Whither the Kirk?
At the forthcoming General Assembly of the Church of Scotland it will be crunch time on accepting or otherwise gay ministers for ordination. Four years of study and reflection, plus a moratorium on discussion of the issue, have gone by since the Rev Scott Rennie, an openly gay minister, was inducted to Queen's Cross Church in Aberdeen. There are threats of a schism. The Kirk's history was dominated by such events until the last big split in the middle of the 19th century. It would be a great pity if such were to happen again. Scotland has become a largely secular nation and the Kirk's membership has taken a hit.
But the Kirk is by no means dead. It is different, and it needs to be. There are many lively, active congregations throughout the country, serving the needs of their communities.
At a corporate level the Church of Scotland has suffered greatly in its public perception by poor communication. The modern church has to deal with modern life. It has to deal with people where they are, making difficult decisions about serious issues against a background of science and technology. Two thousand years ago Jesus Christ offered a simple Gospel for all to understand – it was dominated by love. That message has been misrepresented and unnecessarily complicated down the centuries.
If it wants to remain a national church, the Kirk has to regain its status as a broad church, bound together by love and respect where people of different theological perspectives can see the bigger picture.
The conservative evangelical wing of the Kirk is hurting and feeling isolated because it cannot reconcile its understanding of the Bible with the more liberal wing. But there is no point in cherry-picking Biblical quotations on homosexuality or anything else.
People within the Church used the Bible to oppose the ordination of women almost 50 years ago and, even 200 years ago, did the same in relation to slavery. It is hard for us to imagine that. I would say to the evangelical wing – you do not have to go. Although it is nearly half a century since the ordination of women to the eldership and the ministry there are still some "no-go'" areas within the Kirk and there is little anyone can do about it. There are still some congregations within the Kirk that are highly unlikely to call a woman minister. We know where they are. If the General Assembly decides to approve the ordination of gay ministers, a similar situation will exist. There is surely space for all
One of my oldest and dearest friends is a Quaker. We grew up together in the Kirk. Her faith journey took her to the right wing of the Kirk and back again. She still meets her evangelical friends regularly and loves them just the same. But she's careful where the conversation goes and steers clear of contention. She always strikes me as someone who is in a peaceful but not unquestioning place.
To the evangelical wing of the Kirk I would say go' if you will be happier and you think it will further the Gospel of Christ in the world. To those of you within that grouping whose Christian faith allows you to be gracious to those who interpret the Gospel in more so-called liberal ways, please stay– we need your contribution of preaching and pastoral care. Who knows, you may yet be led to change your mind on this particular issue.
As for the rest of us, it is worth remembering that the people Jesus Christ preferred to keep company with were often the so-called sinners of the day. It was those who were hooked up to orthodoxy and the so-called religious rules of engagement of 2000 years ago who saw Jesus as a threat. He is still threatening.
Muriel Armstrong was a journalist with the Church of Scotland for 40 years and edited the Kirk's monthly magazine Life and Work. She has been a Kirk elder for more than 20 years.
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