SCOTLAND'S first openly gay minister has warned that the Church Of Scotland's public struggle with homosexuality has been overtaken by civic society after MSPs overwhelmingly passed stage one of the Bill to allow same-sex marriage .
The Reverend Scott Rennie, who was controversially appointed to Queen's Cross Parish Church in Aberdeen in 2009, spoke out after 98 MSPs backed the Marriage And Civil Partnerships (Scotland) Bill on Wednesday following an emotion-charged debate.
The move means marriage between gay and lesbian couples being legal north of the border is on course to become law within two years.
Mr Rennie said the impact on the consultation being carried out by the Kirk's legal team would be significant after the parliamentarians voted.
The Kirk's 500,000 members are being asked their views on how to implement the move towards greater acceptance of openly gay clergy, which was agreed at the Church Of Scotland's last General Assembly in May.
Mr Rennie, whose appointment sparked fears of a momentous divide in the Church over the issue, said the Holyrood vote would have an impact on the Kirk's internal struggle.
He said: "It was never going to be close, but it was a huge majority, certainly more than I thought it would be, and it was nice to see the many MSPs who are Church Of Scotland members or members of other religions voting for the Bill."
He said it "gives the lie" to the notion that there is a majority within the Kirk opposed to gay clergy.
He added: "It's great to see members of the Kirk in the debate. It also shows that public life has overtaken the Kirk's own timetable in the sense it is civic society setting the agenda. In 10 years people will wonder what it was all about."
West Of Scotland Tory MSP Annabel Goldie is a Kirk elder and Finance Secretary John Swinney is also a Church of Scotland member. Both voted in favour of the Bill.
Among the 15 who stood against the legislation were fellow Kirk members and Energy Minister Fergus Ewing, SNP MSP for Inverness and Nairn, and Margaret Mitchell, Central Scotland Tory MSP. Five MSPs abstained.
It is another twist in the argument as the Kirk consults on plans that is claimed could make it tougher for openly gay ministers to take up posts in the Church.
The consultation document sets out for the first time how parishes would vote to allow a gay minister. It says a kirk session would need to secure a two-thirds majority in two separate votes on the principle of appointing a gay minister.
The proposal is based on the view that a congregation could be more unsettled and divided if success were founded on a narrow margin.
A third vote on a simple majority would also be needed to appoint a gay minister.
At present, that simple majority of 51% is required to appoint a new minister.
Mr Rennie, who is in a civil partnership, said he would consider the implications of the introduction of same sex marriages to his personal circumstances. He said: "I don't know what the conversion details would be. I would have to look at the detail of the Bill."
The Church Of Scotland said it stands within the main- stream Christian belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.
Reverend Dr Alan Hamilton said: "Until any future General Assembly Of The Church Of Scotland decides otherwise, that remains our position.
"But our commitment to care for all people, gay and straight, is no less. We stand against homophobia."
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