has been clarified the Assembly can then apply those
principles to Mr. Rennie’s case.
It
is the hope of Forward Together, and the hope of many rank and file members of
the Church of Scotland, that the Assembly will support the clear petition of the
Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye and uphold the appeal against the induction of
Rev Scott Rennie.
Fellowship of Confessing Churches
Statement about the coming General Assembly of 2009
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meeting in May 2009 will hear
an appeal against the decision of the Presbytery of Aberdeen to induct into a
charge a minister who has openly declared himself to be living in a homosexual
relationship.
If the Assembly votes to support the Presbytery of Aberdeen, it will publicly
declare such behaviour as acceptable and honourable for a leader in Christ’s
church. This would mark a historic departure for our church from the teaching of
the catholic Christian faith, and a radical deviation from the clear Scriptural
pattern that recognises the sanctity of marriage between one man and one woman
as the only proper place for sexual intimacy—a pattern which our church has
hitherto always publicly affirmed.
To now declare explicitly an active homosexual lifestyle as holy, something
the Bible unambiguously calls sin, denies in the most public fashion the
authority of the church’s only Lord and Master, Jesus Christ. Our church would
thus position itself outwith the fellowship of orthodox, credal Christianity
worldwide.
Such a decision, if made by the General Assembly, would be immensely damaging
for the cause of Christ in Scotland and disastrous for the national church. As
an unprecedented departure from both the Kirk’s supreme standard, the
Scriptures, and its subordinate standard, the Westminster Confession of Faith,
by its highest court, this would inevitably force a crisis of communion. The
majority of congregations of the Church of Scotland have no wish so to depart
from orthodox Christian faith and practice, nor to be in fellowship with those
who would so abandon the true Church of Jesus Christ.
We urgently alert all commissioners to the 2009 General Assembly to the
extreme gravity of the situation. We urge the Assembly to support the position
of those who stood to defend Christian orthodoxy in Aberdeen Presbytery, and
ensure instead that the Church will apply and assert in practice its clear
doctrinal position on all matters of marriage and human sexuality, by refusing
to condone homosexual practice in general, and among its leaders in particular.
We further urge all commissioners to support the Overture from the
Presbytery of Lochcarron and Skye, that our General Assembly may make its
will known clearly and decisively on this issue for the future.
We stand thus to publicly affirm our love, honour and deep respect for all
our Christian brothers and sisters who wrestle painfully with homosexual
temptation but fight faithfully to live lives of purity, following Christ Jesus
as his true disciples. We assure them of all pastoral support, care and mutual
encouragement as they, along with us, ‘strive…for the holiness without which no
one will see the Lord.’ (Hebrews 12:14)
We further wish to affirm our continuing solidarity in fellowship with
Christian churches worldwide who hold and maintain the historic faith, doctrine,
and discipline of the one holy, catholic and apostolic church, once for all
delivered to the saints in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments.
Click here to see
an analysis of the 12,532 signatories to the Statement about the 2009 General Assembly.
(5314 from the Church of Scotland including 421 Church of Scotland ministers).
ABERDEEN PRESBYTERY
At a meeting
of Aberdeen Presbytery on 6th January 2009 the call of Rev Scott Rennie to
Aberdeen Queen's Cross from Brechin Cathedral was upheld, although a
substantial number registered their dissent. Mr Rennie has openly
stated that he is intending taking his male partner with him to live in the
manse. This has caused enormous tremors throughout the Church as it is
aggressively taking the debate on homosexuality onto a new level.
Forward Together is deeply concerned over this development and asks for
Christians to pray for wisdom for those in Aberdeen Presbytery and the wider
courts of the Church.
We
cherish the peace and unity of the Church and feel this new development will
seriously undermine both. As a group within the Church of Scotland,
Forward Together's desire is to be faithful to the Word of God in all areas
of life and doctrine. We will respond to any challenge to the Church's
evangelical heritage.
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