A NOVEL written by a senior Church of Scotland minister about the "taboo" subject of gay ordination has prompted an angry reaction from the traditionalist quarter of the Kirk.
The book was written by the retired Very Rev Dr Finlay Macdonald, former Moderator of the General Assembly – the Kirk's highest court – and also latterly its Principal Clerk, who describes the struggle to find agreement over gay ministers using fiction.
The account, called Luke Paul – One Minister's Approach to the Church of Scotland's Sexuality Debate – comes despite a moratorium on Church members speaking publicly about the issue of same-sex relationships.
One senior evangelical figure in the Church criticised the publication of the book as being against the spirit of the moratorium put in place while the Kirk continues to consider its position on allowing gay ministers.
Last year the Church's 1000 leaders, or commissioners, agreed to allow gay ministers, but ordered a two-year study on how to bring the decision into church law.
Ministers are still under the ban about speaking about the issue of gay ordination during that time, but one told The Herald: "There is bound to be different ways of interpreting this. I can't quite work out what message it's giving out to the congregations by publishing this."
However, another minister said he believed the book would bring a new element to the understanding of the debate on the issue and added that "as former Principal Clerk, Finlay is fully up to speed with church law".
In the role of Principal Clerk, Mr Macdonald oversaw the legal procedures at the General Assembly and as Moderator, between 2002-3, he was the most senior figure at the gathering.
The Church has been locked in bitter conflict over allowing homosexual ministers since the 2009 appointment of the Rev Scott Rennie in Aberdeen, the Church's first openly gay minister.
Mr Macdonald includes in his book fictional accounts of the struggle elders and ministers had during a consultation held behind closed doors. It takes a neutral stance on the issue, focusing on the debate.
In his introduction to the book, Mr Macdonald said: "All of these public debates are accessible through the relevant reports and records of General Assembly proceedings. However, accounts of the Church-wide consultation at local level are not so readily available.
"This is due largely to issues of pastoral confidentiality. It would be highly inappropriate for a minister to publish what had been discussed in the Kirk session or divulge conversations with parishioners.
"What I have done, therefore, is to construct what my own experience suggests is a credible account of what might have transpired when a fairly typical minister and congregation engaged with the issues.
"For the record, I would add that I did not myself participate in the consultation at either presbytery or Kirk session level."
It is feared the issue could cause one of the greatest schisms in Church history.
A two-year consultation by the Church found that tens of thousands of members would quit if the ordination of gay men and women was allowed.
Talks between some Highland Kirk members and the more traditionalist Free Church of Scotland have also taken place, with the evangelical wing maintaining its schismatic stance.
Mr Macdonald said last night: "I don't think it breaches the moratorium. I think the underlying message of the book is 'can we not agree to differ?'"
The Kirk said Mr Macdonald had informed them he was writing this book, and provided a preview copy as a courtesy.
The Rev John Chalmers, Principal Clerk of the Church of Scotland, said: "This book is a work of fiction.
"It does no more than numerous other publications and press articles have done in the past few years – raise awareness of the issues of human sexuality and present arguments for and against particular views.
"We do not intend to comment on Dr Macdonald's views, nor any arguments expressed in his book."
The book, published by Edinburgh based Shoving Leopard, is due to be launched on Friday, May 18, the day before the start of this year's General Assembly held at The Mound in Edinburgh.
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