I wonder if Andrea McLean truly understands the biblical meaning of the term "Christian" (Letters, October 13).

Her claim to being "a church attender all my life" suggests she sees going to church and being a Christian as synonymous. This, of course, is not the case. Anyone can be a "church attender" without being a Christian.

Ms McLean, in her undisguised joy at the threatened eviction of the congregation of St.George's Tron in Glasgow, makes the additional point that "church attendance is diminishing". She obviously hasn't taken the trouble to visit the building in which this congregation currently meet to see the numbers attending (if that is her main criterion). If she did, she would know to get there early, or have difficulty in finding a vacant seat.

This episode reflects badly on the general trustees of the Church of Scotland, and on the majority of the members of the presbytery of Glasgow. Can they not see that, if they evict the current congregation, they will be left with an expensive white elephant? I do not see any evangelical minister moving into this particular building; and only such a ministry would maintain the size of congregation, and the associated income. Are the general trustees and presbytery officials prepared to cut off their noses in order to spite their faces?

Robert Irwin makes a much more valid point that it is unbiblical for the Glasgow presbytery to take fellow Christians to court (Letters, October 13). It was a former clerk to the presbytery of Glasgow, and Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, the late Very Rev Dr Andrew Herron, who was once challenged, on the basis of Matthew 5:25, when the presbytery was proposing to take a secular organisation to court. He responded by referring his journalistic questioner to the previous two verses, where it is clear that the injunction of v.25 only applies to believer taking believer to court. I wonder what he would have to say in this current situation.

The sensible, truly Christian way forward would be for the general trustees and presbytery to hand over the deeds to the building to the very people who have made such good use of it over many decades, in the faithful proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ.

Regretfully, common sense and Christian grace are the very commodities that would appear to be in short supply both within the presbytery and in the administration of the Church of Scotland.

Rev C Brian Ross,

253 Shields Road,

Motherwell.

Andrea McLean expresses delight that the Church of Scotland is to "seize" (a strong word usually associated with the activities of the police) back the church building and other property of St George's Tron congregation in the middle of Glasgow (Letters, October 13).

On the contrary, if this declared intention is carried out it will be one of the meanest, most despicable acts of the national church over the centuries. Here is a thriving, well-attended church with a strong record of Christian witness and service in one of the most prominent spots in Glasgow, to be destroyed because the congregation have the cheek to tell the denominational commanders that their policy regarding certain sexual practices is wrong. I would have thought a quick scan through Romans, Chapter 1 would have shown the church to be right and the national leaders wrong.

Having seized the building, what is the Church of Scotland going to do with it? Do they have a ready-made congregation with an acceptable understanding of scripture ready to step in and continue the good work? Or will the building become a carpet warehouse or a bingo hall or flats?

There is plenty of evidence in recent years of redundant churches of one denomination being sold for a token minor sum to another denomination even where the theological positions of both churches diverged. Such arrangements have shown a degree of Christian grace and communal goodwill not to be found in the recent announcement by the Church of Scotland or the letter from Ms McLean. Perhaps they believe the St George's Tron congregation are not real Christians as defined in present-day secular denominations.

It is sad that this dispute has so blatantly come into the public domain. But the congregation have stood by their principles and those of scripture. The best thing the denomination could do now would be to accept the situation with grace, demonstrate an attitude of love to the church and sell them the redundant church for £1 with their accompanying blessing for the continued work of the gospel up at the top of Buchanan Street.

Alan Sinclair,

40 Switchback Road,

Bearsden.

Robert Irwin suggests the action of the Glasgow presbytery in taking fellow Christians to court is unbiblical.

There may be an argument that such action is outwith Christian values, but, in following the exhortations to smite them hip and thigh contained in the book, taking someone to court because they disagree with you is surely very biblical, if not actually sensibly restrained,

Les Hunter,

21 Covington Oval,

Carstairs Junction,

Lanark.