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Church of Scotland General Assembly votes to allow gay ministers | Church of Scotland General Assembly votes to allow gay ministers |
(34 minutes later) | |
The Church of Scotland's ruling General Assembly has voted to allow actively gay men and women to become ministers. | The Church of Scotland's ruling General Assembly has voted to allow actively gay men and women to become ministers. |
Assembly commissioners in Edinburgh voted in favour of a proposal that allows liberal parishes to opt out of the church's policy on homosexuality. | |
The decision will have to be endorsed by the church's regional presbyteries and officially approved next year. | The decision will have to be endorsed by the church's regional presbyteries and officially approved next year. |
Divisions were caused when the first openly homosexual minister was appointed by the Kirk four years ago. | Divisions were caused when the first openly homosexual minister was appointed by the Kirk four years ago. |
Two congregations and six ministers broke away. | Two congregations and six ministers broke away. |
Commission report | Commission report |
The vote to allow gay ministers in civil partnerships follows a report by the church's theological commission, which set out arguments on both sides. | |
General Assembly rules dictate it must be approved at a presbytery level and then rubber-stamped at next year's gathering. | General Assembly rules dictate it must be approved at a presbytery level and then rubber-stamped at next year's gathering. |
The dilemma facing the Church of Scotland goes back to 2009, when the openly gay minister Scott Rennie was appointed to the Queen's Cross parish in Aberdeen. | The dilemma facing the Church of Scotland goes back to 2009, when the openly gay minister Scott Rennie was appointed to the Queen's Cross parish in Aberdeen. |
He was backed by most of his congregation and by the General Assembly, but the decision resulted in protest and the break-away of a small number of congregations and ministers. | He was backed by most of his congregation and by the General Assembly, but the decision resulted in protest and the break-away of a small number of congregations and ministers. |
Speaking to BBC Radio Scotland, Reverend Rennie said the General Assembly vote was a "good decision" and a "fair compromise". | |
Tom French, from the Equality Network, welcomed the move by the Kirk. | |
He said: "This is a positive step forward for a more equal society, and speaks to the progressive values of 21st Century Scotland." | |
At the Kirk's gathering in 2011, commissioners voted to accept gay and lesbian clergy - on the condition they had declared their sexuality and were ordained before 2009. | |
At that General Assembly, the theological commission was set up to report this year, before a final decision was taken. | At that General Assembly, the theological commission was set up to report this year, before a final decision was taken. |
Last June, a Glasgow Kirk became the first to split from the Church of Scotland over the issue of gay clergy. St George's Tron Church said its 500-strong congregation believed the General Assembly's decision in 2011 had "marginalised the Bible". | Last June, a Glasgow Kirk became the first to split from the Church of Scotland over the issue of gay clergy. St George's Tron Church said its 500-strong congregation believed the General Assembly's decision in 2011 had "marginalised the Bible". |
And in February, the Rev Dominic Smart and his congregation of 300 at Gilcomston South in Aberdeen left the Church over the same issue. | And in February, the Rev Dominic Smart and his congregation of 300 at Gilcomston South in Aberdeen left the Church over the same issue. |
A total of six ministers have now left the church over gay ministers. | A total of six ministers have now left the church over gay ministers. |
The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church of Scotland and its annual national business meeting. | The General Assembly is the supreme court of the Church of Scotland and its annual national business meeting. |
The Assembly was first held in 1560, the year of the Scottish Reformation which marked the beginning of the Protestant Church in Scotland. | The Assembly was first held in 1560, the year of the Scottish Reformation which marked the beginning of the Protestant Church in Scotland. |
About 850 church commissioners - mainly ministers and elders - from across the church's 48 presbyteries, gather in the Assembly Hall on the Mound in Edinburgh for a week in May. | About 850 church commissioners - mainly ministers and elders - from across the church's 48 presbyteries, gather in the Assembly Hall on the Mound in Edinburgh for a week in May. |